The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a research project into the boards of thirteen non-profit arts organizations in Queensland; place this in the context of recruitment, orientation, and training processes for board directors; and build a model for effective recruitment and training practices in non-profit arts organizations leading into the next century. (p. 211)

With the economic rationalists beating on the doors of non-profit arts organizations in Australia comes the scourge of accountability for the governing boards of directors. Financial accountability, management accountability, and legal liability are steering arts organizations and their partners-in-funding - the state's arts authorities and corporate and business sponsors - on a course of rigorous performance assessment. Why are we here? What do we know about the arts, the government's arts policy, our organization's policy and mission, the governance of this organization, the group dynamics of effective board membership?

While the board director may be the ultimate volunteer (Wry 1990, ll) he holds the final responsibility for the continuity of the organization. The mission of the organization may be publicly displayed in the artistic activity; but the vision, planning and security of the organization lie clearly within the directors' integrity, energy, commitment, managerial capacities, business skulls, and artistic sensitivity.