Your Arts Organization Can Thrive,
Not Just Survive
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I help performing arts leaders expand
their organization's audience and impact
while celebrating everything that
makes their work special.
The Problem
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Empty seats despite your best marketing efforts
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Grant applications getting rejected because your impact doesn’t compare with orgs helping people with hunger or mental health
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Board meetings that feel more like battles than collaboration
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A never ending to-do list that feels insurmountable
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Lying awake at 3am worried about next season's budget
Sound familiar?
You're not alone. And it's not your fault.
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Most arts organizations are using strategies that worked 20+ years ago in a world that's completely changed.
There's a better way forward.
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What if your organization was so valuable to your community that people couldn't imagine life without you?
I guide performing arts leaders to build and grow thriving, sustainable organizations that honor their artistic excellence while serving real community needs.
You don't have to choose between artistic excellence and community relevance. You can have both.
Real Example
During my eight years leading Tacoma Refugee Choir, we performed for over 50,000 people and received national recognition—not by lowering our standards, but by connecting our music-making to what our community genuinely needed: healing, connection, and belonging.
The impact was measurable: 93% of members reported greater resilience, 88% reported decreased anxiety, and 100% felt a sense of belonging.
The community engagement was real: 10 members went on to serve on city and county commissions.
The sustainability was built-in: When I stepped down, members of the choir and community were prepared to take ownership and maintain the culture we'd built together.
What My Clients Say
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"You saved my business. I have no idea how we would have gotten through this without you."
- For-Profit Business Owner
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"I didn't even know where to begin, but Erin guided our organization with clear and effective, data-driven steps, giving me the confidence that we were heading in the right direction."
- Artistic Director
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"Erin is my favorite person to call when I need to bounce off ideas about strategy and how to make the deepest impact."
- Executive Director
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"Thank you for creating a board retreat that restored my hope. For the first time in a long time, I believe we're going to get through this."
- Executive Director
What This Could Look Like For You
Small changes that expand your impact:
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Food trucks or community spaces that encourage connection before and after performances
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Curtain speeches that invite audiences to set intentions or explain benefits they might experience (stress relief, focus, emotional processing)
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Permission for audiences to engage in ways that help them receive the music fully
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Signage and programs that encourage dialogue and community building
Organizational shifts that make your job easier:
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Incorporating AI on the back end so that you have more capacity to do transformative human-centered work
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Restructuring programs to better address specific community needs
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Developing partnerships with community organizations to deepen impact
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Creating measurement systems that track both artistic excellence and community impact (so you have data that excites funders)
Leadership support that sustains you:
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Thought partnership for navigating complex strategic decisions
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Systems that reduce the isolation of executive leadership
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Frameworks for managing competing priorities without burning out
What this doesn't necessarily require:
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Changing your repertoire or artistic standards
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Expensive renovations or major operational shifts
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Alienating your traditional audiences (they often become the biggest advocates)
Your longtime supporters have always known that great art is healing and transformative—we just help you make these benefits more clear and impactful.
About Me
I'm Erin. I spent eight years as an Executive Director, so I know what it's like to worry about payroll, deal with difficult board members, and wonder if this work is sustainable.
I also burned out, so I understand the toll this work can take.
Now I help other arts leaders find a better way forward.
Ready for Your Next Chapter?
Whether you're navigating challenges or building on success, let's talk about how your organization can reach its full potential.
We'll spend 45 minutes exploring:
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Your organization's current situation and goals
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What success looks like for you
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Whether my approach aligns with your needs
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Possible next steps if it feels like a good fit
This is a strategic conversation about your organization's future - not a sales pitch. Come ready to discuss where you are and where you want to go.
