Mr. Joshua Russell

The Rise of the Mid-Career Arts Professional

Posted by Mr. Joshua Russell, Apr 15, 2014 3 comments


Mr. Joshua Russell

Joshua Rusell Joshua Rusell

It sounds like a superhero sequel: First there were arts leaders, then came emerging leaders and now, the 'mid career arts professional' movement is gaining steam. I mean Americans for the Arts is creating a pre-conference for them at the upcoming Annual Conference in Nashville. It has to be legit, right?!

For most of my arts career, I saw myself and was viewed as an emerging leader. I took great pride in participating in meetings representing the future of the arts. But recently that has changed. I took notice of it when the folks at genARTS Silicon Valley (our region’s emerging leader network) started calling me “the Godfather” or was it “the Grandfather”? I’m pretty sure it was the first one, but either way, the message was clear - I wasn’t really one of them anymore.

So what was I? What am I? I’m not an established leader (yet). That much I know. So as I spent more time thinking about where I fit in this ever-evolving arts ecosystem, I realized something – I think I am entering a major ‘sweet spot’ in the arts. I think we can collectively come up with a better title than “Mid-Career Arts Professional” but I believe that I and those that have graduated from ‘Emerging Leader University’ are uniquely poised to make stuff happen in the arts. Why are we in this so-called sweet spot you ask? Here are five reasons why:

1. We have already established ourselves: For us, it is no longer about establishing credibility or trying to make a case for why we deserve a seat at the table. We already have it. We are already at the table. Our seat is warm.

2. We are technology and social media super-savvy: This may not seem like that big of a deal, but believe me it is. When you combine the knowledge, insight and experience with already having credibility, it’s clear that we have something unique and very valuable to offer. Technology and social savvy will drive engagement with future arts audiences, excite funders, and connect each other together. And we can combine a willingness to experiment with a focus on measurable results. Boards love this.

3. We can live in the past, present and future: One of the most valuable contributions we can make is that we have the ability to straddle the line between what's worked in the past, what seems to be working today and what the future looks like. Emerging leaders can focus on present and future and established leaders can focus on past and present but we can walk the line among all three of them because we have the past experience, we are living in it now and can see where new strategies and opportunities are headed;

4. We are the current and future audiences. We all know that the future success and viability of the arts hinges on our ability to engage and connect with younger audiences. So who is best positioned to understand what kind of programming is relevant to these younger audiences? Who is best positioned to understand how to find them, connect with them and engage with them? Who is best positioned to leverage technology? Who is best positioned to connect across ever-shifting demographics? We are. Because we are the current audience and have direct access to future audiences. It’s as simple as that. We know who they are. We know exactly what they want. We know how to reach them. We know how to talk to them. And, through our relationships with emerging leaders, we have direct access to them.

5. We are proof that nurturing emerging leaders actually works: We are the generation of former emerging leaders and we are living, breathing proof that all of the work, funding, effort, and energy put into growing, developing and nurturing emerging leaders in the arts really works. And we have a ton of wisdom to share.

So we know who we are. We know that we have a lot to offer to our respective organizations. We know we have a unique opportunity. Mark my words: We will lead. We are a movement and we are the immediate future, present and past. We will help navigate the future of the arts. [Cue dramatic super hero music now…] We are not coming… we are already here!

 

Are you interested in hearing more about arts leadership and emerging arts leaders? Join Americans for the Arts for our Arts Leadership preconference at Annual Convention 2014 in Nashville!

This blog is part of our Emerging Leaders Blog Salon this week, and is generously sponsored by Patron Technology

3 responses for The Rise of the Mid-Career Arts Professional

Comments

April 16, 2014 at 5:45 pm

This definitely resonates with me, Joshua. Thanks for writing & I'll see you at AFTA!

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April 19, 2014 at 1:19 am

Josh, this is terrific. Why is the middle so overlooked? So much attention on emerging. So much attention on established. No attention on the bridge between those? Thank you quite literally filling in the gap. I'm looking forward to what you name this phase once past the working title.

And this is for artsblog--please add a linkedin share button.

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April 22, 2014 at 2:57 pm

Okay, as an aging arts leader I found myself laughing and identifying with this (and applauding it). The older I get, the less certainty I have about my knowledge and skills.

My middle years as an arts administrator (between the ages of 32 and may I be so brave to say, even now?) consisted of a LOT of trial and error, risk-taking and failures. Yes there were workshops and conferences and certificates--but my best teachers and mentors were my COLLEAGUES. I think that can still be the case regardless of where they are in their "career-path". I have directed 4 organizations and every single day my mantra is "there is more I don't know than I do".

If this wonderful field of passion-driven arts administrators (and passion has no age-driven statute of limitations--believe me) can get over the emerging-established-rising-age-thing and open ourselves up to the ideas and leadership of artists and arts administrators of all ages, we will all be the better for it. Peer networks are great but can be be limited if they are too narrowly defined.

We could ALL do a better job of speaking up AND listening.

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