Alex Sarian on The Audacity of Relevance

8 snips

Sep 9, 2024

Alex Sarian, President and CEO of Arts Commons in Calgary and former leader at Lincoln Center, dives into the challenges facing arts organizations today. He emphasizes the need for relevance through community engagement and innovative programming, especially in the post-COVID landscape. The conversation shifts to the Calgary Arts Commons Transformation Project, redefining success metrics and exploring the evolving value of arts. Sarian also highlights creative fundraising strategies and the art of storytelling to strengthen audience connections.

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ANECDOTE

Return to Canada

Alex Sarian returned to Canada, intrigued by Calgary's identity crisis and the Arts Commons project.
Calgary's diversity and potential for a hybrid arts model excited him.

INSIGHT

More Than a Building

The Arts Commons Transformation project is more than a building renovation; it's a rethinking of the organization's role in the community.
The project seeks to reflect the city's evolving identity and diversity.

ANECDOTE

Pop-Up Concerts

During the pandemic, Arts Commons held pop-up concerts in underserved communities, employing local artists and engaging new audiences.
This initiative aimed to build relationships and understand community needs.

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We are back with a new season of At the Mic / Au micro, ACCA’s podcast available now on our YouTube Channel and your favourite podcast platform. We are delighted to kick off this season with a very special guest, Alex Sarian, as he is about to launch his new book, ‘The Audacity of Relevance: Critical Conversations on the Future of Arts and Culture. ‘

ACCA recognizes the generous support of Unity Design Studio for sponsoring this podcast! Unity Design Studio is a high-ranked B Corp architecture firm with over 50 years experience designing many arts and culture venues, including the new Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough. You’ll hear more about them in the next podcast!

In this timely and valuable conversation, our guest Alex Sarian shares some of his wisdom on making arts organizations relevant today gained from his personal experience and that of others. Alex joined Arts Commons as President & CEO in 2020 after seven years of leadership roles at Lincoln Center. In addition to overseeing this major facility in downtown Calgary, he also leads the largest cultural infrastructure project in Canadian history, the Arts Commons Transformation. His new book, The Audacity of Relevance: Critical Conversations on the Future of Arts and Culture to be released later this month is already being praised as a “manifesto for the arts in times of crises.”In this episode of At the Mic, Au Micro, presented by Arts Consultants Canada, we explore how arts and cultural organizations can stay relevant in today's rapidly changing landscape. Guest Alex Sarian, President and CEO of Arts Commons, shares his insights from leading major arts projects in Calgary and his experience with global arts institutions. We dive into Alex's book, 'The Audacity of Relevance,' and discuss critical conversations about the value proposition of the arts, community engagement, and new business models. Don't miss this inspiring talk about the future of the arts in a post-pandemic world.

Alex Sarian:

Alex Sarian was appointed as President and CEO of Arts Commons in Calgary in May 2020. He is noted as being the youngest executive to oversee a major performing arts centre in North America. Prior to joining Arts Commons, Sarian held leadership roles in New York City for nearly two decades. He was previously an executive at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, where he led grant-making, global consulting, community engagement, education, and artistic programming for young audiences and families.

ACCA: