“What stands beneath your feet today comes from the love, sweat, tears, and grief from yesterday.”
That quote has been sitting with me since last week. It was shared during a session about Cincinnati’s arts ecosystem — the same one that gave birth to ArtsWave almost a century ago. It came from a reflection on what it took for a community to build something lasting. And it hit me hard, because it reminded me of something I already believed but hadn’t said out loud: that art doesn’t just belong to a community. It builds the community.
I recently attended the Americans for the Arts Conference, and while I came back with a full notebook, what really stuck with me wasn’t a tip or a toolkit. It was the feeling of standing in a room full of people trying to do hard things. People who were tired, hopeful, scared, and resilient all at once.
Everywhere I turned, the same challenges were showing up: budget cuts, uncertain funding, lagging ticket sales, questions about impact. And a lot of folks are understandably focusing on the one thing they can control in the moment: the next show, the next campaign, the next urgent fire. But in doing that, I think some organizations are missing the bigger picture.
Because this moment isn’t just about solving the immediate crisis. It’s about preparing for the next one.
We’re long past the point where the arts can rely on a single income stream or a single strategy. The world has changed. And we need to make sure our systems — internal and external — are built for the long haul. That means more than just cutting costs or chasing new grants. It means rethinking how we operate, how we show up, and how we connect to the people around us.
It means building an ecosystem.
Cincinnati didn’t become a beacon of arts support by accident. That community put in the work – for decades. They embedded the arts into everyday life, into civic priorities, into the expectations of their neighbors. They didn’t wait for the community to come to the arts.
The arts became the community.
Every organization, no matter how small, has the power to create its own internal ecosystem. One that doesn’t rely on a single pillar, but instead is built across several key areas:
- Marketing & Earned Revenue Strategy – not just to sell tickets, but to build relevance and awareness.
- Sustainability & Internal Operations – how well are you structured to last, not just survive?
- Advocacy & Public Funding – not just relying on federal grants, but building strong local relationships.
- Philanthropy & Individual Support – growing support from real people, not just foundations.
- Belonging to the Community – not just outreach or access, but actually showing up, listening, and being part of the community you’re in.
This blog isn’t a step-by-step guide. It’s a call to pause and take stock. To stop spinning our wheels and start planting something deeper. Because the bricks beneath us were laid by people who believed art was worth the effort.
Now it’s our turn to build what stands tomorrow.
I’ll be digging deeper into each of these five areas in the weeks to come through blogs, videos, and short Lunch & Learn sessions. If this resonates with you, I hope you’ll stick around. Or just reach out. I’d love to hear how you’re building your own ecosystem.