Are you looking for a way to get more involved with EAL/LA? You’re invited to run for a Co-Chair position on the EAL/LA Leadership Council!

Election timeline:

May 22, 2013 – Call for Co-Chairs
June 5, 2013 - Deadline for applicants
June 9, 2013 - Election opens
June 22, 2013 - Voting closes
Week of June 23, 2013 - Notify Elects
July 1, 2013 - Co-Chairs announced & Terms begin

Application Review Process

Applications will be reviewed for completeness by current LC members. Once applicants are approved, profiles will be posted on ealla.org.

Application Packet Checklist

EALLA-Leadership-Council-Application-2013 [click to download]
Curriculum Vitae and/or Resume
Personal Statement

Please e-mail all Application materials to info@ealla.org  by June 5, 2013 at 5 p.m.

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About the Leadership Council

EAL/LA creates an atmosphere that is conducive to information sharing and generational leadership succession. We’re emerging arts leaders so the idea is that we expect our own leaders to eventually “emerge”.

In order to do so, we’ve created a Leadership Council (LC) that is chaired by our more seasoned members. The Chairs will aid in orienting new leaders over the course of a one-year period. During this period, the Chairs preserve institutional knowledge and ensure the sustainability of EAL/LA by working closely with and developing the Co-Chairs. As the Chairs “emerge” or transition from the network, the Co-Chairs progress into the Chairs role and a new group of Co-Chairs is elected from the networks general membership.

Responsibilities:

The Co-Chairs are expected to meet monthly with the LC and with partnered Chair on an as needed basis. Each Chair/Co-Chair committee is expected to provide a short report quarterly to the LC to document and update on the committee’s progress.

Co-Chair Descriptions

Executive Co-Chair

This is a two-year term:  one year as Executive Co-Chair (2013-2014), followed by one year as Executive Chair (2014-2015).

Development Co-Chair

This is a two-year term:  one year as Development Co-Chair (2013-2014), followed by one year as Development Chair (2014-2015).

Programming Co-Chair

Working collaboratively, Programming Chair and Co-Chair will be responsible for executing regular professional development programming for EAL/LA membership. This will include brainstorming and generating ideas, coordinating event logistics, and assisting with day-of responsibilities, as necessary. Chair and Co-Chair will provide assistance and guidance to members who seek to sponsor and organizeEAL/LA events. They will review program proposal submissions and determine which programs to recommend to Leadership Council for promotion and sponsorship. Chair and Co-Chair will communicate with planning committees to ensure programs are executed according to EAL/LA guidelines.

Programming Chair and Co-Chair will support committees for annual programs, including Creative Conversations and APAL. These programs will be managed through their respective committees, but the Programming Chair and Co-Chair will ensure the programs are being executed, are on schedule, and are in accordance with EAL/LA standards.

Additional responsibilities of the Programming Chair and Co-Chair will be to organize and attend regular meetings of Programming committee. In conjunction with the Strategic Planning process, Programming Chair and Co-Chair will develop EAL/LA Programming Priorities and Guidelines document. This will be reviewed by the Leadership Council and implemented with future EAL/LA programming.

The Programming Co-Chair is highly interested in the nuts and bolts of program development. The Co-Chair should be a highly motivated and accessible team-player. Familiarity with contemporary arts/non-profit management and professional development theories, events, speakers, and ideas is a plus, but can be substituted by an interest in these areas and a willingness to learn. Most importantly, the Co-Chair should be dedicated to ensuring EAL/LA provides high-quality, constructive, and inspirational programming to our members.

This is a two-year term:  one year as Programming Co-Chair (2013-2014), followed by one year as Programming Chair (2014-2015).

