The nonprofit tax-exempt corporation is unique to the of America and has evolved over many years to meet the needs of our nation's charitable endeavors. This evolution has not been easy for arts organizations, since they typically reflect an immeasurable amount of human energy attempting to promote artistic vision while still working within the standards established by state and federal laws for corporate practice.

At the heart of arts organizations, artists find themselves in business. Being there, they are subject to all the developments of law and business practice in the nonprofit corporate sector. This gives rise to a number of realities artists must deal with in order to institutionalize their work and gain broad community support for it. Artists must learn to navigate in the environment of nonprofit organizations, which continually rely upon volunteers, to assure their work reaches the public.

The sometimes complex nonprofit corporate milieu demands an intrepid person who is the creation of lawmakers, the helpmate of artists, and the helmsman of the arts organization. Enter the trustee - a volunteer who has identified with the activities of an arts organization and decided to give time, thought, work and frequently personal fortune to support the artistic endeavor. This article will address some of the concerns that face trustees in fulfilling their voluntarily assumed responsibilities to lead, manage and regenerate arts institutions.

I call this person the ultimate volunteer for three reasons. First, the trustee of a nonprofit tax-exempt organization is the final referent for business decisions made by the corporation. Second, the trustee commits himself to keeping the mission of the endeavor alive and relevant to current societal needs. Third, the trustee sets the tone and ambience for the whole organization. (p. 11-12)

CONTENTS
Trustees relationship to mission.
Selection of Trustees.
Training.
Legal status of the trustee.
Need for indemnification of trustees.
Basic considerations for volunteer trustees.
Obtaining insurance.
Conclusion.