Controlling the Conductor: Power Dynamics and Theories for Arts Leaders

Power is the most ugly term in leadership. It brings forward crass imagery and evokes the rhetoric of hard leadership. And in the arts, the entire idea of power feels as though it dirties the soft elements of artistic expression. Ignoring the discussion of power and its roles in the arts, however, does little to progress the study of arts leadership for a better future. So, these pages serve to begin this complex discussion in arts leadership-a discussion which the reader should continue in both word and deed.

As with all quick reads in the Arts Leadership Series, the first part of the writing will bring in the thoughts and theories of the author and common literature. The second part will allow readers to compare what they have learned with the experienced perspectives of current arts leaders through candid, transcribed interviews. With both theory and experience combined, readers become part of a transformational encounter to advance the future of the Arts Leadership field.