ABSTRACT
Most non-profit arts organisations in Commonwealth countries and the USA have a Board, a group of people that are either elected or selected to oversee the organisation. Boards are essential to the way an organisation is governed and “governance” is often used as a synonym for a discussion of Boards. Rentschler claims that “[a]rts Board members make creative choices, incorporating new ideas on art”. Boards will play a variety of roles in contributing to a strategic plan from participating in planning days to simply signing off on the plan. The day-to-day work of a Board is in the area that David Fishel describes as the “hygiene” or “caretaker” factors: “managed cash-flow, legal compliance, a safe working environment for staff and volunteers. “Tangled loops” because different Board members will have different relationships with the CEO and that will mean different relationships between Board members.
