Arts groups see stress driving senior staff vacancies

Arts groups see stress driving senior staff vacancies: "Arts groups see stress driving senior staff vacancies

By By Jan Sjostrom, Daily News Arts Editor

Sunday, October 16, 2005

The Palm Beach County cultural community will begin the season with a lot of empty desks. Eight organizations have vacancies in senior positions. Two more hired replacements within the past two months.

Top jobs at some arts groups, such as the Armory Art Center, which has gone through three directors in the last five years, have become revolving doors. The reasons staff leave are as varied as the groups themselves. But turnover in the arts community is not unusual these days, experts say.

Stresses on senior staff have multiplied. 'Running a nonprofit arts organization has become more and more difficult, because the expectations have grown exponentially, to the point where you're almost expected to walk on water,' said Rena Blades, president and chief executive officer of the Palm Beach County Cultural Council. 'You're supposed to have the cultural vision, raise the money, manage the staff adeptly, interact well with the board, be in the political arena and be a good speaker.'"