Research Papers & Projects

Cultural policy in the United States government is often ardently disputed between Congress, the Executive Branch, and American society. The government’s compelling interest in the promotion of the arts and culture is used as a political tool on an international and national stage.  As the needs of the countries’ citizens have changed, cultural policy has shifted to expand from a populist and elitist focus to the establishment of relationships in communities around the nation. The government’s interest in the arts and culture is prevalent in its efforts to: construct a national identity to create national security, democratize culture to create education, focus on cultural democracy to create freedom, and produce cultural equity to create justice.

"Modes of Governance Within Non-Profit Arts Organizations"
The board of directors of nonprofit arts organizations must make crucial and critical governance decisions.  As the arts organization and its board moves throughout its lifecycle, the board must start reframing the questions they ask of themselves and evaluate their purpose to ensure the organization is moving in a long-term, sustainable direction.  This paper will analyze the three modes of governance: fiduciary, strategic, and generative, and will demonstrate how each mode is carried out in a nonprofit arts organization throughout the organization’s various life-cycle stages.  By comparing and contrasting these modes of governance, one can see how each mode individually works and how all three can collectively work in a nonprofit arts organization.

It is crucial to appropriately introduce the new face and Secretary of the Smithsonian, G.
Wayne Clough, especially in light of the recent resignation of former Secretary Lawrence Small. The Smithsonian Institution must remind its audience of its mission as an “Establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge." Additionally, it must be considered a place that makes learning fun. The Smithsonian must regain confidence from the American people, which is done through demonstrating that hiring Secretary Clough is a move in the right direction. Secretary Clough will officially assume office on July 1, 2008.