Schedule and Program

Monday, October 17

8:30 A.M.
The Cycle: Planning for Success in the Arts
Michael M. Kaiser, President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Why is it so hard to run an arts organization today? This framing seminar engages participants in dialogue about why supporting the arts gets so complicated—especially given today's climate—and puts forward a structure for boards and staff to build and maintain a sustainable organization.

9:30 A.M.
Artistic Planning and Institutional Visibility
Michael M. Kaiser, President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Long-term artistic planning and a competitive, multi-faceted plan to market that art are essential to successful fundraising. This seminar explores the conditions required to create great art and the ways in which staff and board should be thinking about generating excitement and focus around their organization.

10:30 A.M.
Maximizing Board Productivity
Michael M. Kaiser, President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Why do some boards flourish while others flounder? Why do boards stagnate? What are the essential roles and responsibilities of board members and how can staff support those efforts and maximize productivity? How do we expand our board? Example-driven answers to these questions—and more at the heart of the board/staff relationship—emerge from this seminar.

11:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Lunch Break

12:30 P.M.
Effective Fundraising: How to Find and Protect Contributions in Troubled Times
Marie Mattson, Vice President of Development, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Today, more organizations are going after fewer resources. From a fundraising perspective, our field is increasingly seen as a “luxury" outflanked by “essential" causes like disaster relief, education, and poverty. It is not getting any easier to support the arts. This seminar delivers pragmatic tools for staff and board to drive and retain contributions from individuals, foundations, corporations, and special events.

3:30-4:00 P.M.
Coffee Break

4:00 P.M.
Financial Analysis for Board Members
Elaine Grogan Luttrull, Founder, Minerva Financial Arts
A board member's fiduciary responsibilities start with understanding not-for-profit financial statements. This practical brief led by the former Director of Financial Analysis at the Juilliard School focuses on what board members “need to know" (and need to ask their staffs) about commonly-used financial tools, including the IRS Form 990, statement of activities, balance sheet, and statement of cash flow.

6:00 P.M.
Conclusion of Day One

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

8:30 A.M.
Supporting High-Impact Marketing Campaigns
David Kitto, Vice President of Marketing and Sales, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
What does it take to capture and retain the attention of audiences, attendees, and other “buyers" in this increasingly competitive, hyper-speed, mobile environment? What should board members be looking for as they attempt to evaluate the earned-income potential of any given program or attraction? What is the structure of an effective marketing strategy? How do we evaluate the impact of our campaigns?

10:30 A.M.
Strategic Planning
Michael M. Kaiser, President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
A clear, concise, potent plan is an essential management and fundraising tool—for staffs and boards alike. This seminar looks at what makes for an effective planning process, with a focus on mission evaluation, environmental and internal analysis, implementation and financial planning. Planning is about much more than the document (especially if it's buried on completion). Effective planning an ongoing process—a way of life that defines successful arts organizations.

11:30 A.M.
Finding, Supporting, and Evaluating an Executive Director
Michael M. Kaiser, President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The process of finding, supporting, evaluating and transitioning executive leadership for arts organizations has few parallels. What works in the corporate world can be corrosive in the arts. What defines strong leadership in an arts organization? How and where do we find effective leaders? What kinds of questions should we ask? Once we hire the right person, how can we support them to ensure that they succeed? What should we be thinking about as we approach a leadership transition?

12:00 P.M.
Seminar Day 2 Concludes

*Schedule subject to change