In this edition of At The Mic, we bring you Heather Young of Young Associates in conversation with the ACCA’s Jane Needles. Heather is an expert in Financial Management for the Arts and has just published two books on the subject which are something that should be on every consultant’s bookshelf and in every Arts Administration teacher’s required reading lists for their students.

ACCA recognizes the generous support of Unity Design Studio for sponsoring this podcast! — Unity Design Studio (https://www.unitydesignstudio.ca) is a high-ranked B Corp architecture firm with over 50 years experience designing many arts and culture venues, including the new Canadian Canoe Museum which you heard about in our last podcast!

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Welcome

00:18 - Guest Introduction: Heather Young

01:05 - Heather's Expertise and Background

01:44 - Discussion on Heather's Books

03:17 - Impact of the Pandemic on the Arts

05:24 - Regional and Organizational Differences

10:30 - New Financial Models and Community Engagement

19:07 - Challenges in Arts Administration

26:29 - Conclusion and Farewell

Useful links from this episode:

Heather Clara Young, CPB (Principal, Young Associates) founded her company in Toronto in 1993 to provide bookkeeping, payroll, training, consulting and data management services to not-for-profits and charities, specializing in the arts and culture sector. Heather teaches accounting and financial management in Humber College’s Arts Management program, and has taught for Humber’s Fundraising and Volunteer Management program and University of Toronto’s Arts Management program. She was the 2012 recipient of the Sandra Tulloch Award for Innovation in Arts and Culture, and a 2004 recipient of Humber College’s Continuing Education Award of Excellence for Outstanding Academic Contribution. Finance for the Arts in Canada (2005, 2023) is a unique self-study guide, reference source and textbook for the accounting and finance functions in cultural organizations. Heather’s experience includes leadership roles with arts and heritage service organizations, theatre and dance producing companies, facilities, festivals and community organizations.

Jane Needles’ wide experience in the arts covers all disciplines of the cultural world, primarily arts administration and teaching administrative techniques.  Her deep involvement with both official language cultures has increased her awareness of their complex diversities. Currently she is President of the Board of the Dollard Centre for the Arts, Secretary to the Board of the Arts Consultants of Canada, Treasurer/Secretary of le Centre d’art Rozynski, and Board member of KingDom Theatre Company (Ottawa) amongst many other involvements with the arts in general.  She taught Arts Administration at Bishops’ University over 27 years. She also taught an on-line Arts Management course for the University of Windsor for five years. She is a mentor for Business for the Arts (Mentoring groups across the country), and also for Futurepreneur, Academos, La Machinerie, Diversité artistique Montreal, En Piste and the Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales, as well as others and acts as private consultant to many entrepreneurial organizations.

Unity Design Studio

In this edition of AT THE MIC, we bring you an exceptional example of how Canadian architects are putting contemporary values into action today.

Our guests are Bill Lett and Michael Gallant, registered architects with Unity Design Studio. Unity is a high-ranked B Corp architecture firm with over 50 years experience designing many arts and culture venues, including the new Canadian Canoe Museum.

The Canadian Canoe Museum, located on the Traditional Territory of the Williams Treaties First Nations in Peterborough, Ontario, has stewarded, for the last 27 years, the world's largest and most significant collection of canoes, kayaks and paddled watercraft. More than 600 in number, these watercraft and their stories have a pivotal role to play in understanding our past and our collective future.

Award-winning local architectural firm Unity Design Studio (formerly Lett Architects Inc.) assisted The Canadian Canoe Museum in realizing a creative vision for our waterfront home and campus.

Unity Design Studio’s dedicated professionals are passionate about creating connected, happier, and healthier communities. By blending architecture, design, strategy, and engagement, they collaborate to tackle today’s challenges and build resilience. They believe that lasting impact comes from working together, uniting diverse stakeholders around a shared vision to inspire meaningful, positive change.

Bill Lett has 25 years of experience and was inducted into the College of Fellows of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada in 2018. He has led the design of major municipal, cultural, healthcare, and institutional projects across Ontario, working closely with diverse stakeholders, administrators, councils, and government agencies. Bill loves to seamlessly integrate buildings into their communities and is dedicated to transforming project delivery by embracing more collaborative design and construction models.

