Hearts in the Arts

Because someone has to remember to bring the water bottles for the brass section.....

Testing, Testing, phphphphphp, Testing….is it on?

We are the legions of administrators, or whatever title you may use, who get things done. It is what we do. Someone has to look for the grants/fundraisers, apply for/plan the grants/fundraisers, get the grants/fundraisers (probably for less than we applied/planned for), bring the grants/funds raised back ‘home’ to the office, divide the grants/funds throughout the year and then eat dinner. That’s me and countless other people like you, who don’t have illustrious careers. We just make them possible.

The performing Arts and the non-profit world in general is unlike anything else in the world. To help it happen is like herding cats. When the young boy in your program who doesn’t speak English (but reads it), pulls the fire alarm because it says “Pull for Fire” and he wanted to see the fire, it is up to you to explain this to the fireman who has just rushed in for all he is worth; and you have to entertain him, charm and cajole him enough to forgive you (now standing in for the little boy) so he won’t give you a bill for some money you don’t have. Now that’s finesse. That’s Administration.

So, with that in mind, I give you the latest and probably the most home-grown and heart-felt of blogs about the Arts. While our chosen labor isn’t a lot of things, such as glamorous, well-paid or anything that would attract the young hot-shot out of Wall Street, it is a rush when the stage is set correctly, the food shows up on time and the group performs flawlessly. That’s us up on stage, too. We’re Useful.

So, come along, share your thoughts and stories about what you do and tell us why we persist against all odds to do it, because I haven’t a clue.

Who am I to do this? My name is Katrina Solstad Axelrod and I do my planning and administration in Meriden, Connecticut. I am the founder and the Administrator of the Meriden ArtsTrust, (MAT), an incubator agency that creates programs and performance opportunities for young people in the Arts. I also administer the Central Connecticut Civic Youth Orchestra, MAT’s first big project. I have been in administration for 30 years. I've been Executive Director, I've been Grants Administrator, I've been Office Manager and I've been the one to save the day and the one to put a profound crimp in other people's plans. I learn new things every day and I want to share them with like-minded administrators in the non-profit world and the rest of the non-profit world who knows/loves/hates/needs us. This is as close to "Unionizing" as we're gonna get, folks! If you need a link to an agency- look here - if I don’t have it, ask for it, I’ll find it. Then we’ll both have it and we’ll share it with lots of people. Together let's turn your computer into the biggest, most useful index card ever.

So write me a reply, ask questions, grumble if you wish, this is your blog, too. Because somebody has the turn off the lights and lock up, too. That’s why I learned to do this blog, its all about “Being Useful”.

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