Impact of the Awards

It is always difficult to measure the broader impact of professional development courses and projects undertaken by companies and their employees. While work on branding, for example, may raise an arts company profile, the most recent hit show or visit by a distinguished guest may also drive ticket sales. Certainly, in the months following use of the Rozsa Awards benefits, recipients and their organizations report that administrative systems are more efficient, personnel issues have been solved, and new work habits have been developed. They also report a high level of personal satisfaction with the various initiatives.

WHAT WORK HAS BEEN UNDERTAKEN

  • enrollment in a pilot arts management course at Stanford University
  • seamless succession transition
  • development of an organizational manual
  • marketing audit which determined best show times and venues
  • union contracts properly negotiated
  • revised strategic plan
  • brand development
  • capial campaign plan development
  • survey of audience demographics and other characteristics
  • introduction to a new computer network
  • move from a home to a business office
  • individual study and mentoring

 

WHAT PAST RECIPIENTS SAY

Gerard Gibbs                                                                             Empress Theatre                                                                            2009 Recipient Rozsa Innovation Award

“I just wanted to tell you that this past week in Banff at the Art of Executive Leadership course was absolutely outstanding. I cannot imagine a more worthwhile experience. I came out having learned a great deal more about myself and what is possible in our work.”

Les Siemieniuk
Calgary Folk Music Festival
2008 Recipient

"I have just completed my first course at the Haskayne School. It was called High Performance Negotiating. It was very, very useful and stimulating. I guess simply put - it was invaluable as it gave me a simple framework that will help in the festival’s day to day business. The staff and board of the folk festival have finished the hard work part of our strategic session with Framework. It was a great experience and those participating very happy with the process and the results."

Tony Luppino
Art Gallery of Alberta
2007 Recipient

"The Rozsa Award for Excellence in Arts Management has had an immediate and lasting positive effect on the Art Gallery of Alberta and on my own approach to leadership within that organization."

Donna Finley of Framework was able to join the Board retreat and bring not only a business strategy building expertise but the so-important “outsider” perspective to the review. Her questions and insights from other non-profit arts organizations undergoing high risk transformations were valuable. The most successful element in the Award benefits package was without a doubt the Marketing Audit by the Haskayne School MBA class."

Stephen Schroeder
One Yellow Rabbit Theatre
2006 Recipient

"One Yellow Rabbit found good value in the Haskayne Business School marketing audit. The students who participated were organized, well informed in advance, and did a lot during the process to enhance their understanding of our company (including attending a couple of performances). They also showed good insight, and asked excellent questions. Although some of them were not as knowledgeable about the not-for-profit sector at the beginning of the project, they quickly adapted their thinking appropriately. Interestingly, the students' conclusions tended to support the direction of OYR's own internal strategic planning, which is currently underway. It is very useful to have an objective analysis conducted by a third party in conjunction with internally-driven strategic planning."

Kathi Sundstrom
Decidedly Jazz Danceworks
2005 Recipient

"Decidedly Jazz used the Rozsa Award funds towards our Customer Relations Management program. We were successful in refining our strategic marketing plan; making considerable and valuable investment in developing and building the capacity and core competency of our Marketing/Development staff and gained immense insight through the research we conducted. On the consulting side, the expert legal opinion rendered has enabled us to deal with the changes to the Canada Revenue act which directly effected our HR practises. I thank you personally and on behalf of Decidedly Jazz for what the Award has helped us to achieve".

Anne Green
Wordfest
2004 Recipient

"I have been working with the Centre for Non Profit Management on refining an organizational design. This is process that is a luxury, and we are finding it to be valuable in and of itself. It has already been very beneficial for my staff... The expertise of the Centre is a unique contribution in that it does not duplicate any expertise in that area within our Board or staff...With regards to the Haskayne Case Study, a marketing study is a perfect use of this element of the Award in that it is both a practical project with immediate useful information and one that has not diverted too much energy away from the essential aspects of running the organization".

Bob McPhee
Calgary Opera
2003 Inaugural Recipient

"For someone like me whose education has been focused totally on accounting, the Haskayne Management Essentials Program has been an excellent overview of management strategies in all areas. Some of the course underscored things we're good at already, and some have highlighted where we can improve a little bit too. Overall, it's been a very good experience for me". Sherri Rau, CFO, Calgary Opera

DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN ARTS MANAGER