Entrepreneurial Arts and Cultural Leadership

“This book would have been a good guide for me when I was starting out … It was so interesting to read and took me back to my own days of building a creative community; as I read through the chapters I kept on saying ‘yep! … yep!’ … Now with a deeper understanding of theories and business activities, I know this book talks a lot of sense.”                                                                                                                 

“Traits is a toolkit.  It works in bite-size chunks. If you’re not wanting to read through a book from beginning to end, but you’re a creative and entrepreneur who is eager to learn, this works well.”

– Polly Crockett, senior lecturer in arts management, Bath Spa University, UK (FHEA, FRSA, Cmgr MCMI)

“The nonprofit arts sector can no longer afford to operate with outdated models and wishful thinking. Entrepreneurial Arts and Cultural Leadership provides a vital roadmap for arts leaders ready to embrace business-minded, revenue-generating strategies that ensure long-term sustainability. This book challenges the status quo and offers the tools we need to reimagine the future of our field.”

– Michael J. Bobbitt - Executive Arts Leader and Playwright

“For those of us living in the Washington, D.C. area, watching Imagination Stage has been an object lesson in entrepreneurialism, devotion to mission and effective management. How fortunate that Bonnie Fogel is now sharing her wisdom with everyone interested in cultural leadership.”

– Michael M. Kaiser, chair, DeVos Institute of Arts and Nonprofit Management, USA; president emeritus, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, USA

I teach a graduate course in arts leadership and can see the applicability of this book directly connected to the principles that are part of my syllabus. As such, the authors demonstrate a practical application of a process that entails the cultivation of a team of critical thinkers and creative problem-solvers to propel an organization forward.  

 

The alliance of theory and practice is a model that can be an inspiration for emerging leaders in arts administration. It could also provide a catalyst to generate a new paradigm of thinking for seasoned leaders who need rejuvenation.

– Dr. Gail Humphries - Dean Emerita, Stephens College and College of Fellows of the American Theatre; Professor Emerita, American University

Bonnie Fogel is the founder and longtime leader of Imagination Stage, one of the top Theatres for Young Audiences in the U.S., taking an entrepreneurial approach to build and guide the nonprofit over 43 years. As the executive head, Fogel advanced the mission through strategic leadership overseeing all aspects of the organization, deploying an entrepreneurial style she developed from her business background. Fogel succeeded through her vision, business acumen, entrepreneurial spirit, communication skills, and “people first” perspective that empowered others.

Brett Ashley Crawford is an Associate Teaching Professor and Faculty Chair of the Arts & Entertainment Management programs at Carnegie Mellon University, USA with a background in theatre management and extensive experience in the field. She has earned multiple degrees including a PhD in Theatre History and Criticism, and her research focuses on audiences, engagement, and how technology disrupts the arts and cultural fields. Crawford also had a career in theatre and worked her way up from stage managing to managing director roles in NY, MD, and GA.