When I was a little girl I would watch cowboys on TV on Saturday mornings. Besides the dust, the visual images I most remember were that the good guys had white horses and the bad guys wore black hats.
This seemed like a great idea to me at the time. I felt too inexperienced to reach those conclusions on my own, so the fact that someone else decided for me seemed like a great plan. As I acquired more worldly experience I also developed stronger feelings of independence and a much greater desire to reach my own conclusions about everything.
Words, gestures, labels, symbols — their meanings are sometimes so personal that I have no idea what they mean to someone else. Sometimes they are destructive and other times they become a helpful kind of shorthand.
I had a discussion this morning regarding a thesis paper on green issues in the theatre. I could have taken an hour or so to detail the specifics of the environmental research areas. I also could have used another lifetime to discuss the theatres that the paper investigates (nonprofit, regional, community, NYC, for-profit, Broadway, Off-Broadway, etc) but instead I used two labels —“green” and “theatre” to shorthand it.
“Emerging Leaders” is another label. It’s useful as shorthand, but I want to know what you think about it. What does it mean to you? Do you still like it? Is it useful? Is there a better phrase? Is the definition too restrictive?
Does it feel like it puts you in a box or helps bring you together as a group?
Please tell us how you feel about it. I look forward to hearing from you.
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I consider myself an Emerging Leader. I am 42 years old and I am currently transitioning into the field of arts administration. I have been involved in theater since I was in the fifth grade, and have served in what I would consider an administrative role on several occasions. I say that I am transistioning because I am looking to make arts administration my day job, rather than something I do in my spare time.
I mention all of this because, while I consider myself to be an Emerging Leader, I don’t really fit within the paramaters of what Americans for the Arts considers and Emerging Leader. For AFTA, an Emergining Leader is defined as “professionals who are either new to the field, with up to five years of experience, or are 35 years of age or younger.”
One could argue that I qualify under the “new to the field” catagory due to the fact that I have less than five years of experience as a paid arts administrator. On the other hand, I have spent many years on the Boards of nonprofit theaters, so am I technically “new to the field?”
I am currently a graduate student in the Masters of Arts in Arts Administration (MAAA) program at Goucher College. Many of my classmates are working professionals, some over the age of 35, and many of them with more than five years of experience in the field. By being a part of the graduate program they have expressed an interest in being promoted to leadership roles, either in the organizations that they currently serve, or in their next nonprofit. One of my colleagues, in fact, is the Executive Director of a Museum, who is in the program to improve her skills as a leader. I consider all of these people to be Emerging Leaders, eventhough most don’t fit within the AFTA definition.
I wonder then if there needs to be a definition. Wouldn’t it serve the field more if anyone who considered themselves an Emerging Leader, regardless of their age, or experience, to be able to network, and learn from others. I am not suggesting that the AFTA Emerging Leaders Network has in anyway denied anyone the opportunity become a member. I wonder, however, if there is anyone who dismissed the idea of joining because of the limiting definition?
AFTA continues to be a great resource for everyone in the field, they offer multiple opportunities to network, and learn from colleagues. In addition, they have created a place for the next generation of leaders with the Emerging Leaders Network. I consider myself a part of that next generation.
I have gone to Emerging Leaders functions, and even recieved an Emerging Leaders Scholarship this past year to attend the AFTA conference in Seattle. While I am very grateful for this opportunity, I attended both functions with the fear that I would get carded and kicked out for being too old. I know that wouldn’t actually happen, but if I am feeling somehow that I don’t belong to this group then the definition might be too narrow.
Todd -
Thank you so much for your post. It’s very thoughtful. When the Emerging Leaders Network was first created, those parameters were put in place because it seemed like the line had to be drawn somewhere. However, you are not the only one who has expressed the feeling of being “too old” or left out.
It’s my hope that the Network be open to anyone who considers themselves an Emerging Leader. There is definitely some self-identification that needs to happen. We welcome you and any other 40+ new arts leader out there who wants to make a difference, develop your leadership/professional development skills, and meet other up and coming leaders.
You will never be carded:)
Todd and Stephanie -
I really appreciate this discussion as I absolutely thought my age precluded me from being a part of Emerging Leaders – to the point I have not even pursued more information, only wishing I had known about the resource (if it was even available) when I was “younger”.
I am also currently a graduate student in the Masters of Arts in Arts Administration (MAAA) program at Goucher College, and my 20+ years of experience in non-profit theatre mirror much of Todds experience. As I continue to pursue a career in arts administration, I find the truth in “the more you know, the more you realize you don’t know”, and having AFTA’s Emerging Leaders as a resource is an excellent opportunity in my quest for knowledge and my quest to seek out those who have the knowledge! THANK YOU