In May, I had the distinct privilege of facilitating a discussion at the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation’s Artistic Vitality Symposium. This event convened grantees from Chicago's arts and culture sector, a community the Donnelley Foundation admirably supports by prioritizing small and mid-sized nonprofits—the pulse of our city's vibrant cultural landscape.
Our panel, 'Making Money and other Resources Work', featured Dana Britto of Cultivar Consulting, Seth Boustead of Access Contemporary Music, and Kia Smith of South Chicago Dance Theatre. We had a pragmatic, empathetic, and encouraging dialogue about navigating current challenges.
I had a great time sharing my perspective as an artist and advocate for the sector, with expertise in organizational development, strategic planning, and fundraising initiatives.
Here’s my top three takeaways.
1. Transition is Cyclical – and Resilience is Key
Many seasoned arts leaders at the symposium, with over a decade of experience, shared powerful insights from navigating past economic downturns and political shifts. While today’s challenges are unique, their collective wisdom served as a crucial reminder: these cycles eventually end. The current pressures on the arts sector are not permanent, reinforcing the inherent resilience of cultural institutions.
2. Clear Values Anchor Progress in Uncertainty:
We spoke candidly about navigating significant challenges in funding, staffing, and partnerships. A consistent theme emerged: the critical importance of re-committing to and re-establishing core organizational values. By revisiting fundamental questions like 'Why are we committed to this work?', organizations can unify stakeholders around shared principles, providing a time-tested compass for moving forward.
3. Times of Change Invite Innovation
A central tension in our discussion was balancing 'staying the course' with 'trying new things'. While arts leaders have proven impact with core programs, the current funding and revenue landscape makes maintaining or growing programming inherently risky. The consensus was clear: ignoring challenges is not a strategy. Instead, seizing opportunities to explore new programmatic and operational ideas, setting clear goals, and establishing timelines for assessing progress – even when initial attempts don’t succeed – can create powerful contexts for strategic shifts.
Closing Thoughts
I really admire the ways the Donnelley Foundation is showing up as a philanthropic citizen. (Special shout out to Foundation Program Director Ellen Placey Wadey and Program Officer Abigail Madden. ) I’m looking forward to more opportunities to engage the arts sector with my full self.
It was an inspiring and encouraging symposium, and it was wonderful to experience such alignment with the work we do at Latz & Company.
-Derek McPhatter, Vice President, Latz & Company
Photo credit: Emily Melissa