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Andrew Taylor considers the cause and effect of taxation on the arts.
Heads will nod in most rooms where you hear this...especially when all the heads belong to nonprofit organizational leadership or staff. And yet you'll seldom hear a voice asking if any of the above statements are actually true. Tease it out a bit and we all realize that plenty of nonprofits are driven by money (it just happens to be in the form of philanthropy in addition to sales). On the other side, plenty of 'for-profit' organizations are driven by passion and vision -- think of the florist, or the garage band, or the indie record label that never makes a nickel of profit and never seems to care.
- Nonprofits are driven by mission. For-profits are driven by money.
- Nonprofit performances are engaging and ennobling. Commerical entertainment is crass and pandering.
- Nonprofit arts organizations build community. For-profit organizations destroy bonds and values.
It's been my experience that arts groups choose to go non-prof or not almost exclusively for business reasons -- one is more viable than the other, one can bring in a higher cash flow, etc.
Posted by Casper at July 8, 2004 02:41 PM