Working with boards: The experiences of Australian managers in performing arts organisations

Abstract

Corporate governance has long been a feature of the arts and cultural sector and is a requirement for all cultural organisations seeking public funding, regardless of their size. However, despite the ubiquity of corporate governance in the arts and cultural sector, there is little research addressing the experiences of managers. This study examines the experiences of managers in performing arts organisations in working with their boards, based on data collected across 20 performing arts organisations in Australia using a stakeholder salience lens. Our results indicate that while the board is seen as a key organisational stakeholder, managers have a range of concerns about the governance role of boards, and in particular their limited effectiveness on the dimensions of legitimacy and urgency. We find that arts managers often must wrestle with competing agendas around creative autonomy and the low‐risk appetite of their management boards. Our findings highlight the need to re‐align, particularly in small‐ and medium‐sized organisations, the organisational needs of arts managers with corporate governance arrangements, without detracting from creative endeavours.

Cultural governance within and across cities and regions: Evidence from the English publicly funded arts sector

“…There are also important ways in which the boards of arts and culture organisations are distinct from those of other nonprofit organisations, which have been extensively researched (e.g. Azmat and Rentschler, 2017;Banks, 2017;Carty et al, 2017;Dubini and Monti, 2018;Glow et al, 2019;Ostrower, 2002;Radbourne, 2003;Rentschler, 2014;Turbide et al, 2008). The key text is Ostrower (2002), who draws attention to the relationships between different cultural organisations, and their relationships with finance, banking, professional services and other high-status industries.…”

Gestão de organizações artísticas: panorama e perspectiva para a produção acadêmica

“…É possível encontrar uma maior produção acadêmica sobre governança para as artes ainda fora do Brasil. Países como Estados Unidos, Austrália, Canadá vivem sob um modelo de governança para as artes mais definido conseguiram avançar nas pesquisas de governança para as artes, considerando elementos mais complexos como conselho, gestores, partes interessadas (stakeholders), planejamento estratégico e tomada de decisões (Adizes, 1972;Glow, Parris, & Pyman, 2019;Radbourne, 2003;Rentschler, 2014;Dubini & Monti, 2018;Cray & Inglis, 2011;Smithies & Uppal, 2019;Puyvelde et al, 2012). É crescente o interesse em pesquisas sobre governança para organizações artísticas não governamentais, uma vez que esse sistema integra dinâmicas tanto da iniciativa privada quanto do poder público e indivíduos que mantém as organizações com base em doações.…”