THE ARTS NEED YOU! YOUNG
BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS VOLUNTEER WITH LOCAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS
Upcoming event will match volunteers with organizations
in search of new board directors. Chandler Powell reports
on the energy and creativity that new recruits bring to
the boardroom table
Volunteers come in all shapes and sizes. All manner of
expectations and motivations come along with them. And,
while many remain on the outer veneer of an organization
through years and years of involvement, others sink deep
into the core, bringing their knowledge and passion to the
boardroom table. Those that can spare only a limited number
of volunteer hours – those that commonly touch base
with an organization only at major events, through the newsletter,
and by paying annual dues – are vital to sustaining
any organization. They are the lifeblood. But, the nerve
centre – the locus of strategic decision-making and
executive counsel – is a much smaller collection of
remarkably dedicated individuals.
Through a unique partnership with the Council for Business
and the Arts in Canada, the Toronto Board of Trade is introducing
its members to the exciting world of not-for-profit volunteerism
in the arts community. To date, the Toronto Board of Trade
has held two information nights for prospective board directors.
At each event, a business case inspired by the challenges
faced by arts organizations in Toronto was presented for
discussion. And in May, prospective volunteers will have
the opportunity to meet face-to-face with representatives
from thirteen organizations currently seeking a new board
director.
While the level of involvement of the board of directors
varies from organization to organization, those participating
in the May match-up event are small- to medium-sized, where
board directors often belong to “working boards”
– those that get very involved in the delivery of
the primary activities of the organization. In these circumstances,
it is frequently the case that board directors are called
upon to deliver new resources through creative avenues like
in-kind sponsorship, and new partners by building on existing
relationships with friends and colleagues. Young business
professionals offer organizations with which they volunteer
exactly this type of new energy and creativity. In turn,
organizations offer young business professionals an excellent
opportunity to continue to develop leadership skills, and
expand professional networks. In the arts, volunteers are
blessed with the added benefit of exposure to the arts,
often in very cutting edge arenas.
The ArtsLink Toronto program, the official title of the
event series, is open to all interested volunteers from
all areas of the business community, with special emphasis
on those 35 years of age and younger. Members of the Toronto
Board of Trade are encouraged to attend, as is any other
individual looking for an exciting new challenge.
The upcoming match-up event will be held on Thursday, May
11, 2006 at the Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen Street West,
Toronto. Refreshments, including a Reif Estate winery sampling,
will be served beginning at 6:00 p.m., and the match-up
program will begin at 6:30 p.m. Interested participants
are asked to register beforehand by visiting http://www.bot.com/arts
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