Events

Apr
26
Wed
Learning Lab 2023: Brand Strategy & Storytelling For Arts Nonprofits @ Online
Apr 26 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am

Learning Lab: Brand Strategy And Storytelling for Arts + Culture Nonprofits 

Brand strategy is no longer optional for the arts.   

Mission statements are aspirational, yet they are not enough – they are not decision-making tools and are rarely unique or memorable. In this session, we will make a case for articulating an organizational purpose that can help you make big and small decisions, create team alignment, make your funders understand why you are unique, and communicate to your audiences what they can expect from you. 

Content Expert: Jennifer Martindale, Marketing and Branding Professional

Jennifer has worked with global brands, innovative nonprofits, and founder-led companies. Her expertise includes consumer goods, multi-unit retail & restaurants, arts & entertainment, automotive, government, and professional sports. She believes brands can use their platform to help shift culture. She worked at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Leo Burnett, and Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, before joining the Chicago Cubs as Senior Vice President of Marketing

May
24
Wed
On BOARD 2023: Understanding Nonprofit Finances and Financial Transparency @ Online
May 24 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am

On BOARD: Understanding Nonprofit Finances and Financial Transparency

Financial management is not only about bookkeeping. Board members should be aware of ethical considerations regarding money management and financial decision-making. We will talk about financial oversights and transparency in nonprofits, from policy creation and compliance, and safeguarding of assets, to audits, managing cash flow, tax compliance, and filing with the IRS and other government entities.  

Most importantly, when pay equity and transparency are a must in the sector, we will discuss significant issues around nonprofit finances and transparency. 

Content Expert: Kate Lorenz

Price: $50

Jun
28
Wed
Guaranteed Income for Artists: A Conversation Between A&BC and Springboard for the Arts @ Online
Jun 28 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am

Join the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s “Reimagining the Arts + Culture Sector: Inspiration from Bold Initiatives in the Field,” a series of webinars that showcase radical projects in the arts, culture, and nonprofit sectors.

We will hear from practitioners, projects, and organizations who are challenging long-standing frameworks of oppression and demanding better working conditions, fair labor practices, and deep systems change for art makers and creative practitioners.

 

About “Guaranteed Income for Artists: A Conversation Between A&BC and Springboard for the Arts”

In this first webinar, we will talk with guest speaker Laura Zabel, Executive Director at Springboard for the Arts, about their Guaranteed Minimum Income for Artists Pilot Program. Laura Zabel will present Springboard’s “Guaranteed Minimum Income for Artists Pilot Program,” focusing on the program’s design process and impact.

Register here

Jul
26
Wed
On BOARD 2023: Strategic Planning for Nonprofits @ Online
Jul 26 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am

On BOARD® Lab: Envisioning the Future Through Strategic Planning for Nonprofits 

On BOARD® is the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s unique board governance and leadership training program that prepares individuals who are ready to engage as active board members of arts, cultural, and creative nonprofit organizations. Individuals who successfully complete the full program demonstrate an understanding and commitment to upholding high standards of nonprofit board governance.

Strategic planning can be scary. How to plan in a sector where burnout and putting out fires are the norm? However, learning how to scale strategy and planning to your goals, resources, and priorities can be exciting and an excellent opportunity to build team alignment toward a shared purpose.  

We will cover general governance and the role of the board of directors in strategic planning, the advantages of creating and using a strategic plan, how to approach the strategic planning process, and methodologies used for pre-planning and organizational assessments. 

Topics include:

  • General governance and the role of Board of Directors in strategic planning
  • Advantages of creating and using a strategic plan
  • How to approach the strategic planning process
  • Methodologies used for pre-planning and organizational assessments

Price: $ 50

Content Expert: Brandi Head, CEO Head-On Strategies, LLC

About the context expert

Brandi Head (she/her) possesses more than 20 years of business experience and finance acumen, which she employs while coaching small business and nonprofit clients. She has a passion for helping promising entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders achieve their strategic goals and build solid, thriving organizations. That passion prompted her to start Head-On Strategies, LLC which provides consulting, advisory, and implementation services to small businesses and nonprofit organizations, meeting them wherever they are in their business life cycles. Whether her clients are start-ups or at key inflection points, Brandi is positioned to help businesses develop data-driven strategies and solutions that work.

Additionally, she believes that her technical expertise is only one piece of the advisory puzzle; experience, perspective, and meaningful connection withpeople, organizations, and community complete that puzzle. While working in Commercial Banking (inclusive of Commercial Real Estate), Credit Risk, and Operations Management at blue-chip financial services firms, she has helped business clients and local governments secure financing for their various needs.

As a member of several corporate leadership and project teams, she has spearheaded several key initiatives and has been asked to lead outside of her primary roles, including in Financial Policy, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), and Employee Engagement. Her contributions have benefited her previous clients and employers in terms of growth, cost reduction, and branding.

