Space Needle 360 camera screen shot
The Old System Isn’t Working Anymore (Especially in the US)
In my last post, I talked about the importance of building strong internal ecosystems within arts organizations.
But let’s pull back even further. Because the reality is this: it doesn’t matter how well you’re structured internally if the ecosystem around you is collapsing.
Your organization isn’t an island. It’s part of a larger community, and right now, that community is under strain.
To survive and thrive in what comes next, we have to stop thinking like competitors and start acting like collaborators.
Every day, it gets harder:
- Ticket sales are more unpredictable
- Funding is evaporating.
- Staff are stretched thinner than ever.
It’s easy to feel like we’re all competing for donors, audiences, and attention. But here’s the truth as I see it:
The future of the arts isn’t about competition. It’s about coalition.
We must change our thoughts to make it through. Those who don’t stop and rethink risk everything.
I’m not trying to fearmonger or make you panic. But you should be worried. You should feel the weight of this moment. Because what worked before won’t work now.
You need to be paying attention and building the systems your organization & community will need to survive and thrive in the next chapter of our country.
The past as we know it is gone. And it’s up to us to save ourselves.
Dramatic? Of course – I’m an artist. True? In your hearts, you know it is.
So where do you start?
Pull Up and See the Whole Picture
One thing I do when I need perspective is visit the Space Needle’s 360° webcam.
It’s a small ritual that reminds me of something big:
When you’re standing on the ground, you only see one tiny slice of what’s happening. A boat in the harbor. A single skyscraper. A crowded crosswalk.
But when you pull back and take in the entire landscape – the people, the buildings, the water…you realize it’s all connected.
This is what we have to do in our organizations.
If we only focus on one slice (marketing, development, or operations), we miss the bigger ecosystem that determines whether we’re growing or just spinning in circles.
This isn’t just about your organization existing in a vacuum. It’s about understanding how you fit within your community – and how your community fits into you.
When your organization is connected to the broader ecosystem:
- You stop fighting for scraps and start building shared strength.
- You’re not just surviving season to season, you’re shaping a future where the arts are essential.
- You’re no longer asking people to care – you’re proving why you matter.
The Hard Question: How Are You Showing Up?
- Are you woven into the daily lives of your community?
- Or are you still expecting people to come to you?
- Do you know what your audience, donors, and partners need right now, or are you assuming they want what you’ve always offered?
And here’s the hardest question of all:
Do you know what your community needs right now?
- Is it affordable housing or solving homelessness?
- Fighting poverty and improving economic security?
- Public health challenges?
- Access to education programs?
- Lowering dropout rates?
Take a moment to research what your specific community needs, not just in the arts, but across all areas of daily life.
Now ask yourself:
How does what you do help address any of these issues? And how are we especially suited to address any of these issues?
And think beyond our normal parameters:
- Discount tickets
- In-school education programs
- Food drives during events
What else could you do to support these critical needs in a way that’s authentic to your mission?
This is Where the Real Work Begins
Let me know your thoughts – I’d love to discuss.
Up Next: Marketing as a Growth Engine
In my next post, we’ll zoom in on marketing specifically – not as a task list, but as the thread that ties your organization to your community.
