While artistic and cultural access remain inaccessible to those who have been historically underrepresented based on race/ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic status, and citizenship status, this is even more true when it comes to Leadership within the nonprofit arts sector. As Executive Director of the Los Angeles Music and Art School (LAMusArt) I am committed to succession planning as a way to ensure cultural equity among all leadership in the organization.

As I look to my past to see what my task as an arts leader is for the future, I cannot help but think of cultural equity.

Succession planning is creating a series of feeder groups up and down the entire leadership pipeline of an organization. While concern for senior leadership positions is what comes to mind, it is the intentional retention of key staff members and volunteers, coupled with sufficient and professional development, that the sector needs.

My professional trajectory has been a unique one. My start as an arts administrator came through an opportunity from the Los Angeles Arts Commission (LACAC), a summer paid internship with LAMusArt. Shortly after, I supported accessibility programs for Center Theater Group’s three theaters, which led me back to arts education program management at LAMusArt where I eventually rose to the challenge of Executive Director. Through my trajectory, I experienced ranging levels of inclusivity and varied degrees of commitment to cultural equity among organizations because they seem to misunderstand the process and benefits.

Through my experience navigating organizations small and large, here are some learnings I encourage you to consider when preparing for succession.

  • Have a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan to Commit to Cultural Equity and Create Local Value
  • Get the Board and Executive Leadership Committed and Involved
  • Take a Holistic Approach to Development

Read the full article about learning and shaping the nonprofit arts sector by Manuel Prieto at Americans for the Arts.