BLOOMINGTON AREA ARTS COUNCIL BOARD GOVERNANCE & LEADERSHIP REVIEW Prepared for the Indiana Arts Commission By Don Koverman, Senior Associate Purdue Center for Regional Development(On April &, 2009 Lewis Ricci, Executive Director for the Indiana Arts Commission (IAC), notified Ashley Fisher, President of the Bloomington Area Arts Council (BAAC), that the IAC would conduct a review of ‘the BAAC to determine the viability of the continuation of the Council's status as a regional partner. ‘Mr. Rice cited the reason for this review was both the recent and historic instability in the Council leadership. Specifically during the dozen orso years of the partnership, the BAC has had five executive directors and numerous interim directors. ‘This confidential review would be conducted by external consultants (to both IAC and the Bloomington region) and would encompass three areas of the Bloomington Area Arts Council > Board Governance and Leadership; > Finances; > Services, Planning and Programs. ‘The Indiana Arts Commission contacted Dr. Sam Cordes, Co-Director: Purdue Center for Regional Development, for the purpose of requesting assistance relative to the task of reviewing the BAAC in the ‘area of “Board Governance and Leadership”. After discussion and consideration, the Purdue Center for Regional Development agreed to assist the indiana Arts Commission with the BAAC review. Upon accepting the IAC assignment, | determined that my focus would be to identify organizational behaviors, emulated over the history of the BAAC that would explain that turnoverin leadership. itis ry hope that by identifying those ineffective behaviors recommendations could be provided that would offer approaches that would assist in the stabilization of the leadership and thus strengthen the overall organization, In order to initiate my “Board Governance and Leadership" review, | divided the work into three phases: > Phase 1. Areview of BAAC documents (both current and historical); > Phase 2, Interviews with Board members and staff (both current and past); > Phase 3. Information collected via a confidential questionnaire. Phase 1 BAAC Document Review: ‘The Phase 1 document review included the following information: Articles of Incorporation (Mey, 1974), Articles of Amendment of the Articles of Incorporation (Sept. 1974). IRS Letter of Determination (Oct. 1974), BAAC Bylaws (Revised Oct. 2002). BAAC Self-Assessment Tool: FY-1997, FY-2001 BAAC Final Grant Reports: FY-1998, FY-1999, Board Governance and Leadership Review Paget'@ BAACRegional Services final Grant Reports: FY-2000, FY-2006, FY-2007, FY-2008. @ BAACFeasibility and Planning Study Report (Feb. 2001). ‘© BAAC Biennial Review Team Report (Mar. 2001). @ BAAC Cultural Plan (2006, 2007, 2003). @ BAAC Principal initiatives FY-2007. '@ BAAC Regional Advisory Council (RAC) and RAC Membership Roster @ Job Descriptions: Executive Director, Development Director, Director of Education, Director of Arts Outreach, Technical Ditector/Faciity Manager, Gallery Director. '@ Consolidated Financial Statements 2006 and 2007. '@ BAACProfit & Loss Statement (July, 2008 ~ March 2009). '@ Board Orientation Manuals: 2007, 2008, 2009. ‘© Regional Arts Partner Designation [Designation of Regional Service Area) ‘© Regional Arts Partner Panel Criteria. ‘© IACRegional Partnership Initiative: FY 2010 Policies and Application Guidelines. @ Regional Arts Partners Best Practices. © RAP Block Grant Change Scenarios (FY 2010/2011). @ IACFY 2009 Regional Arts Partners Grant Agreement (Template). © BAAC FY 2010 Regional Arts Partner Application (7/1/09-6/30/10). © BAAC Website '@ May 2009 BAAC Board Retreat Task Groups: Roles and Responsibilities Matrix Phase 2 Interviews with Board Members and Staff (Current and Past}: Phase 2 consisted of conducting confidential interviews with fourteen individuals (12 face-to-face, 2 vie telephone) familiar with the Bloomington Area Arts Council, These individuals shared their thoughts from the perspective of board members and staff (both current and past) as well as a statewide arts organization who has partnered with BAAC on a number of programs for that region. Phase 3 Confidential Questionnaires: Phase 3 consisted of 2 confidential questionnaire (see attached sample) that was focused on nine governance and leadership categories including: Incorporation and Legal issu Governance; Recruitment, Retention, and Renewal; Internal Climate; ‘Managing Change; Human Resources; Personal Commitment; Organizational Success; anc Organizational Challenges eoeeoooes Regarding the first seven categories, responders were asked touse a scale of 1-4 (L=Least ike us; 4=Miost like us) and mark (X) the number that best represented the state of the BAAC in the box to the right of the question. The questionnaire was sent to three different groups: a) the current Board of Directors; b) the current staff; c) past board members and staff. Since my review also included previous staff and board members, | asked those responders to complete the questionnaire from the perspective of when they worked with/for the BAAC Board Governance end Leadership Review Poge 2