ArtsFund Program Hits Milestone
This year ArtsFund’s longest running program celebrates its 20th anniversary. Established in 1999, the Board Leadership Training program equips current and future arts and cultural board members with the skills needed to help arts organizations be successful financially and artistically.
Demand for the program has only grown throughout the years. To date, over 700 arts and cultural leaders have graduated from the program and gone on to serve our region. Reflecting on the program, former Executive Vice President of ArtsFund and Board Leadership Training program founder Dwight Gee said:
“It’s great seeing the evolution of this program over the years. With ArtsFund’s insightful work, it’s ever-more inclusive in the people and organizations it serves, which is critically important. Thanks to the program, many hundreds of people are out there making countless boards work better and fully tapping the talents and skills of individual board members. It’s a fabulous and enduring investment in our community.”
The program serves a diverse audience composed of seasoned, new, and prospective board members, and consistently receives positive reviews from participants and cultural organization staff members alike. Steve Garber, Seattle Chamber Music Society board member remarked, “Even though I have decades of board experience, I heard things every night that made me think about what more I could do.” Karen P. Thomas, Artistic Director of Seattle Pro Musica, spoke to the long term impacts of the program on the organization:
“The ArtsFund Board Leadership Training program has had a powerful impact on Seattle Pro Musica over the past couple of decades. We have been the lucky recipients of five board members who joined us via the program; one of whom went on to become our board president, and was one of our strongest leaders. Another led us in a multi-year strategic planning and implementation process, including revising our mission, vision, and values statements. Thank you, ArtsFund!”
The five week program is hosted twice annually, in the spring and fall. If you are interested in participating in Board Leadership Training, contact Program Manger Ellen Milligan at ellen@artsfund.org. Priority is given to board members of ArtsFund’s Cultural Partner organizations.
If you are interested in sponsoring ArtsFund’s Board Leadership Training program, contact Vice President of Development Annemarie Scalzo at annemaries@artsfund.org.
Header image: Board Leadership Training Spring 2019 cohort, photo by Brendon Hertz.