Since joining the OAF two years ago, I’ve constantly been impressed with how creative and entrepreneurial arts organizations are in managing sometimes ‘scarce’ resources as they deliver creative and outstanding programs.
Culture Professionals Network
The Guardian in the UK publishes an interesting blog: Culture Professionals Network . A recent update (13/08/12) describes how UK arts organizations are being entrepreneurial in other ways, by exploring collaboration with business beyond the purely financial. As an example, a theatre company secures reduced rent for their office needs, and occupy otherwise unutilized office space. That collaboration might see the arts organization delivering arts programs, or workshops to the business’s employees. Space and infrastructure are secured in exchange for providing arts education and programming to the staff. It is one more way to develop future audiences and arts supporters.
The collaboration can create a sense of community and a commitment to helping each other out, thereby building a stronger, deeper relationship with an organization. The arts organization can use the opportunity to stage performances, installations and deliver community projects. It isn’t a substitute for financial support, but can be one way to expand an arts organizations ‘reach’, grow audiences and through the collaboration, cost effectively manage part of operating expenses.