Generational Challenges in Arts Administration

(2-9-2011) Just in time for GIA's upcoming Web Conference on retaining emerging arts leaders in the field—stay tuned; registration for this opens on Friday—is Maureen Walsh's article on the challenges of effectively engaging the next generation of arts professionals.

Walsh opens:

A new crop of bright, talented individuals are rising in the ranks of the art administration sector. Often dubbed “emerging leaders,” this group is typically defined as under 35 years old, working in the field less than 5 to 10 years. I fall decidedly within this definition, yet I remain unsure what it really means to be an emerging leader, and where this designation might take me. I spoke with some of my peers, mentors, supervisors, and other stakeholders in the field to help me explore the nuances of this concept. What I found is through research and surveys, arts organizations have identified the apparent gap in age and experience between established arts leaders and their successors as a major issue affecting the potential growth and sustainability of the arts sector.

Walsh then addresses a series of salient issues by drawing on the expertise of her colleagues, including GIA Web Conference presenters Marc Vogl of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and Jeanne Sakamoto of the James Irvine Foundation.

Read the article here. And participate in the GIA Web Conference on Tuesday, March 1 at 2:00 EST/11:00 PST.