Finance Co-Chair

The Finance Chair and Co-Chair manage the EAL/LA budget. In coordination with the Executive Chair/Co-Chair, the Finance Chair and Co-Chair will develop and implement systems for maintaining budget records, approving expenses and reimbursements, and keeping the members of the Leadership Council (LC) informed about financial issues. The Co-Chair will assist the Chair in monitoring the budget on an ongoing basis by reviewing monthly budget statements from Community Partners (CP) and tracking income and disbursements. The Finance Chair and Co-Chair will be responsible for ensuring that proposed expenditures are within budget and collect necessary information for the LC and CP to evaluate and authorize the expenditures. The Co-Chair will be involved in obtaining receipts and preparing forms to be submitted to CP for reimbursement. The Finance Chair and Co-Chair will support EAL/LA’s programs by helping the Programming team create event budgets. Should a paid membership structure be introduced, the Finance Co-Chair will work with the Membership and Development Chairs and Committees to receive and track membership dues. The Finance Co-Chair will, when appropriate, assist in Development activities by providing current budget information for funding solicitation and grant reporting purposes. The Finance Co-Chair will assess EAL/LA’s budget and will meet with the Finance Chair to discuss the state of EAL/LA’s finances on at least a monthly basis. The Finance Chair and Co-Chair will work with the LC to establish budgets for several fiscal years in advance and will support the overall financial goals of the organization. The Finance Co-Chair will likely work very closely with the CP liaison (the Finance Chair Emeritus) in performing all of his or her duties. In addition, the Finance Co-Chair will assist in the initiation and implementation of various projects including finance-themed workshops, and incorporation, and act as a liason to the Nonprofit Task Force committee.

For this position, that old job description standard “detail-oriented” is a must. No formal―or even informal―accounting experience is required, but a familiarity with budget spreadsheets and monthly/annual financial statements is helpful, and those with phobia of numbers or handling money may rather apply for something else. The Finance Co-Chair should be responsible and responsive to requests for budget information from the Finance Chair and other LC members. Of course, the Finance Co-Chair should be committed to EAL/LA! Sense of humor a plus.

This is a two-year term:  one year as Finance Co-Chair (2013-2014), followed by one year as Finance Chair (2014-2015).

Communications Co-Chair

The Communication Co-Chair will assist the Chair in maintaining the website, social media and other online accounts. This includes site moderation for spam, membership, content, and access issues. The Co-Chair will help generate blog content and solicit permission for cross-posting relevant blogs to be posted on ealla.org. Co-Chair will keep an editor’s eye on website specifically blogged content. The Communications team is responsible for checking EAL/LA voicemail and general email account, and forwarding questions to appropriate people. The Communication team will assist the LC with other tech issues as they arise. The Communications team will assist the Marketing & Membership team in writing and distributing press releases and pushing out information and announcements through all channels. The communications team will work closely with all departments to develop and maintain brand fidelity. The Co-Chair will communicate to the Finance team any budgetary concerns or recurring costs. The Co-Chair will work with the Development team in identifying and implementing appropriate online revenue initiatives.

The ideal Co-Chair will be very web savvy and have be active online on a daily basis. The Co-Chair will be accessible to the LC and membership, keeping tabs on the various online accounts on a regular basis. The Co-Chair will meet with the Chair on a monthly basis aside from the LC monthly meetings. The Communications Co-Chair will have an interest in web technologies and content management. The Communications team will work on an archiving solution for audio, video, and image content for the group and will be looking to experiment with new tech tools to benefit the EAL/LA membership.

This is a two-year term:  one year as Communications Co-Chair (2013-2014), followed by one year as Communications Chair (2014-2015).

Marketing & Membership Co-Chair

This is a two-year term:  one year as Marketing & Membership Co-Chair (2013-2014), followed by one year as Marketing & Membership Chair (2014-2015).

At Large Member

As a voting member, the ALM will also attend monthly Leadership Council meetings, participate in online discussions, and work with various Chairs on projects, as available.

About the Leadership Council

Executive Director of Orchestra Santa Monica (Part Time)
Position Listed through Bristol Associates, an Executive Search Firm

Position Summary
The Executive Director position is a part-time position that oversees general operations of Orchestra Santa Monica including fundraising, audience development, and community outreach. Alongside the Music Director, the Executive Director will represent the organization to the public, and provide the leadership necessary to achieve the Orchestra’s institutional and community engagement goals.

