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1、RESEARCH REPORT November 16,2022 The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustee Survey The Characteristics,Roles,and Experiences of Black Trustees Liam Sweeney Deirdre Harkins Celeste Watkins-Hayes Dominique Adams-Santos The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 1 The Black Trustee Alliance for Art Museums is a non-
2、profit membership organization equipping Black trustees with the resources to bring meaningful and lasting change to their institutions.The mission of the Black Trustee Alliance for Art Museums(BTA)is to transform art museums into more equitable and excellent spaces of cultural engagement by harness
3、ing the power of Black trustees.BTA was founded on the belief that building a cohesive group of Black trustees that can share insights and problem solve collaboratively would enable them to be more effective not only as trustees but also as resources for the broader field of Black artists,curators,m
4、useum leadership,and staff.Launched as a three-year initiative,BTA is working to increase the inclusion of Black perspectives and narratives in art museums through research,community,and communication.Further details about BTA membership and support opportunities are available at:BlackTrusteeAllianc
5、e.org.Ithaka S+R provides research and strategic guidance to help the academic and cultural communities serve the public good and navigate economic,demographic,and technological change.Ithaka S+R is part of ITHAKA,a not-for-profit with a mission to improve access to knowledge and education for peopl
6、e around the world.We believe education is key to the wellbeing of individuals and society,and we work to make it more effective and affordable.Copyright 2022 ITHAKA.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.To view a copy of the license,please see https:/c
7、reativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.ITHAKA is interested in disseminating this brief as widely as possible.Please contact us with any questions about using the report:researchithaka.org.The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 2 Table of Contents Foreword.3 How to Use this Report.5 Executive Summary.
8、5 Key Findings from the Quantitative Study.6 Characteristics of Respondents.7 Age Range.8 First-Generation College Student.10 Income.10 Family member on a board.11 Education.12 Trustee Nomination and Roles.13 Why were they selected?.14 Diversifying the Board.14 Networks.15 Artist Board Members.17 Co
9、mmittees.17 Experiences and Perspectives.23 Why did they join?.23 Aggregate Experience.23 Sentiment.26 Socialization and Engagement.27 Diversity,Equity,Access,and Inclusion.28 Three Trustee Perspectives.30 Trustee Perspective:Dana King,Artist and Trustee,Oakland Museum of California.30 Trustee Persp
10、ective:Alicia Wilson,Trustee,The Walters Art Museum.33 Trustee Perspective:Darrianne Christian,Chair,Newfields Board of Trustees.34 Ten Evidence-based Strategies for Cultivating DEAI Values in the Boardroom.39 Conclusion.41 Appendix A:Methods.42 Distribution.42 The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Surve
11、y 3 Foreword The Black Trustee Alliance for Art Museums(BTA)was established in 2021 to transform art museums into more equitable spaces of cultural engagement by harnessing the power of Black trustees.With a community of nearly 300 members and followers,BTA is helping Black trustees lead the institu
12、tions they steward toward an inclusive future that reflects the best of the world of art and culture in its entirety.BTA is committed to dismantling barriers that block the entry and advancement of Black staff and leadership in the cultural field;to changing the underrepresentation of Black narrativ
13、es in exhibitions,collections,and programming;and to increasing the patronage of minority-owned service providers by cultural organizations.BTAs approach to helping art museum trustees address these issues is multifold,prioritizing the commissioning of original research and supporting affiliates res
14、earch to develop data-driven tools that enable our members to be more effective in leading the transformation of their institutions.One of our first major initiatives was conducting this study of the individuals who have been advocating for that change to date:Black trustees.BTAs inaugural Art Museu
15、m Trustee Survey Report is the first to capture the unique position of a Black trustee.While one can more easily observe the low numbers of Black museum trustees,the extent of the racial disparity at the board level has not yet been clearly articulated or documented otherwise.In 2017,the American Al
16、liance of Museums published a report that included one of the few existing data points illustrating how much work needed to be done.It found that nearly 50 percent of museum boards lacked even one person of color.1 In addition to increasing the representation and participation of Black trustees,one
17、of our goals is to help our members become more effective advocates for change;therefore it is critical for us to keenly understand their day-to-day experiences.We can then use those findings to generate research,resources,and tools dedicated to building and strengthening the community even further.
