Board Development Must Reads
Here are some of the HowlRound pieces I think all theatre board members, Artistic Directors and Executive Directors would do well to read. They cover a variety of issues related to the general themes of change at various levels (from community and audience to stage, staff, and boards), and diversity, inclusion and equity. Discussions of each of these at the board level would begin to do several things that could have an important impact on expanding the boards role in the theatre's success by shifting a board’s idea of its role from "check writers," "cheer leaders" and primarily financial overseers, to something broader and more active in terms of community engagement and creating audience demand. These discussions would also deepen board members knowledge of each other; broaden the board’s perspective of what’s possible; introduce board members to the multiple facets of the demographic and cultural changes that are happening all around them; and hopefully, create a sense of urgency about addressing these issues at all levels of their organizations.
