Countdown to Seattle…or we’ve only got 4 minutes to save the world

June 23rd, 2008 at 11:44am Terence McFarland

For reasons I’m too embarrassed, exhausted or simply unwilling to discuss, I’m seated at the Phoenix Airport at 7:00 a.m. on my way home to LA. I’m not a fan of overnight flights, and I’m extremely un-fond of three hour airline delays - especially when I could have stayed at the airport hotel and swam in the pool or worked out. Oh well. Time for a recap.

This conference rocked. For those that have been reading my posts, I can be a bit of a tough love kind-of-guy.

Sunday’s sessions spoke to me:

Corporate Creativity: this panel was straight up old-school style with fresh new-school content.

Karen Davis from Arts & Business Council Phili put together an incredible panel.

(Note to moderators - put your speakers bios on a power point slide show and have them rotate before and after the session - no need to read them at the top- we wouldn’t have shown up if we didn’t think we thought the speakers had justifiable experience)

We had only a few powerpoint slides and Tammy Matson, the speaker from HR powerhouise Towers Perrin, apologized for having any at all, it’s just that the audience questions begged for the backup she had prepared. Basically she was giving us the real deal on what it takes to make the case for arts-based training to the “deciders” of corporate America. Boils down to “engagement” and the variables that contribute to an innovation-focused workplace. Without the data the CFOs won’t justify any expense. If you’re thinking about arts-based training at all, the key takeaway from this session is research and evaluate to best make the case on both ends of the relationship.

Long time friend from his days at the Theatre Alliance, James Haskins from the Wilma Theater spoke about their program: Courtroom Drama - acting techniques for lawyers. Easy to set up and a revenue generator for most any theater company, plus the bar association requires ongoing education and those sessions are typically boring, lawyers LOVE this. STEAL THIS IDEA!$!$!$

Now, I don’t know about you, but I think Harvey Seifter is a genius. Dig around a little. I think he may crack wide open the future of arts sustainability. I’m doing everything I can to try to work with him more closely.

Looking forward to the September 2008 update of his arts based training article roundup!

Karen even had the voice of business represented with Keith Sutter from McNeil Consumer Healthcare - a division of Johnson & Johnson - who had nothing but accolades for his team’s engagement with Creativity Connection.

Next up was the session on the Leadership Gap, but not before Rebecca Borden threw down the gauntlet.

Basically, because I broadcast to all of you my feelings on how to make a better conference session, she said…”Terence, I’m going to give you and Randy the first 90 minute session of the the leadership track at the Seattle conference. Set the bar!” Gulp. Put up or shut up, Tenacious T.

So if you’ve got feedback or ideas for the kick ass conference of your dreams, send them my way at TMcfarland (at) LAStageAlliance (dot) com

Randy and I sat next to one another during the Leadership Gap session. Fortuitous, perhaps. Another genius was on that panel, Andrew Taylor, he of THE uber-blog The Artful Manager. If you’re an arts administrator and you haven’t read his blog, skip it at your peril.

Apparently, there is no gap. So we may call our session “Bridging the imaginary leadership gap”

Great discussion about tokenism on the diversity tip, under-preparing our boards for inter-generational experiences and succession planning. Hey old white guy, yes, you’re replaceable! If succession is a concern for your org or area check out the Illinois Arts Alliance work on this topic.

Also keep an eye on Ximena Varela and Mitch Menchaca…great presenters and the real deal.

What didn’t come up was the fact that the “Boomer ass ceiling” may be partly in place due to the lack of plentiful 403B retirement programs in the arts. Also, at some point the sector will need to address salary inequities. Individual tax breaks for folks who work in the non-profit sector? Surely I can’t be the first to have thought of this? Have we been down that road before? Yep! Gotta love GOOGLE…Yeah, forgive my student loan. That would help, too.\

Great to see colleagues and catch up, great to get rejuvenated, great to see Arden’s site specific Our Town at Christ Church, great to be given the opportunity to lead at next year’s conference, and great to be asked to blog about my experience. Thanks Rebecca and Americans for the Arts, for your leadership, and for inviting this ArtsBlog writer. See you in Houston for the NAMP conference!

Tenacious T, out!

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