18、With generous support from the Mellon Foundation,we partnered with Ithaka S+R and hired our first research and data fellow to collect and record demographic information by fielding a survey to art museum trustees across the country;a call to which more than 900 responded.Following this initial surve
19、y,our research team conducted in-depth interviews with 20 Black trustees about their experiences serving on art museum boards.From that group,we have highlighted three trustee perspectives in this report,zeroing in on institutions that have proactively addressed issues of diversity,equity,access,and
20、 inclusion among their board,staff,and visitors.Close reading of these accounts helps demonstrate whats possible when museum 1 BoardSource,Museum Board Leadership 2017:A National Report(Washington,DC:BoardSource,2017),https:/www.aam-us.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/eyizzp-download-the-report.pdf.Th
21、e BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 4 leaders make a genuine and concerted effort to put equity concerns at the forefront of their institutional mission.Our hope is that these insights can be applied to other institutions advancing strategies to do the same.The Art Museum Trustee Survey produced m
22、any valuable insights,sentiments,and takeaways.One insight in particular helps explain why so few Black people become museum trustees:they simply arent approached to join.Museum directors or trustees invite individuals they already know to join their boards.This finding confirms what we have noticed
23、 anecdotally:museums seek out new members through familiarand racially stratifiedsocial and professional networks.Unless we create broader and more accessible pipelines for Black trusteeship,our boards will remain as predominantly White as they are today.Equipped with Ithaka S+Rs research results,we
24、 offer Ten Evidence-based Strategies for Cultivating DEAI Values in the Boardroom as we work to transform the systems that have contributed to the racial homogeneity of our art museum boards.Looking ahead,we understand the importance of establishing a benchmark from which we can measure changes in t
25、he field.Creating an equitable institution takes time.And while our overall objective is clear,the way to get there is notand rightfully so,since no two institutions operate the same way.It is essential that we bring diversity,equity,accessibility,and inclusion into museums.We hope that institutions
26、 view this study as a key reference as they strategically map their journey toward justice.Following the publication of this inaugural report,we will continue to provide Black trustees with resources to help their respective institutions create a viable path towards greater diversity.Now is the time
27、 to bring about the change we want to see.Black Trustee Alliance for Art Museums The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 5 How to Use this Report This report is a tool intended to relate the characteristics,experiences,and roles of Black trustees currently serving on art museum boards.By blending qu
28、antitative survey data and qualitative interviews,we hope to present readers with several ideas to spark discussion within their museum boards.The survey data is designed to give museum directors and trustees a broad overview of the demographic characteristics and general experiences of museum trust
29、ees.We recognize the broad diversity,not only of the Black trustees who participated in this study,but also the museums and communities that they represent.Region,culture,budget,and size are some of the many factors that may affect how the findings of this report are applied.These trends should enco
30、urage trustees to consider how their boards and board experiences compare;what issues resonate;and what dynamics and nuances,spoken and unspoken,might shape the inner workings of their boards.The trustee perspectives,representing summaries of in-depth interviews conducted with trustees,are designed
31、to capture some of the mechanisms,useful practices,and lessons learned from museum trusteeship.It is also important to note that this report highlights the perspectives of Black trustees who remain engaged in their museum boards and committees and does not include the reflections or sentiment of tru
32、stees who are no longer serving on art museum boards.We hope that boards will draw out themes and craft questions for discussion inspired by what they read in the report,and that this might encourage boards to reflect and reimagine how they work together.Executive Summary The Black Trustee Alliance
33、for Art Museums(BTA)has partnered with Ithaka S+R to examine the experiences and demographics of art museum trustees from museums in the US,Canada,and Mexico.Through a shared interest in representation in the arts,BTA and Ithaka S+R fielded the Art Museum Trustee Survey to board members in the fall
34、of 2021.This survey was distributed to 287 art museums across North America.We had one or more respondents from 134 institutions,resulting in a 47 percent institutional response rate.For 83 of these museums at least one Black trustee responded.Following the survey,researchers conducted interviews wi
