TCG Fall Forum on Governance Archive

One of the highlights of TCG’s programming activity, the TCG Fall Forum on Governance provides a unique opportunity for theatre trustees and senior staff to engage with one another and to connect with peers from around the country in an intimate and informal setting.

2010: Changing Lives
New York City, November 12-14, 2010

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus claimed that the only constant is change, and yet we are still ever surprised by it! Ten years ago, we would have said that the world had changed significantly since the 1990s. But would anyone have predicted the precipitous change that we have experienced since 2000? The threat of Y2K was child’s play compared with the major events that we’ve seen in the past ten years. Today, entire industries are either defined or defeated by the way their leaders adapt to the changing environment. Change isn’t always negative; on the contrary, it often signals new levels of maturity.

2009: Opportunity Knocks: Proactive Leadership in a "Wait and See" World
New York City, November 6-8, 2009

As we approach 2010, the affairs of our nation—the economy, politics, our international relationships—are still uncertain enough that it's easy to hesitate, to wait and see what will happen next. But if we've learned anything through the last year of economic instability and change, it's that we—as a national field and as theatres and in our own communities—must take advantage of this opportunity to identify and build upon our strengths, to examine practices that are not working and to take bold risks that just might earn theatre a stronger position going into the future.

2008: Radical Shifts: Governing Ahead of the Curve
New York City, November 7-9, 2008

The 2008 Fall Forum on Governance addressed radical shifts that are occurring in our world. How will changes in communications, politics, cultural policy, the economy and other sectors impact theatre? How can theatres "stay ahead of the curve" and be prepared to operate in an environment of constant, radical change?

2007: Cultivating Innovation: From the Board Room to the Box Office
New York City, November 9-11, 2007

The 2007 Fall Forum on Governance focused on how managers and boards think about innovation. Do arts organizations set aside resources for artistic leaders and managers to innovate? How can we stimulate creative thinking in order to develop and implement new strategies to move our organizations forward?

2006: Backstage with the Board: A Look at Art-Making
New York City, November 10-12, 2006

The 2006 Fall Forum on Governance once again focused on the artistic process, with an emphasis on adaptation and design. Sessions explored the links between financial planning, governance and artistic mission and aspiration. How can board members best support and contribute to the artistic mission of the theatre? How can board members think about artistic success beyond critical reviews and box office receipts? What is the role of creativity in true leadership?

2005: Art in the Board Room
New York City, November 11-13, 2005

While other years focused on management structure and financial issues, the 2005 Fall Forum on Governance took a radically different tack, focusing on the artistic process—a careful look at the various elements of theatrical production and the inextricable links between financial planning and artistic mission/aspiration. Board members traditionally feel comfortable in evaluating financial performance, relying on balance sheets, box office receipts, etc. Artistic evaluation—and especially evaluation of artistic leadership—is far more problematic: how do we evaluate and measure right brain activities and achievement? Are there ways that boards can begin to think differently about artistic accomplishment? Are there measurements we should consider beyond critical reviews and box office receipts? What is the role of creativity in true leadership?

2004: Governance in the Age of Hard Choices
New York City, October 22-24, 2004

The gathering featured former U.S. Ambassador Felix Rohatyn, who spoke on the role of the arts as cultural diplomacy and as a public policy force and included sessions such as "Governance: Rules or Relationships?," "Nonprofit Lifecycles: Stage-based Wisdom for Nonprofit Capacity," "Managing Succession Planning/Leadership Change" and "Painful Decisions: Staff Sizing and Structures in Hard Times."

2003: Dollars and Sense: Leadership and Governance
New York City, November 14-16, 2003

The Forum featured speakers Mark Moore, director of the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard University; Clara Miller, president of the Nonprofit Finance Fund and Anne Howden, a senior consultant at LarsonAllen Public Service Group. Highlights include Ben Cameron's closing remarks, a discussion of the need for and cultivation of activist board members during challenging economic times.

2002: Arts Activism in Changing Times
New York City, November 15-17, 2002

The Forum brought together approximately 150 participants, including artistic and management leaders and trustees, and provided an opportunity for in-depth discussion on governance issues. The program included a keynote speech by Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It's Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday Life.