Leadership for Artistic Directors
Leadership for Artistic Directors Conference
June 20-21, 2006
Portland, OR
Due to the immense popularity of the pre-conference artistic leader training at the National Conference in Seattle and the post-Fall Forum training program in New York, TCG, Dance/USA and National Arts Strategies are thrilled to offer a third session of Leadership for Artistic Directors. There are only 20 slots available to TCG members and the slots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline is April 7, 2006.
Registration Fee:
Registration: $250
Late Registration: $275 (after April 7, 2006)
(Registration fee includes all printed materials, dinner on Tuesday, breakfast and lunch on Wednesday and coffee breaks)
Schedule:
Tuesday, June 20: 3:30 pm—9:00 pm
Wednesday, June 21: 9:15 am—4:30 pm
About the Program:
Leadership for Artistic Directors was designed for the artistic director or prospective artistic director who wants to understand more clearly the leadership responsibilities of the position.
Practicing artists often become artistic directors without any training for organizational leadership. While an artist’s strong intuitive sense and ability to generate confidence in others serves him/her well in the capacity of organizational leader, he/she may encounter a wide range of activities for the first time. Moreover, opportunities to develop leadership skills while on the job are limited to one’s own experience and do not profit from research into the broad experience of others. Even the most experienced artistic director could benefit from a framework for understanding more clearly what they do. Leadership for Artistic Directors provided that framework.
Leadership for Artistic Directors makes a strong distinction between leadership and management. Organizational leadership doesn’t require hands-on daily attention to management detail; an approach that reserves most of the artistic director’s time for artistic programs also can afford the opportunity to exert leadership. The key is to know in what situations it is necessary for the artistic director to lead and in what situations the artistic director may rely on others. There are three areas of knowledge and skill that are necessary for the artistic director to be an effective organizational leader:
- How to position your organization advantageously in the minds of artists, patrons, donors and staff. Among other things, this means identifying and communicating the directions that will guide and motivate the stakeholders and which will provide the psychological and economic basis for your organization's success.
- How to manage relationships with board members, the managing director and other key staff, by understanding what motivates them, how to gain their trust and how to shape their collective will. A key concept is relationships based on trust.
- How to identify and influence the organization's internal culture, including how decisions are made, how conflict and is handled, how information is communicated and how ethical standards are established. Cultures that are too strong, or too weak, are equally dangerous.
If you have any questions, please contact Chris Shuff, director of management programs, at cshuff@tcg.org or by phone at (212) 609-5900 x248.