35、th 20 Black art museum trustees,which provided valuable qualitative evidence of their experiences as board members.This report draws on survey analysis from over 900 respondents,as well as a synthesis of trustee interviews.The report investigates the characteristics,roles,and experiences of Black tr
36、ustees in North American art museums:characteristics include demographics,professional backgrounds,and interests;roles include contributions and committee assignments;and experiences include reflections on board and museum culture,onboarding experiences,and navigating controversies.The BTA 2022 Art
37、Museum Trustees Survey 6 Key Findings from the Quantitative Study Black trustees tend to be younger and are less likely to show indications of intergenerational wealth;Black trustees are more likely to hold PhDs and professional degrees than White board members;Black trustees,like non-Black trustees
38、,are identified for board service primarily through pre-existing relationships with the museum director or other trustees;Black trustees have a high representation on Diversity,Equity,Inclusion,and Governance and/or Nominating committees,and a lower representation on Investment,Directors Search,and
39、Collections/Acquisitions committees;Black trustees are less likely than White board members to have family members that serve/served on art museum boards,but a third have/had family members on other nonprofit boards;Across all race categories,including Black trustees,the majority of respondents are
40、highly satisfied with their board experience.However,Black trustees were more likely than their fellow trustees to report a negative climate in the boardroom;The diversity of a trustees network is an important strategic consideration when recruiting for nomination to the board.This report unpacks th
41、e significance of these key findings and highlights the implications they have for the boardrooms of art museums.These findings reflect a moment in time,creating a benchmark from which change can be measured in future survey and interview cycles.Senior leadership and current board members may find t
42、hese aggregate statistics and qualitative responses useful when considering how to nominate trustees and cultivate inclusive and equitable climates in the boardroom.We would like to thank the following contributors,who have aided the development of this instrument and report:BTA executive director B
43、rooke A.Minto,program managers Izzy Greene and Samantha Fleurinor,BTA board members Victoria Rogers and Raymond J.McGuire,research advisors,Franklin Sirmans,director of the Prez Art Museum Miami,and Naomi Beckwith,chief curator of the Solomon R.Guggenheim Foundation.We would also like to thank Halli
44、e S.Hobson for her work in establishing a research relationship between BTA and Ithaka S+R,Kara Bledsoe for her contributions and project management during the first stages of this project,and our Ithaka S+R colleagues Nicole Betancourt,for her help administering the survey,and Roger Schonfeld,Oya R
45、ieger,Mark McBride,and Kimberly Lutz for their support with the final report.And finally,we are grateful to the 20 trustees who took part in the interview portion of this project.A special thanks to Dana King,Oakland Museum of California trustee emeritus,Alicia Wilson,vice president of the board at
46、The Walters Art Museum,and Darrianne Christian,board The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 7 chair at Newfields,for allowing us to highlight their experiences and perspectives.And thank you to Oakland Museum of California director,Lori Fogarty,The Walters Art Museum director Julia Marciari-Alexand
47、er,and Newfields CEO Dr.Colette Pierce Burnette,for their support.Characteristics of Respondents One of the primary goals of the survey of art museum trustees was to learn more about the identities of Black trustees in the field,contextualized in relation to their non-Black peers.To this end,the sur
48、vey asked a series of questions about who these trustees are and how they were nominated to the board of a museum.Table 1 shows the number of responses received,organized by race.Table 1:Art Museum Trustee Respondents by Race Race Total American Indian or Alaskan Native 2 Asian or Asian American 31
49、Black 168 Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx 30 Middle Eastern or Northern African 3 Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 1 Two or More Races 17 White 635 No response/Decline to State 39 Total 926 As Table 1 shows,168 respondents were Black trustees.Throughout this report,the data shows responses from tru
50、stees grouped into three categories:Black,White,and Non-Black People of Color(NBPOC).2 Based on the number of respondents,as well as an interest to better 2 An acronym standing for Non-Black People of Color.We use this term to refer to respondents who did not select“Black or African American”on the
