Performing Arts Management: A Handbook of Professional Practices [Paperback]

Tobie S. Stein (Author), Jessica Bathurst (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 30, 2008

Management strategies that really work—from more than 100 leading managers!

Do you know what it takes to manage a performing arts organization today? In this comprehensive volume, more than 100 managers of top nonprofit and commercial venues share their winning strategies.

* Financial management, building a funding base, labor relations, much more

* Explores the realities of running a performing arts organization today

From theater to classical music, from opera to dance, every type of organization is included, with information on how each one is structured, key managerial figures, its best-practices for financial management, how it handles labor relations, and more. Kennedy Center, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Lincoln Center, the Mark Morris Dance Company, the New Victory Theater, the Roundabout Theater, the Guthrie Theater, Steppenwolf Theater Company, and many other top groups are represented. Learn to manage a performing arts group successfully in today’s rapidly changing cultural environment with Performing Arts Management.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jessica Rae Bathurst is a theater producer and theater management instructor at Brooklyn College who has served in a variety of performing arts management positions. She lives in New York City.

Tobie S. Stein, the director of the graduate program in performing arts management at Brooklyn College, is the author of Workforce Transitions from the Profit to the Nonprofit Sector. She lives in New York City.

Product Details

• Paperback: 552 pages
• Publisher: Allworth Press; 1 edition (September 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581156502
• ISBN-13: 978-1581156508
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #521,584 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Lots of insights, but little in the way of real evidence, December 11, 2010

By 

coloraturapuppy (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Performing Arts Management: A Handbook of Professional Practices (Paperback)

This book seems to be typical of arts management textbooks, in that there seems to be little in the way of concrete evidence to back up claims other than opinions of manager currently in the field. While it does an adequate job of outlining best practices, the reasons how these best practices came into being, why they are still being used, or evidence that they are indeed the "best" practices rather than merely the most widely accepted practices are not explored. It might be an ok choice for an undergrad intro class, it should still address these issues in order to accurately teach performing arts management.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Easy-to-read "handbook", January 4, 2011

By 

Abdinagoro - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Performing Arts Management: A Handbook of Professional Practices (Paperback)

This book is very easy-to-read although the name is "handbook"

Its also gives an easy introduction to knowing about performing arts and its behind.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars great for performing arts, not so anyone else..., December 15, 2010

By 

Melissa Leaym-fernandez "The Elephant Painter" (Fort Gratiot, MI) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Performing Arts Management: A Handbook of Professional Practices (Paperback)

This book was assigned to be used in a graduate course in management--as the title indicates it is for the performing arts. It had many great chapters and would lead a novice in several great directions. But I found the structure of how chapters were written very repetitive. For instance if a chapter was talking about what is a good building/structure to safely to work in, they would explain it, have 4-6 people share their point of view to explain it and re-explain it again and then end the chapter. Every chapter felt like this. They could have shaken that format up a bit and added a bit of drama! It is a performing arts book after all!

Overall the information was good--and informative--I feel more well rounded as a arts administrator-to-be!