Americans for the Arts

According to a December 2018 report from the World Economic Forum, by 2020—next year!—half of the global workforce will be made up of millennials. Despite the growing number of upwardly mobile millennials, young people are often overlooked as candidates for board seats in arts (and other) organizations. Most organizations are hyper aware of creating a well-balanced board, representing increasingly diverse communities. While we continue to actively address (and we must) race and gender diversity, age diversity is rarely considered. Leaving potential young board members out can be detrimental to an arts organization, and here’s why …

Millennials’ overall spending rose 6.3 percent between 2014 and 2016 [according to a 2018 McKinsey report]; whereas, spending for total goods increased just 1.6 percent. Millennial spending continues to move toward lifestyle-driven activities. As an arts organization, we are lucky to be in the perfect position to be able to take advantage of this. We often say at the Academy Center of the Arts that we are the cultural center of our community. Millennials are naturally drawn to these organizations and our programming is full of experiences.

In 2016, at the Academy Center of the Arts, we created a young donors group called MIX. Our founding intent was to create a collective of like-minded young people committed to building a community of substance around art and relationships. We initially operated under the radar and brought in 150, mostly new, donors under the age of 40(ish). Our work didn’t go unnoticed, and the board quickly pushed us towards revenue goals in an attempt to build a pipeline of future donors and board members. As a MIX founder and an Academy board member, I have been torn between the group’s mission and the organization’s mission. What we’ve learned in three years is that the traditional model of recognition for giving is not a motivator to create philanthropy in young donors. Our group craves experiences, connection, engagement, and participation.

Millennials are purpose-driven. Studies show that young people entering the workforce choose companies with a strong mission and culture, often over pay and other benefits. Though many potential young donors are unable to give at high levels, the desire to give is built into their culture. In fact, giving has become a marketing tool. We’ve been trained to “buy one, give one.”

And yet, in my community, I find that boards continue to be made up of members who can assist in bringing in the largest donors. We know that this is an integral part of sustaining an arts organization, but it can be short-sighted. Boards need young leadership to help strategize who the next generation of donors are and where they are coming from, what type of programming is interesting to them, and, perhaps most importantly, why they give. A young board member is a bridge to the next generation of community leaders—and donors. Though it’s unlikely we’ll be able to give at the level of more established board members, a young board member’s currency lies in their relevancy to culture. If an arts organization is not relevant to culture, it’s not relevant at all.

A young board member brings energy, creativity and a fresh perspective. They often have a greater sense of inclusion. They can act as a peer to a young staff or to young visitors and attendees. Young board members also have a very deep social influence and can use it to promote programming, ideas, and giving. In a small community, like Lynchburg, social chatter can quickly increase attendance and helps to keep our organization top of mind.

I’d like to see a board that reserves a number of seats, depending on the size of the board, for young members. In these positions, previous board experience must not be required. It should be considered a responsibility of veteran leaders to raise the next generation of board members, but also allow the opportunity to gain insight from a millennial’s mindset. There is an opportunity for arts organizations to embrace the next generation in programming, leadership, and organization.

Lastly, as a call to millennials: don’t wait to seek board roles. Your participation will teach you how to think strategically, how to make decisions as a collective, when to lead, and when to learn. You may learn about tax credits, rain insurance policies, and concession trends. You’ll even get a bit of a finance lesson. Serving on an arts organization’s board can have a significant impact on your community. It is our responsibility to represent our generation and to push our own communities forward.

This post is part of the Own Your Past, Shape Your Future blog salon.