51、survey.This can include the following racial categories:American Indian or Alaskan Native,Asian,Hispanic,Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander,Middle Eastern,and Two or More Races.For the purposes of our study,respondents who selected“Black or African American”in addition to another race/ethnicity,wer
52、e grouped as“Black or African American.”In this report we follow the convention of capitalizing all race groups,including White.For an explanation of this approach,see:Kristen Mack,John Palfrey,“Capitalizing Black and White:The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 8 contextualize Black experiences an
53、d perspectives,this approach to data categorization is well suited for comparative analysis.Unfortunately,response rates for individual racial and ethnic groups other than White and Black are too small to analyze without this aggregation.The respondents included 94 Black female trustees(57 percent),
54、72 Black male trustees(43 percent),one Agender individual,and one respondent who declined to state their gender.There was a similar female majority ratio in the overall survey population of 926 responses,with 523 women(59 percent)and 368 men(41 percent)represented.Additionally,among total respondent
55、s,we received submissions from the following gender identities:one agender,one gender non-conforming,one non-binary.Thirty-one respondents selected I prefer not to answer,and two selected,Another option not listed here.This representation tracks with broader trends in staffing within the cultural se
56、ctor.3 Age Range Analyzing trustee demographics by year of birth reveals that Black respondents are,on average,ten years younger than their White counterparts(Figure 1).The average year of birth of Black trustees is 1963,while White trustees have an average year of birth of 1953.The percentage of Bl
57、ack trustees under the age of 50 is 26 percent,while the percentage of White trustees under the age of 50 is 8 percent.Figure 1:Age Range by Race Grammatical Justice and Equity,”Macarthur Foundation,26 April 2020,https:/www.macfound.org/press/perspectives/capitalizing-black-and-white-grammatical-jus
58、tice-and-equity.3 Marit Westerman,Liam Sweeney,and Roger C.Schonfeld,Art Museum Staff Demographic Survey 2018,Ithaka S+R,28 January 2019,https:/doi.org/10.18665/sr.310935.1%8%19%23%26%15%1%5%22%27%25%11%4%$1million$1million The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 12 Figure 4:Family Members on Nonpro
59、fit Boards by Race Education Respondents were also asked to report their highest level of education.When comparing racial groups by education,we found that Black trustees were more likely to hold professional degrees(MBAs,JDs,MD,etc.)than their White and NBPOC counterparts(Figure 5).Additionally,14
60、percent of both Black and NBPOC trustees hold PhDs,compared to 7 percent of White trustees.Black women were more likely than Black men to hold PhDs or professional degrees(45 women,and 29 men).4%33%4%27%23%60%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%Art museumsOther nonprofit institutions or museumsPercentage of Trus
61、teesTotal Responses=889 TrusteesBlack=63NBPOC=26White=530 The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 13 Figure 5:Highest Level of Education by Race As the data on income,whether trustees were a first-generation college student,and whether their family members have also served on boards reveal,Black tru
62、stees in the aggregate appear less likely to have inherited wealth.They are more likely to be working age and highly professionalized.In the following sections we will explore how these characteristics shape the roles and experiences of Black trustees.Trustee Nomination and Roles In order to better
63、understand how Black trustees nomination processes unfold relative to their fellow trustees,respondents answered questions about how and why they were selected.Studying the collective survey responses of Black trustees,and comparing them to all trustee responses,reveals how Black trustees are engage
64、d by museums and what their experiences are like when transitioning onto museum boards.Additional evidence gathered through interviews allows for added insights about these experiences.In many cases,methods of board nominations have followed a model of convenience,relying heavily on tapping networks
65、 to recruit new members,rather than identifying the skills and backgrounds that would best serve the institution.As a director of a small regional art museum 1%1%18%32%14%31%1%1%28%38%14%12%1%1%33%36%7%19%0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%High school diplomaAssociates degreeBachelors degreeMasters degreeDoct
66、orate degreeProfessional degreebeyond a bachelorsdegreeTotal Responses=889 TrusteesBlack=163NBPOC=80White=618 The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 14 once shared,most of their board members have one primary characteristic in common:their children all attend the same school.5 A major challenge wit
67、h this model of nomination is that social networks can tend toward homogeneity.This recruitment model has in many cases failed to produce diverse boards,creating organizational challenges in the most influential positions of the museum.As the 2017 BoardSource report commissioned by the American Alli
