Feature ~ Blog

The term "arts management" seems to be a combination of two opposing worlds: the artistic and the bureaucratic. It is a common belief that artists are not fiscally responsible or the most knowledgeable of how to run a business. On the other hand, those in the world of number crunching and stock trading aren't necessarily seen as the most artistic group of people either.

But in fact these two professions have never been more similar. It takes a pinch of one and a dash of the other to make a successful business pitch or write an operating grant.

Gone are the days where an artist could be just that - an artist. Today, artists must manage all aspects of their craft. Dancers have to know the ins and outs of grant writing just as well as how to do a pirouette. Visual artists must understand market values and the business of selling their art as much as technique. An administrator must know how to do a budget and understand the creative process in order to properly allocate money within the budget.

Arts management has become an "official" line of work in the past few years. In Canada, our culture is still somewhat in its teenage years, still finding its feet, its voice, its identity. It is ever evolving and changing.

The Toronto performing arts scene, as it is today, started in the 70's with the founding of such iconic theatres as Tarragon, Factory and Theatre Passe Muraille. Those who ran the theatres, Bill Glassco, Mallory Gilbert, Ken Gass, never attended the Humber College Arts Administrator course because it didn't exist. There were no courses that dealt specifically with how to fundraise for a theatre company or which grants were out there to help an artist create their work. It was a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type of environment.

Today the cultural sector has professionals who fundraise and seek out corporate sponsorships for a living. Today, there are artists who make a living writing grants for others while creating and developing their own art. Today, arts administrators are a blend of the artistic and the bureaucratic. Those of us who work in this field have the ability to cross over from the corporate to the not-for-profit with little problem.

The Emerging Arts Professional is a chance for those of us who, by accident or not, call the arts our career and arts management a way of life. For those who have faced challenges and found solutions, we encourage you to submit your stories to our newsletter. For those learning the tricks of the trade, we encourage you to ask away!

We look forward to your ups and downs, your “ah-ha” moments and those questions that may seem unanswerable.

Let’s start a dialogue … who wants to go first?