Case Studies in Cultural Entrepreneurship: How to Create Relevant and Sustainable Institutions (American Association for State and Local History) - Hardcover

Sorin and Sessions have masterfully unveiled several case studies that illuminate the stories of institutional leaders who had the courage and tenacity to interpret external pressures and opportunities anew, to exercise adept flexibility, and to persevere with patience and humility in order to create something remarkable and refreshingly different. These stories will aid and inspire trustees and leaders to step back to reframe their reality, to ask different questions, and to explore new models that reflect more robust ways of being with their public. This collection is a welcome addition to the literature and the ongoing conversation of relevancy and sustainability in our institutions and museums. * AASLH History News * Case Studies in Cultural Entrepreneurship puts a name and a face to the concept of calculated risk taking in the nonprofit cultural sector by focusing on how relevancy and sustainability can be achieved despite competing environments and often harsh socio-economic realities. Five case studies offer an in-depth look at how leaders identify opportunities and implement change by extending the definition of community, embracing bold civic responsibility, building critical partnerships across many levels, and adopting flexible, responsive business cultures. You've heard for years that cultural institutions must become entrepreneurial; here are tools and inspiration to help you do it. -- Anne W. Ackerson, co-author of Leadership Matters and former director of the Museum Association of New York Sorin and Sessions have masterfully unveiled several case studies that illuminate the stories of institutional leaders who had the courage and tenacity to interpret external pressures and opportunities a anew, to exercise adept flexibility, and to persevere with patience and humility in order to create something remarkable and refreshingly different. These stories will aid and inspire trustees and leaders to step back to reframe their reality, to ask different questions, and to explore new models that reflect more robust ways of being with their public. This collection is a welcome addition to the literature and the ongoing conversation of relevancy and sustainability in our institutions and museums. -- Gail Anderson, president, Gail Anderson & Associates and author, Reinventing the Museum: The Evolving Conversation on the Paradigm Shift Transforming an organization in need of change and then sustaining that new vision seems almost like a form of alchemy. These varied case studies show the creative strategies, powerful ideas, collaboration, practicality, patience, and willingness to risk that entrepreneurial leaders can use to work 'magic. Leaders, staff, board, volunteers, community members, students-those seasoned and those just starting out-will find inspiration and pragmatic insights in these well-crafted real-life stories. -- Lynne Ireland, Deputy Director of the Nebraska State Historical Society and Chair of the Council of the American Association for State and Local History

This book of six case studies demonstrates the critical role entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial thinking play in reinventing cultural organizations to make them relevant and sustainable for the twenty-first century and beyond. Through the lenses of cultural entrepreneurship, change management and complexity theory, these readable and inspirational cases offer an in-depth analysis of how a variety of cultural organizations small and large; local, regional and national; museums and arts organizations have found opportunities in complex situations to create new identities and missions and in doing so, have revitalized their organizations and in many cases, surrounding communities. Cases include: The Strong: how a museum in Rochester, NY forged an entirely new national identity as The National Museum of Play. The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center: how a historic house museum becomes a center for social justice in the community. National Mississippi River Museum