68、ance of Museums found,Museum directors and board chairs believe board diversity and inclusion are important to advance their missions but have failed to prioritize action steps to achieve it.almost half of museum boards(46 percent)are all white,i.e.,containing no people of color.6 Why were they sele
69、cted?Survey respondents were asked to provide free text responses answering why they thought they were invited to join the board,why they agreed to join the board,whether they ever considered leaving the board,and,if so,why they considered departing.Black trustees frequently reported that they belie
70、ved they were selected in order to diversify the museum board and bring improved community engagement to the museum.Non-Black POC trustees also recognized diversifying the board as a primary driver for their nominations.Additionally,in some instances,trustees reported that their expertise in the art
71、s and the academy were important factors as well.By contrast,White trustees commonly cited their philanthropic work or professional experience when answering why they were nominated to the board.Diversifying the Board The frequency with which diversification was cited as the primary reason for nomin
72、ation by both Black and NBPOC trustees(and in some cases White women)speaks to one of the challenges boards face when they are in the early stages of diversification;POC trustees recognize that their racial/ethnic identities are a primary motivation for their nomination.If these boards were already
73、diverse,POC respondents would likely identify a greater variety of reasons behind their board nominations.Among the 20 Black trustees interviewed for this report,eight described that the need to diversify the board was a primary reason that they were asked to join.One trustee shared a perspective th
74、at the lack of diversity on museum boards has less to do with a lack of qualified candidates than a failure of the museum to make a case for the social good of the museum to potential candidates.The biggest problem they faced in diversifying the board was in communicating the importance of museums:P
75、eople looking to make contributions in the nonprofit sector tend to focus on measurable and immediate impact.When given the choice 5 Liam Sweeney,Free for All:Contemporary Arts Museum Houston,Ithaka S+R,20 September 2018,https:/doi.org/10.18665/sr.309177.6 BoardSource,Museum Board Leadership 2017:A
76、National Report(Washington,DC:BoardSource,2017),https:/www.aam-us.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/eyizzp-download-the-report.pdf.The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 15 to financially support an art museum,or marginalized communities,eligible people of color tend to choose the latter,this trustee
77、shared.Another interviewee mentioned initially declining their museums invitation to join the board,and it wasnt until the museum came under new leadership that they finally accepted.Under new leadership,they felt that the museum was going in the right direction toward diversification.But this trust
78、ee specified that he would not join unless the director brought additional trustees of color onto the board.I declined when I was first asked,because I didnt believe in the direction of the leader at the time.So there was a leadership change.Our current director came on board,and he was saying the r
79、ight things.He had reached out to me and asked if I would consider joining,and I said,“No,I need to see what you do first.”And so I gave it about a year.And he came back to me,he said,“How am I doing?”And I said,“Youre alright.”He asked if I would consider being a trustee.And I said to him,“Im happy
80、 to be considered,but I dont want to come on by myself.”And he said,“Okay,I thought you would say that.We have a couple other trustees of color that were considering.”I said,“Well,when they say yes,come back to me.”And so they said,yes.And so three of us joined at the time.This trustees retelling ex
81、emplifies the importance of the directors leadership of the museum,which impacts the recruitment of trustees of color to the board.This director helped develop a strategic plan which centered the goal of making the museum a more welcoming place for all visitors and adopted a cohort-based approach to
82、 recruitment.However,upon joining the board,this trustee went to lunch with a fellow board member whom they already knew.It was there that our interviewee was advised“Not to say anything for three years.”This exchange revealed to the interviewee that this kind of board culture would silence newcomer
83、s,who were more likely to be younger and people of color.For this trustee,joining with other people of color,or fellow disruptors of the status quo,would be essential for emotional support in a not very welcoming space.Networks Black trustees were nominated in a very similar way to the overall surve
84、y population.Most trustees,regardless of race,either had a preexisting personal relationship with the museum director,or with an existing trustee.As Figure 6 shows,29 percent of respondents had a personal relationship with the director and 46 percent had an existing relationship with a trustee.This
