A New Direction

I am very priveleged to be able to work in the performing arts as my day job. Strangely enough I do not come from a performing arts background, rather that of welfare administration. So you will understand when I say that I am passionate about administration.

No, not the filing and minute taking - essential daily activities which are the foundation of administration, but the bigger picture of building organisations, creating the better world to which we all aspire and creating strong sustainable programmes which will bring about that change.

A skilled administrator needs to wear several hats - the starry eyed visionary who can see the better world, the cautious, incremental implementer to make sure that programmes work, the financial whizz who can balance the books and manage the cash flow and the fabulous fundraiser and salesman who brings in the resources (not only the cash) to make the organisation work. Then there is the diplomatic staff manager and motivator and networker.

I am going to introduce articles on the business of the arts and share some of the fabulous blogs and sites that I am reading to keep up to date with this strange creature called the performing arts. I would really appreciate your comments and insights on the arts as it will help me to grow into the different hats to become a skilled administrator.

However there is still my true passion of Encore Entertainment Guide. This year I am going to start including my comments on shows that I attend - the original purpose of the blog. The grand plan got delayed when I got an attack of the doubts - who am I to comment on people's creativity. However, in the past 4 years of going to shows, I can honestly say that there is only one or maybe two shows that I didn't like. One was because I had no clue what was going on in it.

So welcome to the new Encore blog...
Angela