Brandi has also been a member of various project teams that helped nonprofits with finance strategy, marketing plans, and feasibility studies/strategic alignment. Brandi has an MBA from Purdue University, as well as company-sponsored executive education from Kellogg School of Management. She has served on several boards and committees and currently sits on the board of directors for Red Clay Dance Company where she has been responsible for operationalizing its Finance Committee, including charter creation and policy development, and helping to set long-range financial strategy.

Aug
30
Wed
Learning Lab: Roadmap to Enacting Pay Equity and Transparency in Nonprofits @ Online
Aug 30 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am

Learning Lab: Roadmap To Enacting Pay Equity and Transparency in Nonprofits

Enacting pay equity is not as expensive as it appears. From posting salaries in job offers and creating organizational policies to talking about money and fair compensation from a place of justice, this Learning Lab will tackle crucial aspects of understanding and navigating pay equity and transparency. 

 

Price: Pay What You Can ($15 – $35)

Content Expert: Elsa Hiltner, Organizer and Consultant for Pay Equity & Associate Director of Programs at Lawyers for the Creative Arts.

Elsa Hiltner has worked for over 15 years as a freelance artist and arts non-profit administrator, including as director of development for Collaboraction Theatre Company and as Associate Director of Programs at Lawyers for the Creative Arts. Her essays on labor and pay equity have inspired systemic change in the theatre industry. Her Theatrical Designer Pay Resource has been used nationwide to promote pay transparency and start conversations around pay equity. She is a co-founder of On Our Team, which successfully organized pay transparency on the job sites of Playbill, BroadwayWorld, and the League of Chicago Theatres.

Sep
27
Wed
On BOARD: Designing Inclusive Fundraising Practices @ Online
Sep 27 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am

At the Arts & Business Council of Chicago, we are creating a world where creativity is universally valued as a resource with limitless potential for social and economic impact. We are an arts service organization focused on serving Chicago’s cultural workers and enterprises through consulting, programming, and mentorship to ensure community vitality and an equitable creative economy. 

One of the ways in which we fulfill our mission is through On BOARD®, the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s unique board governance and leadership learning program. Throughout six sessions, we prepare individuals ready to engage as active board members of arts, cultural, and creative nonprofit organizations to understand and own their role as board members successfully.  

On BOARD®: Demystifying Fundraising & Designing Inclusive Fundraising Practices

One of the many responsibilities of Board Members is to leverage their strengths to engage donors and supporters. But asking for money and advocating for the support of an organization is scary – for new and existing Board Members. In this interactive Learning Lab, you’ll get to know where the money comes from and gain practical know-how on how you will be expected to fundraise and activate your networks.  

Participants will learn: 

  • The board’s role in fundraising  
  • The primary uses of funding board members can solicit from their networks 
  • Principles of designing your organization’s strategic fundraising engagement process 
  • Tactics for creating a compelling case for support that board members can use to solicit support and advocate for your organization 
  • How to develop a culture of philanthropy that is intentional and inclusive 

Content Expert: Braden Cleary

Braden Cleary is the Associate Director, Client Development at Arabella Advisors and former Client Engagement Lead at VEGA Partners. He works with clients in a variety of different issue areas and sectors but has a background and interest in arts & cultural management, board governance, and philanthropy. Dedicated to making meaningful contributions to the social impact sector, Braden currently serves on the Excellent Emerging Organizations Committee at North Park University’s Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management and is a former member of the Philanthropic Advisory Group at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Price: $50

Questions about this event? 

Email Constanza Mendoza, A&BC’s Director of Programs, at cmendoza@artsbiz-chicago.org 

Oct
25
Wed
Learning Lab: Proposal/Grant Writing, Building a Successful Case @ Online
Oct 25 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am

At the Arts & Business Council of Chicago, we are creating a world where creativity is universally valued as a resource with limitless potential for social and economic impact. We are an arts service organization focused on serving Chicago’s cultural workers and enterprises through consulting, programming, and mentorship to ensure community vitality and an equitable creative economy. 

One of the ways in which we fulfill our mission is through our Learning Labs Program. Learning Labs provide opportunities to start new conversations about non-profit management with a particular focus on arts + culture. The goal of this program is to continue discussing solutions for challenges faced across the sector. 

About Learning Lab: Grant Writing, Building a Successful Case for your Project

Support for nonprofit arts organizations and art makers in Chicagoland drastically increased last year and is expected to continue growing until the end of this year. Grant amounts from the city and state are larger, their terms are more flexible, and the application process is less rigid. When it comes to private foundations, a similar case is happening. 

However, even if there are more funding opportunities, the chances of getting funds will largely depend on the applicant’s ability to effectively build their case and present a successful grant application. 