85、strategy heavily relies on pre-existing networks rather than larger environmental exploration or pipeline programs.While network approaches may limit representative diversity on the board,they can be an effective strategy for diversification if trustee networks are diverse.Therefore,museum leadershi
86、p may find that the diversity of a trustees network is an important strategic consideration when recruiting for nomination to the board.The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 16 Figure 6:New Trustee Prospecting by Race The majority of interviewees said that they joined the board through a personal
87、or professional connection.In some cases,at the start of their trusteeships,they were partnered with an existing board member to assist them in informally learning about the board.Interviews revealed that it is typically the case that the museum approaches the trustee candidate to initiate the conve
88、rsation and extend an invitation.One interviewee relayed that in addition to joining through an existing relationship with the museum director,they also pushed for their own trusteeship.After volunteering on an advisory council for a DEAI committee at their museum,they wondered why,considering the w
89、ork they had done,they were not being considered for the board.While initially pushing for the role themselves,the museums chief diversity officer ultimately advocated on their behalf.When asked about the onboarding process,this trustee responded that,I think the assumption is that people who are on
90、 the board have been on other boards.And this is my first board as well.And so the chief diversity officer,again,was indispensable and gave me insight into the political stakes.I never would have been able to do it without her.This trustees experience illustrates the lack of an onboarding structure
91、in some museums due to the expectation that a trustee has previously served on other boards.This lack of structure could 46%29%11%10%8%52%34%4%6%8%52%31%6%5%8%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%An existing trustee in yourpersonal or professionalnetworkThe museum director,who is in your personal orprofessional netw
92、orkThe museum director,whom you did not knowpreviouslyAn existing trustee youdid not know previouslyOther(s)on staff at themuseum(e.g.curator,registrar,chief financialofficer)Percentage of TrusteesTotal Responses=889 TrusteesBlack=168NBPOC=85White=636 The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 17 lead
93、to feelings of alienation for a new trustee,who may not fully understand all the complexities of their board nor board service more broadly.This trustee was able to rely on their director and the chief diversity officer as major supporters in their success and overall acceptance as a board member.Ar
94、tist Board Members Evidence gathered in this project indicates that trustees are often recruited based on their professional experiences,which allow board members to make important contributions to the museum based on their expertise.Artists,for instance,have valuable insights that prove helpful to
95、board conversations about exhibitions,collections,and programming.One artist-trustee we interviewed shared an example of a useful intervention she made,saying:I was questioning why this particular artist was having another show,when they had a major show there 10 years prior.This board member was ab
96、le to recognize that it might be damaging to the museum and the artist to repeat a major solo show in the same institution.Furthermore,There was an opportunity for them to look at other artists who havent had that platform for them to bring in.In this case,the trustees perspective was valued,likely
97、because of her knowledge of the optics of the proposed exhibit for artists and the broader public.However,this trustee shared that it was not always possible to make such interventions:I voiced my opinion in that situation,but there were other times when I didnt feel like I could.I think there were
98、so many people that were used to leading the conversations,you felt like thats just how the conversation was going to go.While artists may be seen as valuable assets on the board when questions arise that are specific to their domain of expertise,they may also face challenges when confronting long-e
99、stablished leadership hierarchies in which artists and their board contributions are less valued.Artist-trustees also express having to be mindful of how their critiques and suggestions might be interpreted by museum directors and fellow trustees who can wield significant influence over their artist
100、ic careers.Committees Trustee work is typically organized into committees.These committees include a subset of the board members,and each committee works on a specific topical area.Committees then make recommendations,which often result in a vote from the full board.Table 2 reflects the committees m
