Basic Management Functions in Culture and Arts Organisations

Abstract

Management 2016/81In the last fifty years management has become a significant factor in the development of sectors that have no profit characteristics. The culture and arts organisations are aware of the need for management. However, various specific aspects of the artistic practice are the key issue regarding the implementation of management in culture and arts. The main problem in obtaining positive outcomes is the correct adjustment of management and art functions having in mind the relationship between the two. The management functions need to be implemented and applied in such a manner that art activities should not be compromised. Due to project orientation, lack of funding and environment changes, entrepreneurship has assumed a significant role in achieving the goals of culture and arts organisations. In less developed countries, the functions of management are not implemented in arts and culture to their full potential. One reason is the importance a given society assigns to arts and culture. Still, implementation of management is the fundamental assumption of faster development of artistic, organisational and technical modernization and financial stabilisation of culture and arts organisations.

Redefining the Model of Theater Organization and Financing in Serbia on the Project Management Principles

“…The functions, methods and techniques of management have become quite welcome in this area. Various specifics of the artistic practice are the key issue regarding the implementation of management in culture and arts [3]. In this context, cultural management can be defined as the creation of conditions for artistic creativity and production of cultural goods (values), for their design in the works that are accessible to the public and for their reception in the cultural community [4].…”

“…In addition, management has to balance the entrepreneurial targets with the cultural ones [7]. Also, it is important to say that artistic and non-profit character of some cultural institutions, such as theatres, is not automatically a precondition and a guarantee of high artistic quality or the orientation to profit is sentenced to mandatory modest artistic results [1,3].…”

“…Anyway, the implementation of academic and practical knowledge, that is, management functions, methods and techniques, is one of the fundamental assumptions of faster artistic and economic development of all cultural institutions including theatres, however, on condition that all specific features, multidisciplinarity and unpredictability of scenic production are recognized and that commercialization should not violate the basic principles of artistic creation [3]. Since the twentieth century the act of creation of an artwork is no longer an individual act, but is more and more inseparable from money and politics [8], but contrary to this, the purpose of non-profit arts institution is to enable the artists to create and convey their creations to the entire society, in accordance with their artistic awareness and conscientiousness [9], and arts manager's purpose is to help an organization and its artists realize the organisational vision and fulfill the mission [10].…”

“…Managerial personnel in theatre operation, although dealing with the fine arts and concerned with creativity, audience appreciation and good art, can benefit from models contributed by management science. Directors, production coordinators and department chairmen perform numerous tasks similar to those of managers in government and industry [3,16]. Thereby, theatre managers base their strategic and operating decisions upon fulfilment of the mission statement and that organizational values and strategic orientation affect firm performance [17].…”

“…The existing sectoral organization is neither flexible nor rational and modern theatre needs a concept that means the capability of prompt changes, managerial teamwork, and openness to new ideas and an interactive relationship with clients [25]. So, the transition from the institutional to the project logic is one of the initial steps in the reform of the theatre industry [1,3].…”