Literature review

Arts Management

While looking for secondary sources of information to assist with my inquiry about arts management and delegation, I came across a book called  “Arts Management” (2010) by Author and Lecturer D.Chong. Chong seeks to define arts management by providing excerpts from Dan Martin and Megan Matthews. These exerts are informative, defining skills and responsibilities required in Arts management.

“The application of the five traditional management functions – planning, organizing, staffing, supervising, and controlling – to the facilitation of the production of the performing or visual arts and the presentation of the artists’ work to audiences.” (D.Martin, Shafritz 1998:128. International Encyclopedia of Public Policy and Administration.)

Martin equates the facilitation of the specific management functions listed to results in the advancement of an Arts production, showcasing artist’s work. I think controlling as a function is an interesting theory that I would like to further investigate as part of my inquiry about delegation, where a measure of control is relinquished In order to achieve tasks.

Previously when thinking about arts management,  I placed a large emphasis on the management and the business aspect. Matthews describes arts management as “an exciting field that allows people to combine business, artistic and organizational skills with activities that make a difference in the lives of individuals and communities.”(M.Matthews, 2006: Module 1), Matthews explains that Arts management is a combination of organisational skills, but artistic skills also play a role in arts management. Matthews’s statement reminds me that artistic skills need to be equally considered, as Arts Management is a combination of various skills.

The similarity Martin and Matthew both have when describing arts management is the requirement for an arts manager to have the ability to organise. I believe arts managers are not only responsible for organising themselves but also the subordinates they manage.

Your Skills

This is an online article from the organisation “Prospects”. The article has been produced to offer performing arts graduates online career advice. Saundre Hughes writes the article discussing a range of skills that are acquired from a performing arts course. I thought this provided the opportunity to reflect upon skills I have acquired from my last course, comparing them with the skill that are required for arts management.

  

A pilot survey I conducted and group SIG discussion has led me to believe that communication skills are very important for an arts manager. Hughes suggests communication skills are also a sought after by various employers. This points that skills developed from learning performance arts are transferable into various professions.

Hughes advises performers to identify what skills they lack, examining how they can improve their profile so that they can market themselves. This offers the theory that an individuals should establish what skills they lack before trying to learn new skills.

The writer also mentions performers having the ability to deal with critic and learn from it. I believe this is a skill a performer continually developed in the classroom and on the job. When a performer is audition and performing in front of an audience, they are under constant being critic.

Organistional skills are listed as a skills acquired from studying performing arts. This is a skill that Dan Martin and Megan Matthews describe as a requirement for arts management (Chong, D. 2010)

The Art of Delegation

G.Blair believes the purpose of delegation is to “enable someone else to do the job for you”. He describes delegation as a “dynamic tool for motivating and training” a team to become aware of their potential, resulting in their development of skills and knowledge. The description given by the writer provides a theory that delegation can be rewarding for not just a manager, but also a team.

G.Blair writes, in order for a staff or team to do your job, as a manager you must ensure:

• they know what you want
• they have the authority to achieve it
• they know how to do it.

Individuals performing delegated tasks should be able to come to a manager for knowledge. If a manager does not have adequate knowledge, the manager should know where to direct the individual for knowledge so task can be completed.

The author also states that delegation can only work if the individual being delegated to has access to appropriate knowledge to complete a task. This includes any information that a manager has privy to for the task completion. If information is crucial, enabling a manager to perform a task, it is equally crucial for the individual who will be expected to act on be-half of the manager.

G.Blair expresses that when delegating a task, it is important that both parties are in agreement about the objectives and standards that the task will be judged by.

As a manager when training the individuals you manage to apply the same principles as you would when performing a task, enables them to exercise “your control on your behalf”.

I am in agreement with the writer as I too believe a manager needs to informed individuals in a team how decisions are made, allowing individuals to observe managers choices. In the Performing Arts field from personal experience in my practice, when working in collaboration with another organisation for a limited period and having temporary control over their team, how will this principle apply? I.e., theatres and event spaces often use their own staff and security team. How do you effectively delegate control to individuals that have not been trained under your administration?

The writer says with the appropriate monitoring, mistakes can be recognised before they have a chance be detrimental. If not, the responsibility for failure of task lies with the manager as they decide in what way and how to task was delegated. When delegating a gradual is advised as individuals may feel overwhelmed if presented with a task that appears daunting. This has the potential resulting in an incomplete task and rendering the individual demotivated. A gradual process is advised as it is better to “build-up gradually; first a small task leading to a little development, then another small task which builds upon the first”. This continuous development should result in the completion on the task. “Each task delegated should have enough complexity to stretch that member of staff - but only a little.”

My understanding of what the writer is trying to convey is the importance of Managers motivating and stimulating workers without overwhelming them. I am skeptical about some of the theories presented. The writer appears to be on the cusp of empowerment and mollycoddling. I believe a worker’s inventive to perform the required task is their salary. There is an idiom that springs to mind “different strokes for different folks”, meaning some individuals are self motivate with the drive not to quit until task is complete.

What I have learnt from this article is successful the “successful art of delegation” depends on the working relationship a manager has with a team they manage. Effective delegation can be linked to having good judgment. I believe good judgment comes from experience and can only be accessed by the outcome.

Bibliography:

Blair, G, “The art of Delegation” Available:

http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/~gerard/Management/art5.html [Accessed 15th April 2011]

Chong, D.  (2010) “Arts Management”, 2^nd ed, Routledge: London.

  

Hughes, S. (2009) “Your Skills” Available:

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/options_performing_arts_your_skills.htm [Accessed 15th April 2011]