Michael Gallant leads Unity’s design direction. He has guided major projects across Ontario, while also serving on boards such as the Electric City Culture Council and Peterborough DBIA where he was chair from 2020-2023. Michael finds inspiration in client collaboration, aiming to create lasting impacts. He also supports Unity’s project teams, ensuring alignment with the studio’s values and strategic goals.

Unity Design Studio

We are back with a new season of At the Mic / Au micro, ACCA’s podcast now also available on our YouTube Channel and your favourite podcast platform. We are delighted to kick off this season with a very special guest, Alex Sarian, as he is about to launch his new book.  'The Audacity of Relevance: Critical Conversations on the Future of Arts and Culture.'

Video edition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zckplBeURU0

In this timely and valuable conversation, our guest Alex Sarian shares some of his

His new book, 'The Audacity of Relevance: Critical Conversations on the Future of Arts and Culture,' to be released later this month is already being praised as a “manifesto for the arts in times of crises.” In this episode, we dive into Alex's book and discuss critical conversations about the value proposition of the arts, community engagement, and new business models.

Don't miss this inspiring talk about how arts and cultural organizations can stay relevant in today's rapidly changing landscape.

ACCA recognizes the generous support of Unity Design Studio for sponsoring this podcast! Unity Design Studio is a high-ranked B Corp architecture firm with over 50 years experience designing many arts and culture venues, including the new Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough.  You’ll hear more about them in the next podcast!

Hosted by Victoria Steele with invited guest expert, Roger Gaudet: Arts organizations have always sought out partnerships to help them develop – to increase their dissemination and production opportunities, to reach new audiences or to share services and infrastructure. Your organization may be thinking of entering a partnership with a group in another sector – or considering a long-term collaboration with an organization that is quite different in structure or mandate. Roger Gaudet and Victoria Steele discuss a simple exercise that partners can do to get to know each other better, improve communication and smooth the way forward in partnering activities.

As we approach the end of 2023, how has the arts and culture industry adapted since the pandemic – or has it? Considering the current state of inflation and economic instability, what unique revenue generation challenges are arts organizations facing now? Tune in for a discussion with Sue Edworthy and Ben Dietschi as they talk about virtual events and online platforms, collaboration with other sectors, the preferences of younger audiences, and the ever-evolving financial and artistic landscape all without ever using the word pivot.

Ben Dietschi:

Ben Dietschi is a Senior Consultant with the DeVos Institute of Arts Management, supporting a diverse array of organizations to achieve short and long-term goals in the areas of strategic planning, artistic planning, marketing, fundraising, change management, and community engagement.

Since joining the Institute, Ben has led or assisted 50+ strategic planning processes, conducted regional arts ecology studies, and served as advisor to 30+ organizations. Recent clients include The Yale Schwarzman Center (New Haven), The Wexner Center for the Arts (Columbus), Step Afrika! (Washington, DC), Philharmonia Baroque (San Francisco), The Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, The Ellis Marsalis Center for Music (New Orleans), and Kentucky Shakespeare (Louisville).

Prior to joining the Institute, Ben was executive director of Soundstreams, Canada’s leading contemporary music and opera producer. During his tenure, the organization expanded revenues by 67% to support more staged opera and immersive performances, launched an ambitious international touring program, and transformed its brand to reach new audiences. He spearheaded the launch of a guest curator program designed to address the fragmented talent pipeline for music curators in Canada and contribute to the organization’s artistic succession plan.

Ben has served on the boards of several cultural institutions, frequently speaks at industry forums and conferences, and has served on numerous award and grant assessment panels. He received a distinguished alumni award from Brandon University and completed the DeVos Institute Global Arts Management Fellowship from 2017–2019.

Fundamentally, his arts management ethos rests on formative years as a saxophonist and composer, performing and recording across North America and Europe, experiencing the transformative power of the arts firsthand.

Sue Edworthy:

Sue Edworthy has worked in the non-profit performing arts for over twenty years, with stints as a director, event coordinator and arts administrator. She is now in demand as a consultant, speaker, and facilitator. She has run 75+ workshops on marketing, social media and branding, including the inaugural Work in Culture Marketing Masterclass in 2021/22. In addition, her company Sue Edworthy Arts Planning provides counsel, solutions and support for individual artists and arts organizations in areas such as marketing, branding, strategic planning, mentorship and facilitation.

