|
|
     
|
|
LEADERSHIP AND TRANSITION
Many places are identified with charismatic, visionary leaders. What happens when those leaders move on? How can organizations ensure smooth leadership transitions? |
| |
Many art-based places are developed by visionary leaders whose passion and determination work against all odds to establish places that become the cornerstones of their communities. Usually those leaders lead their projects through the initial phases of their development, staying with them until they are established, thriving places. While these leaders play an essential role in getting successful places up and running, there can be a danger in a place becoming too closely identified with its founder, or in failing to plan for the day when that leader moves on to other work. |
| |
Many of the places presented at the Bruner Loeb Forum have been fortunate in having leaders of tremendous creativity and vision, who have put their stamp on their projects, and who continue to thrive in leading their organizations. Rick Lowe at Project Row Houses, William Strickland at Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, Bob Bates at Inner-City Arts, Larry Goldman at NJPAC, Barnaby Evans at WaterFire, Joe Thompson at MASS MoCA, and Maggie Daley and Lois Weisberg at Gallery 37, have all nurtured projects from their infancy to the successful and influential places they have become today, and continue to work hard at sustaining them. |
| |
IN other cases, projects know that their leaders will soon be ready to move on. Lily Yeh at Village of Arts and Humanities gave her organization notice several years ahead that she wished to move out of day-to-day operations into a slightly more removed position, and assisted her organization in planning for that transition. Village has planned carefully over a long period of time for her move, and with her recent departure continues on a steady course. Rick Lowe spends a great deal of time presenting PRH to organizations across the country, and acts as a consultant to many towns interested in developing an art presence in their communities. PRH therefore, has learned to develop new leadership for the day to day operations of its programs. |
| |
There was an informal consensus that while enjoying inspirational leadership from the founders of these projects, it is vitally important to think through how leadership will transition in the longer term. The key is developing leadership capacity within the organization, and developing an organizational structure that ensures stability beyond the influence of one central leader. |
| |
OTHER TOPICS:
Art is Essential
Impacts
Measuring the Impacts
Sense of Place
Race and Diversity
Collaboration Helps
Seizing Opportunity
Art and Education
Challenges of Success
Leadership and Transition
Adapting the Models |
|
|
|
|
