ABSTRACT
Strategic management is a core business function which influences business planning and operation. However, there has been a reluctance among many arts organizations to embrace such an approach due to its association with more mainstream, less culturally oriented businesses. The interplay between public and private orientations for contemporary arts organizations, challenging funding environments and the need to position themselves globally mean that strategic management can offer necessary reflection for organizations wishing to navigate the challenges of running an arts organization. Strategic management offers the opportunity to consider the range of stakeholders with which the organisation must engage and how to manage any tensions that may arise. Our chapter outlines key tenets of strategic management, and apply them to two significant cultural organizations. In doing so, we demonstrate the use of strategic management approaches in overcoming significant challenges.
