Why Do We Need Machiavellian Arts Management

Why do we need Machiavellian Arts Management?

Artists and arts managers must be able to demonstrate to a consumer that what they offer is just as emotionally exciting and mentally stimulating as a sporting event or concert, as well as being affordable when compared monetarily. Events such as baseball and football games, places such as parks and movie theaters, and people such as rap super stars and country music artists vie for the attention and incomes of consumers. I believe that the management style that will most prepare arts managers for this competition can be found in the philosophy of Niccolo Machiavelli.

A writer once said, “As a whole, the strategies of Machiavelli are even more applicable to the world of business than to the present day world of politics.” I believe that Machiavelli’s thoughts can be adopted by arts leaders to design and implement strategies that will level the playing field with competitors and make the arts a viable option for consumers.

The plans of managers for their organizations must be directed first, and foremost, by information that is based on well-researched data, or other available criteria, instead of basing their decisions on traditionally held feelings for the arts. Arts managers who lead their organizations as if they would any other business, managing in the ‘is’ and not the ‘ought’, will be better able to position their organizations as valid choices for consumers’ attention, time, and money.

Machiavellian Arts Management can be summed up in one sentence containing four principles. If an arts manager is willing to make use of proven business techniques, hire and retain appropriate staff, ensure that partnerships and/or collaborations are mutually beneficial, and mentally prepare for future emergencies, then he will find success for his organization.

Former New Jersey Governor Thomas H. Kearn said, “Art is indeed an absolute necessity, an essential part of life.” Unfortunately, a large number of people with purchasing power, as well as those with the ability to distribute funds to arts organizations, have not held to this idea. Gov. Kearn went on to say, “The arts have been hard hit by shrinking audiences and rising debt. Cuts in government funding have become severe, and many sources of funding--especially government agencies and private foundations--have been earmarking grants for specific programs so that less is available for general operating budgets. Corporate, foundation, and business support is often provided on the condition that the arts organizations become leaner, more business oriented, and supportive of the donor’s marketing objectives. At the same time, arts organizations face a constant upward spiral of operating costs.”

Arts managers are faced with the task of making and keeping their organizations viable in a culture that is sometimes hostile, short sighted, and fickle. Past “transgressions”, such as the infamous Mapplethorpe exhibit, the “Piss Christ” and the controversial Brooklyn Museum “Sensations” exhibit, have left a lasting grudge against the arts in the minds of many critics and funding agencies. Due to events such as these, artists and arts organizations have been considered irresponsible, arrogant, and opportunistic elitists who waste money and time on pornographic material that passes as art. It would bode the arts community well to shed these misconceptions and show that they are financially and creatively responsible. This can be done through the adoption of certain key principles from Machiavelli’s philosophy.