101、ost commonly found on museum boards,with explanations of the activities for each.The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 18 Table 2 Committee Descriptions Committee Purpose Building/Property/Grounds Concerns use of museum facilities and grounds,assessments,renovations/improvements,new building proje
102、cts and expansions Collections/Acquisitions Engages in accessioning and deaccessioning strategies Community Engagement/Education/Outreach Develops strategy for engaging new communities and providing educational opportunities for the public Director Search Committee Works to recruit new executive dir
103、ector to the museum during periods of leadership change and transition Diversity,Equity,Inclusion Develops DEAI strategy including communications and statements,and institutional investments in DEAI training Executive Subcommittee with varying levels of executive privilege to act on behalf of the wh
104、ole board,dependent on bylaws Finance Reviews institutional finances and audits Fundraising/Development Develops strategy for donor recruitment,fundraising events Governance and/or Nominating Recruitment and nomination of new trustees;governance of the Board Investment Monitors and oversees investme
105、nt of the endowment Task Force(s)or Special Committee(s)Ad hoc committees for specific issues that arise in the museum Trustees often serve on multiple committees simultaneously.Over 3,000 committee assignments were reported in the survey,revealing that,on average,respondents participated in three o
106、r more committees.Committees can be a productive framework for focusing trustees efforts and organizing them around shared interests and expertise.However,when mismanaged,committees can also be ineffective,siloing important issues,reducing the quantity and quality of consequential conversations acro
107、ss the entire board,and creating a false sense of progress.Certain committees tend to convey more power or status than others.This can vary by institution,but often the executive committee,the investment committee,and the collections/acquisitions committees are thought to wield the most power in the
108、 boardroom.Having a voice in who gets to join the board and who does not is an important aspect of the governance committee.Interview data convey that conversations around nominating can be blunt,highlighting biases among fellow board members that were previously hidden.The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trust
109、ees Survey 19 Interviewees acknowledged that serving on the governance committee can be a key way to change the boards culture.At a Northeastern museum,one trustee recalled a conversation with their museum director,“Im sure youre thinking Im going to be on community engagement,or education,but I als
110、o want to be where the power is.And the power is really in collections,the power is in governance,and the power is in finance,I said.I do not have a finance background,so Im not going to demand that Im there right away.But that is the trajectory.And now I have a very strong voice on the governance c
111、ommittee,leading many of the charges there,which gives you the power to actually reshape the board,and really set practices,and really help move the culture along.”As this trustee realized,it is important to advocate for representation across specific committees based both on an individuals expertis
112、e and interests,as well as having a say in the essential operations of the museum.Among survey respondents,collections/acquisitions,executive,fundraising,and governance are the most frequently held committee posts(Figure 7).Figure 7:Committee Membership by Race(1 of 2)33%33%36%34%30%27%21%28%25%34%3
113、3%18%26%25%43%40%16%30%28%19%35%0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%Collections/AcquisitionsExecutiveDiversity,Equity,InclusionGovernanceand/orNominatingTask Force(s)orSpecialCommittee(s)CommunityEngagement/Education/OutreachFundraising/DevelopmentPercentage of TrusteesTotal Responses=889 TrusteesBlack=1
114、68NBPOC=85White=636 The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 20 Figure 7:Committee Membership by Race(2 of 2)One of the most important committees for the museums mission is the collections and acquisitions committee.This committee has an important role in determining what works enter the museums coll
115、ection and what works leave through deaccessioning,which allows for an increase in the acquisitions budget.The survey found that Black and NBPOC trustees are less likely to be on the collections/acquisitions committee than their White colleagues.If respondents reported that they were part of the col
116、lections/acquisitions committee,they were asked a follow-up question about the different kinds of activities they engaged in on that committee.Black trustees are far less likely to engage with the deaccessioning process than their White counterparts(Figure 8).They are more likely to draft and approv
117、e collection diversity strategies.These findings reflect a tendency for Black trustees to be siloed into diversity-oriented roles and less frequently engaged in the core operational work of the museum.However,26 percent of White collections committee members work on diversity committees too.This sug
