In the introduction to Engaging Art: The Next Great Transformation of America’s Cultural Life, former NEA chair and current interim Chair Bill Ivey writes about piano sales in 1909: 364,545, “an impressive total in a country with a population of less than 100 million.” By 1934, “sales had plunged to just over 34,000 instruments.” Yes, [...]
Posts Tagged ‘small and rural communities’
100 Years Ago
Posted in Education, tagged Education, small and rural communities on July 7, 2009 | 4 Comments »
Knowing the Numbers
Posted in Business Model, Education, tagged Business Model, data, Education, small and rural communities on July 6, 2009 | 8 Comments »
It is time for arts organizations to get serious about data. We need to know the numbers backwards and forwards. We need to master the data. We need to be bilingual, speaking not only arts-speak, but also data-speak. If you “don’t do math,” as all-too-many arts majors whine as they face even the most basic math class, then get out of the way and let somebody else lead — you’re a drag on the field. If you find research reports “boring and tedious,” then step aside and let somebody lead who takes their field seriously. Until artists begin behaving like adults who run a business, they will be treated like children who have a hobby.
Value 1: The Focus is on Small and Rural Communities
Posted in Values, tagged decentralization, small and rural communities, Values on May 27, 2009 | 8 Comments »
“I guess in all my years, what I heard more than anything was: a town of less than 50,000 population cannot support a discount store for very long.” Sam Walton To start off this post with a quote from Sam Walton, the King of Wal-Mart, is something I am loathe to do. As readers of [...]
