Theresa Cameron

Being an executive director or board member for a local arts organization is tough work.

For the board leader it is often difficult for them to know enough about the organization’s work to have informed opinions, yet feel comfortable offering opinions.

Executive directors often deal with board members who don’t know enough about the organization’s work to have informed opinions yet feel free to offer opinions anyway.

In the eyes of many arts administrators, board members many not know much about day-to-day operations or often “get in the way” of the work the organization is trying to accomplish.

Executive directors often pay lip service to the importance of the board, but in practice they do everything they can to keep the board marginalized and out of the way.

This relationship is often described as a partnership in a carefully-choreographed dance, a marriage, and like that of an orchestra and conductor.

Let’s face it-this relationship is complicated. That’s why I wanted to pass on a very good set of guidelines written by my friend Rick Moyers of the Meyer Foundation. I think these are terrific and applicable for our local arts organizations...