CI to Eye with Monica Holt

Sir Clive Gillinson is the Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall. He oversees all aspects of the Hall's artistic, education, and social impact programming as well as the management of the world-renowned music venue. In his fourteen years at the helm of the 128-year-old institution, Clive has been looking ahead to the future with the Hall's potential to influence music and music education around the world. In this episode, Clive and Erik discuss Clive's unexpected but monumental career in arts administration. They also talk about the significance of asking the right questions rather than looking for the answers, how partnership is vital to Carnegie Hall's success, and why money follows a vision.

Cardozie Jones is the founding principal of True North EDI, a consulting firm committed to equity, diversity, and interdependence. Cardozie has worked with the Capacity Interactive team as well as many other organizations on the practices, policies, and systems that have the potential to create inequity and exclusion in our workplaces and society. In this episode, Cardozie and Erik talk about the societal influences that inform how we experience the world. They also discuss how to distinguish between diversity and representation and the protocols that keep us from having productive and meaningful conversations about race.

Melissa Cowley Wolf is the director of Arts Funders Forum (AFF), a new initiative from advisory firm M+D designed to increase private support for arts and culture in the United States. She’s also the founder of MCW Projects, dedicated to expanding the next generation of philanthropists and cultural audiences around the world. In this episode, Melissa and Erik talk about the findings of a recent survey conducted by the Arts Funders Forum and M+D, including millennial giving behaviors, how the cultural sector can adapt to engage a new donor class, and why collaboration and transparency among arts institutions, funders, artists, and communities, are critical to the success of the arts in the 21st century.

Mark Schaefer is a globally-recognized business consultant and author. His customized programs specialize in content marketing, digital marketing, social media, and personal branding. Mark is the author of six best-selling marketing books, and his most recent release, Marketing Rebellion: the Most Human Company Wins, is a must-read for arts marketers. In this episode, Mark and Erik talk about how your most loyal patrons are your marketing department, the difference between “personalized” and “truly personal,” and the five human truths that businesses must understand to succeed in the 21st century.

Deborah Cullinan is the CEO of Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA), the cultural anchor of San Francisco's Yerba Buena Gardens development. By using culture as an instrument for social change, YBCA is reimagining the role an arts institution can play in the community it serves. In this episode, Deborah and Erik discuss Yerba Buena Center for the Arts’ position as a cultural incubator and the role of change management in nurturing organizational health. They also talk about the iterative evolution of an organization's mission and website.

Lily Weiss is the Executive Director of the Dallas Arts District, the largest contiguous arts community in the United States. Six different Pritzker Prize-winning architects have designed buildings in the district, which spans 19 blocks in the northeast corner of downtown Dallas. In this episode, Lily and Erik talk about the history of the Dallas Arts District. They also discuss why collaboration among arts organizations in the district is vital, and how auxiliary elements like parking, dining, and transportation impact patron participation.

Lisa Niedermeyer is the Producing Director for Disability Dance Works, a production company founded by disabled dancer Alice Sheppard to launch art experiences at the intersection of disability, technology, and design. In this episode, Lisa and Erik talk about why it's important to have meaningful cultural experiences centered around disability. They also discuss how venues can create "joy equity" experiences and how digital experiences should be compatible with assistive technologies.

Darren Sussman is the co-founder of the Institute of Financial Wellness for the Arts (IFWA). The IFWA provides financial education and personal planning solutions to artists and arts professionals. Before launching the IFWA, Darren was the co-founder and president of TheaterMania and OvationTix. In this episode, Darren and Erik talk about why it’s crucial for arts professionals to have the freedom of financial wellness. They also discuss financial planning offense and defense (trigger warning: sports metaphor) and growth lessons from Darren’s years at TheaterMania and OvationTix.

Dr. Robin DiAngelo is the bestselling author of White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism and Is Everybody Really Equal?: An Introduction to Key Concepts in Social Justice Education. Dr. DiAngelo has been a consultant and trainer for over 20 years on racial and social justice issues. In this episode, Robin and Erik talk about why diversity is essential among those who control the art and entertainment we consume. They also discuss combatting white solidarity among our peers, why claiming color-blindness can contribute to a continued bias, and acknowledging white fragility to overcome it.

Ronnie Brooks is the founding Director of the James P. Shannon Leadership Institute in Saint Paul Minnesota. In that role, she has worked with many arts leaders and their organizations to help them clarify their core values and better focus the purpose of their work. Since her formal retirement earlier this year, she has put her extensive experience to use as a strategic planning, leadership development, and nonprofit governance consultant. In this episode, Erik and Ronnie talk about the necessity of taking care of yourself in order to become a more effective and leader, the importance of aligning your actions with your core values, and the need for creativity and vitality among leaders to meet the vast challenges of nonprofit work. If you’re looking to become a better and more fulfilled leader, this episode is for you.