by Michael Lowder, Senior Associate
The arts sector constantly reinvents itself to remain relevant and financially sustainable. Over my 45-year arts management and consulting career, I have witnessed the remarkable resiliency, commitment to mission, and entrepreneurial spirit of the arts community in the face of convulsive events that have negatively impacted the arts ecosystem. These include military conflicts, major economic downturns, inflation, shifting political winds, public health emergencies, and, most importantly, evolving audience and participant interests and expectations. The arts sector must continue to find creative ways to bring communities together by:
- Rethinking how arts and cultural organizations finance their operations without sacrificing quality, accessibility, and outreach to under-served communities.
- Strengthening and expanding the reach of boards of directors, from both inclusivity and fundraising perspectives.
- Attracting and adequately compensating talented and passionate people into the arts management profession, especially from BIPOC communities.
I have recently returned to my former employer, Artsplosure, as interim Executive Director, and am taking this advice personally. The landscape is challenging. Many arts organizations benefited from generous federal grants programs to survive the sector’s shutdown during the pandemic, but sponsors and audiences have been slow to return to pre-COVID levels. There have been high profile closures, such as NC Theatre and Triad Stage. State and local government financial investments in the arts and cultural organizations have steadily eroded, and as ticket prices and other fees increase, accessibility becomes more restricted. Arts organizations are feeling the pressure to intensify and broaden fundraising efforts.
We do see many reasons for hope: attendance numbers are on the uptick and should reach pre-COVID levels in 2025-26. Several moss+ross clients have demonstrated impressive success and are celebrating the support of a generous community. Nationwide, according to Giving USA’s recent annual report, giving to the arts, culture and humanities category reached record highs last year, even when adjusted for inflation. I am confident the sector will continue to exceed expectations in these regards, as it has over the past 45 years.