ARTICLES OF THE WEEK:听The debate over 鈥渘ew models鈥�
Lots of folks are talking about the need for 鈥渘ew models鈥� for arts organizations. What does that mean??
Michael Kaiser, President of the Kennedy Center, has some strong opinions on this听(these are short):听听听听
Adam Hutler, Founder of Fractured Atlas, responds听(and I find it interesting that he uses the buggy analogy, the same analogy I鈥檝e used countless times myself!)听
ENTREPRENEURIAL THOUGHT OF THE WEEK:听delivery systems
The 19th century railroad barons famously failed to thrive in the 20th century because they thought they were in the railroad business and didn鈥檛 realize they were actually in the transportation business. They were so focused on the product they had to sell that they forgot that their real purpose was to fulfill a customer need. In this case, though, the 鈥渁rt experience鈥� is the customer鈥檚 need, while the arts organization has become the product we鈥檙e selling.
The non-profit arts organization is just a delivery system鈥�..听 颅Adam Hutler, in the above-linked article
I read those words in Hutler鈥檚 post and felt like someone had crawled inside my head and lifted those words directly from my brain. He puts his finger听right on听the problem with all this debate about models:听the models are just delivery systems, they are not the product itself.听Take the symphony orchestra: the model is complex, expensive, and more or less ubiquitous. So when attendance or donations drop folks despair that the music orchestras play is no longer valued by the marketplace, when there鈥檚 pretty good evidence to show that the product 鈥� the music itself 鈥� is just as viable as ever. What鈥檚 becoming progressively less viable, however, is thedelivery system.听听Once again this brings us to entrepreneurship, because the entrepreneurial process is one by which careful distinction is made between the product and how it鈥檚 delivered. This is especially important in the arts, where the delivery mechanisms 鈥� the concert in a traditional concert hall, the recording 鈥� are so engrained in our culture that we don鈥檛 even stop to consider whether there are other ways to reach our audiences, ways that will reach them more successfully and engender sustained support and engagement. Remember: entrepreneurship is about problem-solving. The problem in this case is how to create a new delivery system that will resonate with today鈥檚 audiences. What better entrepreneurial challenge could one come up with? The answer to that challenge will be creative, outside the box, and require resourcefulness and hard work to realize. But the big problems also have the biggest pay-offs: that鈥檚 something entrepreneurs have always known. Care to take up the challenge?
听
Not already following us on Facebook? You should! Click听
And without further adieu鈥�
The Video of the Week!
Keep those videos coming鈥�
Another talented animal鈥�
Once again we鈥檒l put our discussion of 鈥渃ommoditization vs. value鈥� on hold while we take some time to answer a few questions regarding the听New Venture Challenge:听what is it and how does it work and why should you care about it?
What is the New Venture Challenge (NVC)?听 The NVC is the campus-wide venture plan competition. Teams of students from disciplines across campus compete amongst themselves in 鈥渢racks鈥� (Music, Clean Tech, I.T., and Social Impact) and then the winners of each track compete in a Finals competition for the grand prize. Music Track winners receive a听$3,000 prize; the Grand Prize winner receives up to听$10,000 more in prizes听and other perks.
What is a Venture Plan?听 A venture plan (also commonly called a 鈥渂usiness plan鈥�) is an outline of any sort of operation: a for-profit business, all manner of non-profit organizations, an ensemble, a music festival鈥nything can be a venture. The plan describes the venture (what it does, who it鈥檚 for, how it operates) and outlines a plan for launching and sustaining it.
Do I have to have a plan already in order to participate?听NO.听In fact, that鈥檚 the whole point of the NVC: to guide you through the process of developing your idea and creating a plan to make it happen. So at this stage, a mere notion of something you鈥檝e been thinking of doing is enough!
That sounds intimidating. What sorts of help will I have? That鈥檚 the other point of the NVC: it鈥檚 not just the competition (which doesn鈥檛 happen until next Spring). It鈥檚 workshops, mentoring, lectures, and practice sessions, all designed to help you develop your ideas, polish your plan, and present it convincingly. You鈥檒l have lots of help & resources to do this 鈥� including other students, if you decide to form a team.
I dunno鈥鈥檓 still not sure鈥μ�You don鈥檛 have to commit to participate in the competition until January.听Then come visit Prof. Nytch and let鈥檚 talk about it!
听
The Entrepreneurship Center for Music 鈥⑻�Jeffrey Nytch, DMA, Director
Email:听jeff.nytch@colorado.edu听听鈥⑻齇ffice Hours: T/Th: 9-11 a.m.听 W: 2-4 p.m.听鈥� or by appointment
Entrepreneurship Wednesdays: 5-6:30 p.m., C-113听 鈥⑻� Follow us on听
听
OPPORTUNITY UPBEAT!听Nov. 27, 2012
The Opportunity UPBEAT! is your weekly listing of job postings and other professional opportunities that come the way of the ECM. Check this space out for jobs, volunteer opportunities, internships, grants, festival auditions, and more!
LANDAU MUSIC听is now hiring听musicians to perform on cruise ships. Destinations include: Europe, Australia, Caribbean, Hawaii, etc. Free Room/Food/Travel. Production shows (Broadway, Pop Review), Headliner shows ,Top 40 sets , Jazz Combo sets, Big Band sets, and more. Our auditions are done online and we are seeking听experienced musicians who are are: 1) Solid readers, 2) Proficient in all styles, and 3) Have a great attitude.听Positions are currently available for听the following instruments: 听Keys, Drums, Bass, Guitar, Trumpet, and Sax. For more information, contact Steve Such, Music Manager:听steve@landaumusic.com听858.755.3320,
听
THE PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL is now accepting applications for summer study with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra. For more information, visit their website:听
听
THE BANFF CENTER is accepting applications for their summer music program. Deadlines in January. Follow this link:听
听
THE SOUNDSCAPE FESTIVAL is accepting applications for its summer study and professional development seminar, June 30-July 13 in Maccagno, Italy. For more:
听
ATLANTIC MUSIC FESTIVAL 2013 FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM听is now accepting applications.听Submission forms can be completed directly online at the official Atlantic Music Festival website:听听听AMF Fellowship provides complete financial coverage of tuition, housing, and meals during the four weeks of residency.听
The early submission deadline to submit for the U.S. and International applicants is December 1, 2012.听Information is also available through the Atlantic Music Festival by email to听admissions@atlanticmusicfestival.org, or by regular mail to Atlantic Music Festival, 228 Park Ave S #31975, New York, NY 10003.
For more information, please visit us online at听
听
THE COLORADO STATE MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION is currently seeking a Fund development intern to help develop a tuition assistance scholarship fund for pre-college music study. The goal of the fund, once established, is to partially pay music tuition costs for promising young students who cannot afford music lessons. For a full description of this opportunity, stop by the ECM bulletin board and get in touch with Professor Cremaschi.
听
INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE!听The ECM offers a broad range of internship opportunities for students, ranging from positions with non-profit arts groups to for-profit businesses. Internships can be for academic credit or not, and can often be customized to suit your schedule and interests. If you鈥檙e interested, stop by the ECM office and we鈥檒l talk about the options!
