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I'm Grateful
Late yesterday afternoon I returned home after spending two days with the current class of MBA students at the University of Wisconsin’s Bolz Center for Arts Administration.
It’s hard for me to describe how privileged I feel to have been able to spend time with these students and their program head, Andrew Taylor. They are, to a one, inquisitive, resolved, bright, and resourceful. Their backgrounds, values, and interests are diverse, yet I experienced them as unified in their resolve to contribute, first and foremost by making themselves more prepared to do so constructively and effectively.
This was my second visit to this program and the second cadre of students I’ve come to know. This group is no anomaly. Undoubtedly, Andrew Taylor’s stewardship of this program will benefit our sector for years to come. During my last visit, Andrew told me that his key strategy was to carefully select each student, then try hard to “not screw them up while they’re here.�
Those of us who know Andrew know better. His unassuming demeanor and unusual humility ( a rare trait in academe) are paired with persistent scholarship and unquenchable curiosity. The students in his program certainly seem to mimic these traits. The insufferable arrogance one finds in some MBA students seems totally lacking among those at the Bolz Center. It’s not just refreshing, it’s heartening to experience.
For those of us who work in the cultural sector, it’s been tough sledding as of late. With some notable exceptions, attendance and participation have declined markedly over the last couple of years. Political, economic, social, and environmental concerns grip the country. An onslaught of recurring natural disasters (undoubtedly some are of our own making) have contributed to a re-ordering of philanthropic priorities that our sector cannot help but support, regardless of the consequences we are enduring as a result. We find ourselves, once again, at the back of a very long, very hungry line.
Still, I cannot remember a time when working in the arts was easy. It’s never been easy and there’s no reason to believe that it ever will be. Our sector is one where tough-generous people thrive. Open minds, big hearts, and tough-mindedness are traits that define many of the people who make our arts communities work. We may experience empty bank accounts now and then, but there is little poverty of spirit or resolve in our business.
When I think about the range of challenges that confront the cultural sector, sometimes I feel discouraged. When I feel that way, I remind myself of these and other students I’ve met at the Bolz Center and all their skills, smarts, and resolve. They conjure considerable hope up in me. For that, I’m grateful.
Posted on November 19, 2005 11:42 PM | Permalink
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