Sue is a former Board Member for TAPA, was co-chair for Artsvote 2014, 2016 and 2018 and spent two years of a seven-year stint as Vice President of The Toronto Fringe Festival. She is a Harold Award recipient, received the 2012 and 2013 Char-PR Prize for PR, and was the 2015 recipient of the Leonard McHardy and John Harvey Award for Excellence in Arts Administration. Most recently she hasaccepted the Marketing position for Arts Consultants Canada.

How are municipalities and other regional governments approaching culture planning and strategy? What trends are taking hold in how municipal and regional planners are approaching culture planning and culture service delivery? How have municipal cultural planning goals shifted?

In this episode of At The Mic, Peter Lyman and Mila Dechef-Tweddle from Nordicity discuss their observations of how culture planning has evolved over the past decade and what approaches their team use to ensure a successful, community-engaged planning process.

Peter Lyman is Senior Partner of Nordicity, which he co-founded in 1979. He guided Nordicity’s merger with PricewaterhouseCoopers in 1998 and was made national lead partner for the Information Communications and Entertainment/Media practice. He then led Nordicity’s re-emergence as a standalone firm in 2002. Over the decades, he has found new ways to drive the business and help companies, arts and heritage institutions, industry associations and government agencies transform themselves to the digital world.

Peter is a media commenter and frequent panelist or moderator at professional conferences. He is active in the arts and social justice community, as past chair of the board for the Inspirit Foundation, governance chair of Canadian Stage in Toronto, and currently a board member for Caribbean Tales Media. He is an adjunct professor at Schulich Business School at York University, where he teaches cultural policy to the MBA students in arts and media. He is fluently bilingual in English and French.

Mila Dechef-Tweddle is a Director based in Nordicity’s Toronto office. She is a skilled consultant and accomplished leader who works closely with clients and stakeholders to proactively respond to key issues and opportunities.

Building from her background in museums and heritage, Mila works primarily with clients in the arts, culture and heritage sectors. Her work ranges from policy analysis, evaluation, and development, to economic and social impact assessment, to strategy development at the organizational and sector level.

Fluently bilingual in French and English, Mila has a proven track record of developing and implementing multifaceted methodologies and leading effective stakeholder and community engagement in both languages to inform the development of meaningful and actionable recommendations for her clients.

ACCA:

How do consultants work effectively with diverse and marginalized communities, especially those who may challenge consulting norms? How do they build meaningful relationships in order for authentic community voices and data to be gathered?

In this episode of At The Mic, consultants and ACCA members, Dr. Terri-Lynn Brennan and Annalee Adair discuss their approach to working with equity deserving groups and Indigenous communities. They emphasize the importance of trust, relationship building, and challenging norms in their work. They share their experiences in challenging systems and measuring change, particularly in engaging with diverse communities and giving voice to marginalized groups. They highlight the concept of story reporting, where they collect and present qualitative data that honours the authenticity of voices in the community.

Link to slides discussed in this episode:

ACCA:

How do consultants and architects approach working with communities, arts organizations, and city builders to successfully develop or redevelop new cultural spaces? What are the true foundations of arts infrastructure and what’s next in the future of cultural planning?

In this edition of AT THE MIC, we bring you a conversation about some essential contemporary approaches to imagining and reimagining cultural spaces. Our guest Sabrina Richard and moderator Christina Bagatavicius will share some of their wisdom gleaned from twenty years of experience. They are the co-founders of the Bespoke Collective, a forward-looking creative consultancy that is committed to redefining how culture and civic life bring people together.

ACCA acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts for this podcast series. / Nous remercions le Conseil des Arts du Canada pour son soutien à cette série de balados.

Sabrina Richard is the Director of Research and Planning at Bespoke Collective. An architect by training and a cultural planner by profession, Sabrina has led numerous large scale and complex architectural and cultural planning projects across Canada and internationally spanning needs assessments, feasibility studies, strategic planning, and community engagement. She is dedicated to the realization of thoughtful, dynamic, and meaningful cultural spaces enriched by innovative design, public engagement, community activation and inclusive consultation.

