Perspective

Continuous changes and renewed challenges. Opportunity and uncertainty. These have distinguished the recent environment for cultural organizations and will continue to do so as we move into the next century.

Since its founding in 1983, Management Consultants for the Arts, (MCA), a multi–service consulting firm, has helped cultural organizations successfully deal with these complex issues.

What sets MCA apart from other consultants? We are not simply in the business of doling out general management advice or of recruiting people. We are in the business of understanding and serving the nation’s cultural community.

This exclusive focus derives from the insight our staff has gained through numerous years of arts management experience – in groups as diverse as museums, orchestras, public broadcasting stations, theatre and dance companies, and other performing and visual arts organizations in both the commercial and not-for-profit sectors.

This first-hand experience gives us, we believe, a deeper, more insightful view of the cultural community – a richer understanding of our clients’ dynamics. And it affords us a better position to see what’s not readily apparent.

We bring this experience to bear on every project. These may include seeking new leadership through executive search, formulating a strategic plan or assessing the efficacy of your organization’s structure, leadership and management system.

As we stated in our publication, “Mission – Touchstone for Turbulent Times”, each project begins – and ends – with mission: defining it, supporting it, validating that it is met.

We have found that the most successful organizations embrace their missions and are driven by them. This is not at the expense of bottomline objectives. When programmatic and artistic goals are the overriding concern – that is – , when they are exciting, vital and viable – all else follows, including financial return.

Our role: to serve as counsel. We don’t make decisions for you. We raise questions, provoke different points of view, present options you may have not considered. We never attempt to change your product, but we do try to change and strengthen the environment in which it’s created.

The end result: your mission has been furthered. Your organization is stronger – in staffing or leadership, organizational structure, strategic outlook, in its innerworkings and external relationships with its communities.

How do we maintain our own vitality as consultants? We are immersed in the industry and stimulated by our clients – more than 800 to date. We have seen what works. And what doesn’t.

In sum, MCA has an abiding interest in nurturing the health of the U.S. cultural community. Our aim is to help each client crystallize a vision of itself and its future, and then help ensure that vision is realized.