It is the nature of arts professionals to learn, problem-solve, discover and invent what they need to make and connect their work. Why, then, is there not more dialogue about these inventions, innovations and approaches in the conversations about the arts sector in this country? Understandably, arts professionals have become conditioned over several decades to present what they do in certain terms, acceptable to, if not expected by community and funding leadership. Consequently, many new, highly inventive, even innovative ideas disappear into the miasma of accepted and correct structure and language. Quite often the credit for exceptional problem solving is transferred to an abstract organization structure, a charismatic board member, the generosity of a supportive funder, or simply “luck”; and this results in a lack of appreciation for the pivotal role of the arts professionals. Since many outside the arts continue to confuse lack of money with the inability to manage money, even the most extraordinary efforts won’t be acknowledged, if arts leaders themselves don’t step up and take credit.

Fully aware of this pattern, we challenge the arts professionals with whom we work to name their producing and operating inventions and innovations, to develop new and appropriate language for how they are working (“you can’t create new approaches using old language”). We ask them to own and acknowledge the inventions and innovations that they create, not just in artistic work but also in organizational approaches. We ask them to understand and explain why they choose the forms and structures that they do; and why and how they are responsible, accountable and disciplined in all requisite legal and operating functions.

The result is a truly creative and dynamic landscape of approaches from an adaptive ensemble management team to a center for investigative theatre, and from community supported art to effectively imploding organizations.