Sabrina is also a published author, designer and strategist focused on building a more equitable, inclusive, and resilient arts and culture ecosystem. Some of her recent projects include support for Indigenous Fashion Arts (IFA), the New Orleans Triennial of Art (Prospect), the Public Art Strategy for the Downsview Lands Development.

As the Principal of Bespoke, Christina Bagatavicius believes in forward-looking cultural programming, uplifting public engagement processes, and communications that captures the hearts and minds of a wider public. She collaborates with inspiring and creative clients who are committed to making lasting positive change.

Christina brings over fifteen years of international experience working with renowned culture and city building projects. Prior to launching Bespoke, she was the Curator and Head of Interpretation at the Tate in London, where she shaped the visitor experience for a world-leading art museum. During her time as a Project Director at Bruce Mau Design, she worked with a global roster of creative clients, from the Oprah Winfrey Network to the Liverpool Biennial.

Does working as an arts consultant with clients in a rural location differ in approach from working with clients in an urban setting? It can, yes. Rural and remote communities hold distinctive nuances that overlay a way of life to which arts sector development is not immune. Knowing what these nuances are and understanding how to both embrace and navigate them offers a path for stronger, webbed, resilient arts communities!

Cate Proctor (LinkedIn)

Having lived on an island on Canada’s east coast and having established Proctor Shift Consulting while there, Cate Proctor’s arts sector consultancy bridges multiple geographies. Grounded in senior arts administration and creative industry roles, her clientele ranges from rural artist collectives, festivals and municipalities to national and international projects involving multiple partners of diverse sector and artistic origins. Cate leans into arts sector development projects that centre artists within strategic and multi-sector partnerships while cultivating collaborative and trust-based relationships.

Cate is the author of Leverage the Arts Ecosystem to Influence Local Prosperity. Published in September 2020, her book offers artists, arts administrators and civic- or community-minded leaders, both strategies and tactics to centre artistic value in programming and community-building development. The book has generated much interest from across Canada, the United States and Britain and ranked #17 in Amazon Books ‘Art and Business’ category (2022).

Cate is both founding Co-Chair and member of Mass Culture’s Research Working Group and an active member of Arts Consultants Canada. Her current focus at PAL Ottawa engages an expansive team piloting a new, innovative, affordable live/work option for senior artists and arts workers.

Bridget MacIntosh

An award-winning strategist and creative producer, Bridget has held senior municipal management positions with portfolios spanning arts, cultural policy, public art and festivals.

A trusted arts leader, she continues to work with municipalities, and organizations across Canada and internationally – engaging, questioning, facilitating, and designing to build resilient communities, networks and organizational models. Her consultancy practice is particularly focused on exploring the power of intersectoral collaboration and leveraging opportunities for cultural expression to be championed and meaningfully integrated into everyday life and protected through public policy.

Bridget is the founding Co-Chair of Mass Culture’s Research Working Group, a Toronto Arts Council Cultural Leadership Lab Fellow, a Next City Vanguard and an IETM Global Connector.

ACCA links:

Tune in to André Courchesne, Chair of the Carmelle et Remi-Marcoux program in Management of Cultural organizations at the École des Hautes Études Commerciales de Montréal, as he discusses the trends and needs of teaching Arts Management in the current realities of today’s world as we start to deal with the long recovery from the pandemic and how it has affected the arts as a whole. Joined by Jane Needles, also a long-time educator in Arts Administration, the conversation delves into what problems are faced and how they can be addressed and some new ideas.

L’enseignement de la gestion des organismes culturelles aujourd’hui

Écoutez André Courchesne, président du programme Carmelle et Remi-Marcoux en gestion des organismes culturels à l’École des Hautes Études Commerciales de Montréal, alors qu’il discute des tendances et des besoins de l’enseignement de la gestion des arts dans les réalités actuelles du monde, alors que nous commençons à faire face au long rétablissement de la pandémie et à la façon dont elle a affecté les arts dans leur ensemble. Rejoint par Jane Needles, également enseignante de longue date en gestion des arts, la conversation se penche sur les problèmes rencontrés et sur la manière de les résoudre, ainsi que sur certaines nouvelles idées.