MNAC Hosts 'Arts in Crisis: A Kennedy Center Initiative' 8/13

Michael Kaiser, president of the Kennedy Center, will be the featured speaker Thursday as the Metro Nashville Arts Commission hosts Arts In Crisis: A Kennedy Center Initiative at Nashville Children's Theatre.

Kaiser will visit Nashville as part of a national tour for Arts in Crisis to conduct a free arts leadership symposium. The tour was created as a response to the emergency facing arts organizations throughout the United States in the current economic climate. With reduced earnings and contributions and the decimation of endowments, companies of all sizes, in all localities and performing arts disciplines, have been affected, according to a statement from tour organizers.

Arts in Crisis: A Kennedy Center Initative is open to non-profit performing arts organizations and will provide free counsel from Kaiser and the Kennedy Center executive staff on fundraising, building more effective boards of trust, budgeting, marketing and other areas pertinent to maintaining a vital performing arts organization.

Kaiser has been president of the John F. Kennedy Center since January, 2001. Dubbed "the turnaround king" for his work at such arts institutions as the Kansas City Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, American Ballet Theatre and the Royal Opera House, Kaiser has earned international renown for his expertise in arts management. In February of this year, he created Arts in Crisis: A Kennedy Center Initiative. Kaiser is the author of four books, the most recent of which is The Art of the Turnaround.

Thursday's event begins with registration and coffee at 9:30 a.m. (CDT), with the discussion set to begin at 10 a.m. From noon to 12:30 p.m., a meet and greet session will be held.

The event is free and open to the public. To RSVP, call (615) 862-6721 or email arts@nashville.gov.