The team looks ahead to 2026 with clear eyes about programming, funding, audiences, and the practical tools leaders can use to regain momentum. We argue for multi-year season plans that balances familiar titles with new work, a rebuilds middle donor base, and smart tech that amplifies people rather than replaces them. Email us your ideas at emc@emcforward.com This will be our last episode of the year! We're taking a break and will be back with more episodes in early 2026.

What do you call a year where lobbies buzzed, budgets tightened, and policy storms hit midseason? We call it 2025—and we’re unpacking what actually mattered. Al, Leandro, and Tiff get candid about the dissonance nonprofits felt: sold-out shows alongside rising costs, NEA guideline whiplash colliding with DEI commitments, and a post-pandemic audience that behaves by new rules. Listen as we unpack 2025 and what we learned as we look back on a dizzying year. Leave a comment, follow, or ...

Tickets chosen by algorithms. Glasses that guide you to the bar. A digital lobby that follows you home and sparks a late-night debate about the ending. We explore how AI is rewriting the audience journey from first spark to final takeaway and why the art still sits at the center.

Job hunting in the nonprofit arts can feel like shouting into the void, so we break the process down into a clear, usable framework: your resume is your data, your cover letter is your voice, and your interview is your presence. Across the hour, we show how those pieces add up to one story about value and fit: what you did, how you think, and why you’re right for this moment. By the end, you’ll know how to align metrics, voice, and presence so committees can see your edge fast. Ready to turn...

What if the future of theater isn’t a choice between the room and the screen, but a smarter way to hold both? We dig into how live streaming can expand access, deepen community, and stabilize budgets without draining the electricity of in-person performance. Using fresh reporting on the National Theatre’s hybrid work and lessons from our own practice, we unpack what counts as “live,” why hybrid storytelling matters, and how to design digital experiences that feel intentional, intimate, and wo...

A flagship theater, a city that loves to make things, and a leadership team ready to push past old limits. This conversation with Portland Center Stage Artistic Director Marissa Wolf and Board Chair Jelani Memory opens a candid window into how Portland Center Stage is building its next chapter. We trace the path from Marissa’s new-play roots and community-focused seasons to Jelani’s entrepreneurial approach to board leadership, revealing a clear-eyed view of what it takes to grow audiences, s...

Leandro sits down with Kevin Laibson, a director, producer, and educator working at the edge of live performance and emerging tech, to draw bright, useful lines between AI, VR, and the human heart of theater. Kevin traces the path from cheap, scrappy stages to virtual spaces where physics is optional and paper tech becomes a live demo. He explains why virtual rehearsals can cut late surprises, how actors walking first-day sets in VR changes design conversations, and what the Royal Shakespear...

A great job description doesn’t start with bullet points, it starts with a story. We take you inside our executive search process for Portland Center Stage’s next managing director and show how we craft a job profile that so candidates have a clear idea of what to expect and the opportunities ahead. We talk candidly about the post‑pandemic reality for theaters: season sizes have shifted, revenue mixes have inverted, and audiences and funders behave differently. That’s why we frame the role a...

We welcome Theater Mu’s new artistic director, Fran, and managing director, Anh Thu, for a candid talk about service-driven leadership, sustaining bold art in a tight funding climate, and building trust as co-leaders. The conversation moves from search lessons to advocacy, legacy, and why creating new stories matters for AAPI communities We talk openly about money from sunsetting grants, consolidating foundations, and why “profit for nonprofit” thinking matters when artist labor is too often...

What if adding more leaders isn’t the solution—and sometimes makes things worse? We dig into the real work behind shared leadership in nonprofit arts with guests Devon Berkshire and Miranda Gonzalez, tracing why so many theaters moved beyond the traditional AD/MD model and what it actually takes to decentralize power without breaking your culture. We follow the arc of this conversation in organizations from trend to practice, unpacking the difference between shared leadership and shared respo...

The lines between artificial intelligence and art are vanishing faster than expected. In this episode, Leandro discusses OpenAI’s bold new project Critterz—an animated feature film produced in just nine months, with a fraction of the usual budget and team size. By blending human creativity with AI-driven production, Critterz shows how technology is reshaping not just efficiency, but the very future of storytelling.

Caregiving and creative careers have long been treated as incompatible worlds, forcing artists and arts administrators to choose between their passion and their families. Rachel Spencer-Hewitt, founder of the Parent Artist Advocacy League (PAAL), is challenging this false dichotomy through groundbreaking advocacy work. This eye-opening conversation delves into Rachel's personal journey from hiding her pregnancy as a Broadway actor to creating a national organization that's transforming how t...

When the National Endowment for the Arts abruptly terminated funding for organizations across the country in what became known as the "Friday Night Massacre," many arts leaders wondered if federal arts funding could be trusted again. In this eye-opening conversation, arts entrepreneur and consultant David Mack shares his journey through nonprofit arts management and his recent encounter with NEA leadership. Check out David's website to learn more about him and his business: https:...

As summer winds down, the EMC crew reflects on their summer and the upcoming fall. We discuss what we're watching out for in the arts and culture sector including a lawsuit, technology, and the changing nature of leadership roles in a new world. We also give candidates and clients some tips and advice that clients and job candidates alike should be thinking about for the near and long term future. Finally, we end telling you what we're excited about ahead in pop culture. Hint - Cardi B might ...

In this episode, Leandro and Al dive into the groundbreaking albums of The Velvet Sundown, a synthetic music project shaped by human imagination and guided by artificial intelligence. We explore not just the music itself, but also what it reveals about the evolving future of art-making. Can A.I. help us express what makes us most human? Don’t miss the final chapter in our A.I. series, where we unpack the next phase of creativity, content, and the ever-shifting line between human and mach...

In this episode, Leandro reveals how he keeps up with the latest news and updates about artificial intelligence. He discusses the various A.I. platforms he uses, his go to influencer for coding tips, and the number one thing you can do to improve your A.I. game and knowledge.

In this episode, we explore how our understanding of AI has evolved in just a few short months—shaped by new breakthroughs, public debates, and hands-on experience. From early optimism and hype to a more nuanced grasp of AI’s capabilities and limitations, we unpack what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, and how these shifts are influencing the way we work, learn, and imagine the future. We discuss ways in which we have seen A.I. deployed and what that means for the future or work and product...

Welcome back to the EMC Podcast! After taking July to recharge and map out our fall season, we’re kicking off August with a topic that’s everywhere all at once: Artificial Intelligence. This month, we’re diving deep into how our team is exploring A.I., how the technology has rapidly evolved in just the past few months, and practical ways you can stay ahead of the curve. Expect insights, strategies, and tips to make sure you’re not just keeping up, but you’re leading the conversation. In this ...

In this episode, we delve into Al Heartley's thought-provoking piece, "For Leaders, Power Is Part of the Job," exploring the nuanced role of executive power in leadership. Heartley challenges the notion that power is merely about control, positing instead that it's about the courage to make decisions and accept their consequences. Through real-world examples, including the complexities faced by nonprofit leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic and the expansive use of executive authority in poli...

It’s hard to believe we’re halfway through 2025. In this episode, Al is joined by co-hosts Tiff and Leandro for a reflective roundtable on the year so far. From unexpected shifts in the arts and culture sector to global trends and economic forecasts, the trio unpacks what’s gone as expected—and what’s taken them by surprise. We tackle big topics like the NEA funding cuts, the economic uncertainty facing organizations, and tensions between artists and audiences about what kind of art resonates...