Author: Faine, Hyman R.

Publication Year: 1970

Media Type: Book

Summary:

With the emergence in the last few years of the corporation as a significant source of support of the arts, arts organizations have subjected themselves for the first time to close inspection by executives who have a healthy respect for efficient administration regardless of the nature of the enterprise. Several corporations have, in the course of their involvement in a joint program with an arts organization, contributed their professional and technical personnel to help the arts organization improve its accounting procedures, record-keeping, personnel practices, publicity, fund raising, budgeting, and even program planning. What has emerged from these new alliances of business and the arts is a growing recognition by both arts organizations and corporations of the need for better trained administrators and for institutions where they can be trained.

Abstract:

With the emergence in the last few years of the corporation as a significant source of support of the arts, arts organizations have subjected themselves for the first time to close inspection by executives who have a healthy respect for efficient administration regardless of the nature of the enterprise. Several corporations have, in the course of their involvement in a joint program with an arts organization, contributed their professional and technical personnel to help the arts organization improve its accounting procedures, record-keeping, personnel practices, publicity, fund raising, budgeting, and even program planning. What has emerged from these new alliances of business and the arts is a growing recognition by both arts organizations and corporations of the need for better trained administrators and for institutions where they can be trained.

What kind of training should arts administrators have? The answer, in part, depends on the assumptions we have about the nature of arts management. Is the management of arts organizations basically different from the management of other types of enterprises? If it is not basically different, is there, nevertheless, a need for special supplementary training in problems unique to the arts and, if there is, should that be acquired on the job or in a school of business administration?

There are many educators in the field of business management who insist that the principles of effective management are the same irrespective of the type of institution involved, and that any special knowledge and information about a particular arts organization can be acquired during the indoctrination one normally receives at the outset of a new job.

There is, however, a growing consensus among business educators that the management of arts institutions is different in a number of important respects from most other enterprises.

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Private Sector