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[media 417] The Guggenheim Museum was opened in Bilbao, a northern city in Spain in 1997, inspiring an amazing new faith in the power of architecture. The US$76 million building funded by the local government drew 1.6 million of tourists in the first year. In addition to generating economic growth, the beautifully designed building also reshaped the backwater industrial city, putting it on the cultural map of the new Europe. Cities around the world suddenly want a Bilbao museum of their own, hoping to promote their cities and attract international capitals and tourists in light of fierce global competition. However, amid the growth of theatres and concert halls, statistics have shown that more and more people have lost interest in high culture. The revival seems to be economic rather than artistic. Without the audience an Opera House will only leave with the lonesome phantom and the glittering chandelier. Adrian Ellis, the Executive Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center shared his success in cultural strategies for cultural organizations and operational planning in this vibrant yet turbulent era of modern arts. First of all, Ellis required the administrators to understand one fundamental point which is that they are just one part of the entire institution and they are the minority. They have to deal with the investors, board of directors, politicians, community activists, government planning departments, architects, design teams and other interest groups but on the other hand, they have to adhere to a complicated labyrinth of construction procedures. Work has to be done on time and within budget without sacrificing the standard. On top of that, they have to take into account of the views of the performers, technicians, and even restaurateurs and retailers. Therefore, the administrators must figure out what the standard is and reach a basic consensus with all stakeholders and understand trade-offs and priorities. Ellis advises “Arts building itself is not the end, but the means to achieve the end.” The management has to grasp the bigger picture and define the problems, whereas solutions rest upon the professional. They have to comprehend the mission of the architecture and the business model driving the whole project, including audience and sources of income. The management thus needs to understand the financial structure of the relevant organisations. Ellis also highlighted "flexibility" but he noted that it cannot go limitless and turn into impractical ideas. It is advisable to set a timetable and budget but then if set too early, it will become a barrier. These are the challenges facing the management team. Variables that can be predicted should be calculated as well, for example, the arts form, audience, technology and competition. The management needs to plan a contingency scenario in order to develop relevant measures before problems arise. Lastly, Ellis summarized with his own practical experience in the Lincoln Center. Due to the brand image of the Lincoln Center and the excellent Upper West Manhattan location, he was fully aware of the good positioning of the cultural institute situated in the Timer Warner Center when he first joined four years ago. In order to expand the jazz audience and raise US$40 million per year to meet operating expenses, he not only enhanced education, but also integrated the site development, converting it into a converging point for people from all walks of life. Ellis stressed that an excellent building requires comprehensive administrative support. He suggested 5Cs for the management: |