About Orchestra Santa Monica
Founded in August 2012, Orchestra Santa Monica is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing orchestral concerts of the highest quality to the widest possible audience, at a cost that all can afford. Orchestra Santa Monica is a unique collaboration between the best Los Angeles area professionals, emerging pre-professionals learning their craft alongside masters of their instruments, and accomplished non-professional volunteer musicians admitted into the orchestra through audition. The passion unleashed by this collaboration of musical artists inspires audiences of all ages. Music Director Allen Robert Gross has long been admired by the Santa Monica and Westside communities for his innovative programming and compelling interpretations of the classical and contemporary orchestra repertoires.

Key Responsibilities:
• Accountable for fundraising activities including the identification, cultivation and personal solicitation of major gifts, and the coordination of fundraising events
• Research, develop and solicit foundation, corporate, and government grants
• Provide motivation and staff support to Board of Directors. Expand and develop Board of Directors to include members who will expand the Orchestra’s network of giving and provide valuable skills and experience.
• Coordinate volunteers to provide them with a fulfilling experience and maximize their effectiveness
• Maintain and develop external partnerships that advance the Orchestra’s institutional goals
• Implement effective strategies for audience development, ticket sales, and expanding the reach and impact of the Orchestra Santa Monica
• Assist Music Director with artistic administration and concert production
• Develop and oversee community outreach activities including the OSM Woodwind Quintet, which provides live music programming to schools, local churches, and neighborhood organizations
• Provides input in preparation of annual operating budgets, monitoring performance against budget, and ensuring compliance with grant deadlines and reporting requirements
• General operations as needed

Position Requirements:
• Superb interpersonal skills and ability to effectively communicate with supporters, partners, and the Board of Directors
• Proven fund development and donor development skills
• Four year degree in music, music education, arts management or closely related field preferred
• Familiarity with orchestral repertoire helpful
• Fiscal management and reporting skills preferred
• Management experience with an orchestra desired

The search for an Executive Director for Orchestra Santa Monica is being conducted by Bristol Associates, Inc., an executive search firm specializing in arts and cultural organizations.

Nora Bright
Assistant General Manager
Bristol Associates, Inc.
5777 W. Century Blvd Suite 855
Los Angeles, CA 90045
310-670-0525 ext. 115
nbright@bristolassoc.com

This post was submitted by Nora Bright.

Workshop by Doug Borwick, CEO, ArtsEngaged

Space is limited, please RSVP to Stephanie Moore (stephanie@ealla.org)

Treats will be provided

Effective community engagement is not an add-on activity to be carried out by a designated “engager.” To be successful, community engagement must be an essential element of virtually every aspect of an arts organization’s work: programming, development, marketing, even governance. It is important to structure and implement engagement activities so that they reflect a whole-organization perspective. Development and marketing are two sides of a single coin. Ticket buyers and donors should be viewed as a single group of people. Programming, marketing, and development are similarly inter-related. The old model of artistic directors handing a fait accompli schedule to marketers whose job it is to sell that schedule (and to development officers to fund it) diminishes the opportunities for relationship building upon which sales and fundraising depend. A community engagement lens helps unify these functions and provides the potential for greater success.

This workshop will consider what community engagement is (including how it differs from traditional marketing and audience engagement), how organizational functions can be re-imagined with a community engagement perspective, and present examples of deep engagement in the work of arts organizations. The most significant element of the session will be a dialogue among attendees about how an engagement focus might be implemented in each division of their organization.

Center Theatre Group’s summer 2013 internship applications are now available via www.CenterTheatreGroup.org/Internships.

Summer 2013 Internships:

• Education Department Internship through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
• Literary Intern
• Media & Communications Intern
• Casting Intern
• Ticket Operations Intern
• Prop Intern
• Costume Intern
• Kirk Douglas Theatre Patron Engagement Intern

Please visit the website for eligibility, descriptions, application procedures, and FAQ: http://www.centertheatregroup.org/Internships

Vox Femina Los Angeles, one of the premier women’s choruses in the United States, is looking for assistance in all areas of arts administration, from people who have 1-2 hours a month available or those who are willing to commit to 4-5 hours a week.

Mission: Vox Femina gives women voice through the performance of quality choral literature. Diverse in culture, age, race, belief and sexual identity, we are a chorus committed to commissioning new works and raising awareness about issues that affect us as a family of women. Through music, we aim to create a world that affirms the worth and dignity of every person.

