Description
Book SynopsisThis book of five case studies demonstrates the critical role entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial thinking play in reinventing cultural organizations to make them relevant and sustainable for the twenty-first century and beyond. Through the twin lenses of cultural entrepreneurship and organizational change, these readable and inspirational cases offer an in-depth analysis of how a variety of cultural organizationssmall and large; local, regional and national; museums and arts organizationshave found opportunities in complex situations to create new identities and missions and, in doing so, have revitalized their organizations and in many cases, surrounding communities. Cases include:The Strong: how a museum in Rochester, New York, forged an entirely new national identity as The National Museum of Play.National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium: how the Mississippi River Museum developed and nurtured a network of partnerships to create a new regional identity and, in doing so, revital
Trade ReviewSorin and Sessions have masterfully unveiled several case studies that illuminate the stories of institutional leaders who had the courage and tenacity to interpret external pressures and opportunities anew, to exercise adept flexibility, and to persevere with patience and humility in order to create something remarkable and refreshingly different. These stories will aid and inspire trustees and leaders to step back to reframe their reality, to ask different questions, and to explore new models that reflect more robust ways of being with their public. This collection is a welcome addition to the literature and the ongoing conversation of relevancy and sustainability in our institutions and museums. * AASLH History News *
Case Studies in Cultural Entrepreneurship puts a name and a face to the concept of calculated risk taking in the nonprofit cultural sector by focusing on how relevancy and sustainability can be achieved despite competing environments and often harsh socio-economic realities. Five case studies offer an in-depth look at how leaders identify opportunities and implement change by extending the definition of community, embracing bold civic responsibility, building critical partnerships across many levels, and adopting flexible, responsive business cultures. You’ve heard for years that cultural institutions must become entrepreneurial; here are tools and inspiration to help you do it. -- Anne W. Ackerson, co-author of Leadership Matters and former director of the Museum Association of New York
Sorin and Sessions have masterfully unveiled several case studies that illuminate the stories of institutional leaders who had the courage and tenacity to interpret external pressures and opportunities a anew, to exercise adept flexibility, and to persevere with patience and humility in order to create something remarkable and refreshingly different. These stories will aid and inspire trustees and leaders to step back to reframe their reality, to ask different questions, and to explore new models that reflect more robust ways of being with their public. This collection is a welcome addition to the literature and the ongoing conversation of relevancy and sustainability in our institutions and museums. -- Gail Anderson, president, Gail Anderson & Associates and author, Reinventing the Museum: The Evolving Conversation on the Paradigm Shift
Transforming an organization in need of change and then sustaining that new vision seems almost like a form of alchemy. These varied case studies show the creative strategies, powerful ideas, collaboration, practicality, patience, and willingness to risk that entrepreneurial leaders can use to work 'magic. Leaders, staff, board, volunteers, community members, students—those seasoned and those just starting out—will find inspiration and pragmatic insights in these well-crafted real-life stories. -- Lynne Ireland, Deputy Director of the Nebraska State Historical Society and Chair of the Council of the American Association for State and Local History
Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments 1Centre d’histoire de Montreal: A Museum Finds its Audience-Focused Niche, Gretchen Sullivan Sorin 2The Weeksville Heritage Center, Pamela Green 3Becoming The Capital Region’s Living Room: Philip Morris and Proctors Theater, Nicholas DeMarco 4America’s River: The Reinvention of the Mississippi River Museum, Jerome Enzler 5The Great Transformation at The Strong, Amy Hollister Zarlengo 6Cultural Entrepreneurship: Case Discussion and Conclusions, Lynne A. Sessions About the Editors and Contributors Index