In view of this exciting scenario, the Arts & Business Council offers a Learning Lab on Grant Writing where participants will gain insights into communicating effectively with prospective funders.  

During this workshop, attendees will get tailored advice on building a case for their project or organization. This session focuses on philanthropic foundation and government grants for arts organizations, although some underlying principles around proposal writing apply to individuals.  

Content Expert: TBD

Topics covered during the session 

  • Brief History of Nonprofit Funding 
  • Anatomy of a Grant Application, with a focus on narrative, timeline, budget, and impact/evaluation 
  • Case Studies: Critically Examining Writing Samples 
  • Creating Your Case: Share your Elevator Pitch  

Topics not covered 

  • Identifying relevant government and private foundation funders 
  • Types of foundations and other funders 
  • Types of proposals and submissions
  • Application for research grants 

 

We encourage participants to prepare a one-paragraph pitch for a project they want to get funded.  

 

Price: Pay What You Can ($20-$35)

Content Expert: TBD

 

Questions about this event? 

Email Constanza Mendoza, A&BC’s Director of Programs, at cmendoza@artsbiz-chicago.org 

Nov
29
Wed
On BOARD: Board Cultivation. Actionable Insights on Board Recruitment, Engagement & Assessment @ Online
Nov 29 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am

At the Arts & Business Council of Chicago, we are creating a world where creativity is universally valued as a resource with limitless potential for social and economic impact. We are an arts service organization focused on serving Chicago’s cultural workers and enterprises through consulting, programming, and mentorship to ensure community vitality and an equitable creative economy. 

One of the ways in which we fulfill our mission is through On BOARD®, the Arts & Business Council of Chicago’s unique board governance and leadership training program. Throughout six sessions we prepare individuals who are ready to engage as active board members of arts, cultural, and creative nonprofit organizations to successfully understand and own their role as board members.  

On BOARD®: Board Cultivation. Actionable Insights on Board Recruitment, Engagement, and Assessment 

A superb board member brings a combination of time, treasure, and talent to an organization. So why do we continue to evaluate and prospect board members strictly on their treasure ‘capacity’? If a board of directors is to reflect the community it serves, the sector must consider more equitable qualifications.   

Arts & Business Council of Chicago (A&BC) Executive Director Kristin Larsen will present her innovative, point-based, planning and assessment model to engage boards of directors. Larsen will guide you through using game theory and a points-based evaluation system to reduce anxiety around giving capacities and create an equitable board of directors that is welcoming to groups that have been historically marginalized.  

In practice, Larsen has seen this fresh accountability system increase committee participation, mobilize current board members to prospect new members and donors and ignite a sense of self-governance that reduces stress and time for the Executive Director. You’ll leave this lab with an action plan to define the entire scope of what your board of directors can bring to the organization and design your own point-based assessment model that’s not all about the give/get.  

We encouraged Executive Directors, Artistic Directors (directly interfacing with board of directors), Board Presidents, and Chairs of Board Governance committees to participate in this session.

Learning objectives  

  1. Attendees will understand how to translate their board’s Roles & Responsibilities into supporting the organization’s annual operating and work plans  
  2. Attendees will understand how to use this tool to ease board recruitment practices  
  3. Attendees will gain skills in motivating current board members to contribute to prospecting and communicating within their own networks  
  4. Attendees will understand how to utilize this tool to increase committee participation and motivate self-governance, reducing their stress and time in board management  
  5. Attendees will understand how to use this tool to increase board attendance at special events and fundraisers; also motivate board members to bring new guests to special events and fundraisers  
  6. Attendees will gain knowledge of how this tool can create board equity (socioeconomic, gender, race, access, etc.)  
  7. Attendees will expand the tenure of their board members using this tool as it presents a visible and tangible representation of a board member’s contributions 

 

Content Expert: Kristin Larsen, Executive Director at the Arts & Business Council of Chicago.

Kristin rejoined the Arts & Business Council of Chicago in 2017 after serving as Director of Programs in the early aughts. Prior to returning to A&BC, Kristin was Executive Director of Stage 773 (2013-2017), a performance venue in Lakeview, Executive Director of Remy Bumppo Theater Company (2002-2012), and a business representative with Actors’ Equity Association (1995-2000) after many years of being an Equity Stage Manager.

Kristin has her BFA in production management from The Theatre School at DePaul University and her MA in facilitating organizational effectiveness in the arts from DePaul University’s School for New Learning. Kristin serves on the Americans for the Arts Private Sector Council, The Entertainment Fund’s Central Region Advisory Council, and volunteers with DePaul’s Alumni Sharing Knowledge program and the Joseph Jefferson Awards Committee.

Price: $50

Session Duration: 90 minutes

 

Jan
1
Mon
To Be Announced
Jan 1 – Dec 31 all-day