Since its inception, Vox Femina has attained a level of musical excellence, community support and financial stability that may well be unequaled in any other chorus in such a short period of time.

A few of the ways you can get involved with Vox Femina are:

• As a volunteer at concerts and events
• As a committee member – Current committees include marketing, fund raising, audience development, board search, and others
• As a board member – Develop your resume by doing strategic planning, creating partnerships and collaborations in the community, and bringing in donors and attendees at concerts

For more information, contact Jen Mulder (Vox Femina Board Chair) at jen@voxfeminala.org.

Vox Femina Los Angeles

Calling teaching artists, arts education program administrators, and anyone interested in assessing and strengthening arts education programs!

Arts for All invites you to roll up your sleeves and work with the research firm WestEd to create arts education rubrics to use in your programs and classrooms.

All participants will leave the workshop with a solid draft, if not fully completed, rubric. Participants are also welcome to bring existing rubrics for feedback and revisions.

The workshop is offered during several different time slots and will be held at Inner-City Arts in downtown Los Angeles. Select from Monday, February 11, 9 am – 12 noon OR 1 pm – 4 pm, OR Monday, February 25, 9 am – 12 noon.
The event is free but registration is REQUIRED, and spots are going fast. Register at http://rubricworkshop.eventbrite.com. Arts for All hopes to see you there!
Questions? Contact Talia at (213) 202-5933.

This post was submitted by Talia Gibas.

At the Branding Workshop on January 19th, led by Nancy Hytone Leb, the focus was largely on branding an organization but my take away was how this can be applied on a more personal level. That being said, why does anyone need a brand? How do you develop one? And what’s the difference between a mission and a brand anyway?

Why does anyone need a brand? Well, you need one because you already have one. A brand is your public perception, the sum of your parts, your essence. It’s your trusted promise to a target (or intended) audience.

How do you develop one? This is where a bit of external research can be helpful. It is important to understand what people are already saying or thinking about you. People are always going to talk; give them something to talk about! The easiest thing to do is to conduct a Google search on yourself. Go ahead, do it! You know you want to. It’s really interesting what you’ll find. I found a newspaper interview that I gave when I was 15.

Another way to do this is to survey people whom you trust and ask them what their opinion is of you. I’d recommend using Survey Monkey because you can preserve anonymity to a good degree (i.e. block IP addresses, email addresses, and name recording). This can be intimidating but very insightful. The fun part is converting the results into a word cloud using Wordle. This will let you see what words are the most common by making those the largest. Once you understand your public persona, you can foster it or change it.

Next define your goals in the form of a personal mission statement. Developing a personal mission statement is a bit different than creating an organizational one, however it’s just as important. Think about writing your story in such a way that you can put it out in a deliverable fashion. Remember that your mission is fact driven and not consumer friendly (that’s where your brand comes in). Having a well-defined mission statement will empower you to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to opportunities that come your way. Set a three-year time limit on it. Careers and priorities tend to change so quickly these days that thinking in terms of 5-10 years is outdated. The most straightforward way that I’ve found to do this is borrowed from Rosetta Thurman and involves 3-steps.

Step 1: Identify your values
Take 15 minutes and write down a list of everything that means a lot to you. Be as specific as possible.

Step 2: Identify your goals
Now take another 15-20 minutes and write your own eulogy. Not really! All kidding aside, think about what you most want to contribute to the world. This probably should be related to how you want to build your career. This includes: career aspirations, volunteer interests, ways to make a social impact, and ways you want to grow personally/professionally.

Step 3: Write!!!
Now take at least 30 minutes to write your personal mission statement. It can be as short or as long as you think it needs to be. If you’re rather verbose, like me, just be prepared to develop an elevator speech later on. Oh, and don’t be afraid to update this as time goes on. We’re writing on computers, not stone.

Now that that’s done, it’s time to translate all of this into a brand statement. Remember, your mission is fact driven and written for advisors, and therefore not consumer friendly. Your brand statement communicates what you do and why you do it into a single sentence. Your mission is lofty. Your brand is here and now. It is what motivates your audience to interact. You can also create different taglines for different audiences; just ensure that the brand is consistent. Your brand statement should basically be “I am a (blank) who does (blank).”

You’ve probably already got a social media presence but now that you’re this far it’s a good time to make sure that it’s consistent. At a minimum you’ll need a LinkedIn but you may also have a Twitter, Facebook, EAL/LA profile, and a blog. Keep your audience in mind; LinkedIn is professional and Facebook is more personal. Use these platforms as an opportunity to communicate your brand. Write a fantastic bio that reflects this. To keep it simple, make sure you cite blog posts, events, or quotes that communicate your mission and values using keywords. For better or worse, if you talk about the same things often enough people will associate them with you. A blog is great if you have the time and inclination to maintain it. It’s also a great opportunity to let your opinions be heard. Go ahead, have a point of view! Just be prepared to stand up for it if you are ever asked to.

Also make sure that you’ve got a well-composed photograph as your profile image. If you can afford it, hire a professional photographer and have some headshots done. An alternative is to bring out the best outfit from your wardrobe, hold a simple DIY hair and make-up session, and head out on location with a friend and a camera. The average camera and editing software is more than enough to create a perfectly nice picture for your profile. A bit of effort goes a long way. Besides, if you’re female you most likely enjoy getting gussied up anyway.

Lastly, don’t forget your in-person persona. Always dress for the job you want, not the job you have. Never leave home without a business card, preferably a personal one (separate from your organization). That way if you have multiple interests, (e.g. fundraising, creative placemaking, and playwiting) you can have the appropriate card for each. Vistaprint offers free business cards for first time customers. MOO allows you the option of printing a different image on every card in the pack. The perk here is that you can provide the same contact information with different images that relate to your varied interests.

Also make sure you’re keeping your brand advocates (read peers and mentors) in the loop on your accomplishments. You’ll need them to be able to speak about your quality, value, reliability, and relevancy. Your advocate’s brands lend itself to your brand, and always make sure that both parties’ brands are good for one another. Your association with someone rubs off on you, and vice versa. If someone’s helping you make sure you return the favor.

Ultimately, it’s a long-term project to create and foster your personal brand, but so worth it! Take some time to reflect on who you are, who you’re perceived to be, and where you’re headed and you’ll be glad you did.

This post was submitted by Laura Sardisco.

EAL/LA is a fiscally sponsored organization. This arrangement has served us well for the last several years but as we look toward the future, we wonder what type of business entity will be the best for us going forward. To help determine our fate, we are putting together a small task force to explore our options.

If you are interested in researching non-profit models, analyzing the implications of remaining fiscally sponsored v. becoming an independent nonprofit, exploring the practical requirements of 501(c)(3) incorporation, and thinking through the future of EAL/LA, please email Cynthia, EAL/LA Finance Chair at cynthia@ealla.org, with GO NPO in the subject line.  This is a small group forum, space will be limited.

The task force will meet in early February, convene over email for the next month, prepare a summary of our findings for the Leadership Council’s March meeting, and sponsor a workshop on tax-exempt organizations in the spring.

EAL/LA has been working tirelessly to bring awesome programming and professional development tools to its growing membership.  The Communications Leadership is seeking a small team of individuals to design and create an infographic to be published by EAL/LA.  This team of 3-5 members will design and publish an infographic, gaining publication credit on the EAL/LA website and on any printed versions of the graphic.

We are looking for three to five individuals who will work with Commmunications Co Chair, K. Ryan Henisey on the design and delivery of EAL/LA statistics and content.  The team will be responsible for building and publishing an infographic based on data collected by the EAL/LA Leadership Council.  This project will involve work using computer graphics (such as but not limited to Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.)

Members invited to join the team will gain professional development as they work on the design, format and layout of the infographic.  The team will initially meet on Monday, January 28th.  This short, three week project will be a team effort.  Members will be encouraged to use and develop design and computer graphic skills.

This is the type of program members can use to pad their resume.

If you are interest in joining the InfoGraphic Team, please message K. Ryan Henisey here on the EAL/LA website.  Please leave your name, email, phone number, and a brief message stating your interest.