118、gests that while the tendency for Black trustees to hold diversity oriented committee positions is clear,but it is nevertheless a marginal difference.17%13%11%9%8%17%2%14%15%12%9%7%16%5%21%17%17%15%16%11%3%0%5%10%15%20%25%Finance-AuditBuilding/Property/GroundsFinance-StandaloneDirector SearchCommitt
119、eeInvestmentOtherNonePercentage of Trustees Total Responses=889 TrusteesBlack=168NBPOC=85White=636 The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 21 Figure 8:Collections/Acquisitions Committee Activities by Race White trustees were twice as represented on investment committees than Black trustees.The inves
120、tment committee plays an important role in the financial health of the institution,often hiring a third party to actively invest endowment funds.The committee can also ensure that a museums DEAI strategy extends to identifying high-performance investment managers of diverse backgrounds for the museu
121、m to engage.It is more likely for Black female trustees to serve on the investment committee than Black male trustees,and it is also more common for White male trustees to serve on the investment committee than White female trustees.25%30%16%16%14%25%29%18%13%30%26%21%17%25%38%51%17%9%0%10%20%30%40%
122、50%60%Drafted and/orapproved acollectiondevelopmentpolicyDrafted and/orapproved acollection diversitystrategyAsked,or joinedothers in directlyasking for moneyfor acquisitionsAsked,or joinedothers in directlyasking for adonation to thecollectionAdvised on theappropriatepurchase price foran acquisitio
123、nIdentified anitem(s)for theboard to consideracquiringEngaged indeaccessioningprocess foritem(s)in thecollectionContributed toobjectacknowledgment,restitution,and/orrepatriationOther(pleasespecify):Percentage of TrusteesTotal Responses=355 TrusteesBlack=56White=275 The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees S
124、urvey 22 Figure 9:Investment Committee Members by Race During interviews,some trustees highlighted working with diverse money managers,a meaningful product of impact investing within art museums.Impact investing is defined as,“investments made into companies,organizations,and funds with the intentio
125、n to generate social or environmental impact alongside a financial return.”7 In response to the racial reckoning in 2020,many museums released statements pledging solidarity commitments.For many institutions this included making steps towards impact investing and adjusting their investment policies
126、to reflect their mission statements.In reference to BTAs research in partnership with Upstart Co-Lab,“approximately 35%of their respondents reported that a portion of their endowment portfolios are currently managed by BIPOC and/or women fund managers.”8 7“Impact Investing:An Introduction-Rockefelle
127、r Philanthropy Advisors,”accessed 2 August 2022,https:/www.rockpa.org/guide/impact-investing-introduction/.8“Cultural Capital:The State of Museums and Their Investing,”accessed 2 August 2022,https:/search.issuelab.org/resource/cultural-capital-the-state-of-museums-and-their-investing.html.11%5%84%0%
128、10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%Black=13NBPOC=6White=101Percentage of TrusteesTotal Respondents=120 Trustees The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 23 Experiences and Perspectives This survey gathered characteristics of trustees and details about their nomination process,committee assignments,and roles.
129、In addition,trustees reported their perspectives and attitudes about their experiences on art museum boards.When considering the experiences of Black trustees,the survey instrument focused on gathering details about trustees motivations for joining the board,and,in certain cases,why they are conside
130、ring leaving their board.It asks about their degree of satisfaction with their board experience and the degree to which they feel their expertise is valued on the board.Examining these responses provides a snapshot of how the North American population of Black trustees are responding to current dyna
131、mics among their fellow trustees.Why did they join?Black trustees wrote that they chose to join their boards because of a)valued personal relationships,b)the need to diversify the board,and c)their ability to create points of access to new communities for the museum.Some respondents reported that th
132、e strength of the existing museum program also clearly played a major role in their decisions to join.This confirms findings from previous studies;trustees are more likely to support a museum if they see an existing program that reflects their values.9 One trustee reported that the museums collectio
133、n expansion strategy aligned with her public advocacy work.Another trustee pointed out the need for Black people to have a seat at the table in institutions that have historically excluded them:The museum has a long history of not being inclusive or welcoming to the Black community.While there was v
134、ery little representation of Black community members when I joined,I felt strongly that one cannot affect change if you have no seat at the table.I really see it as a responsibility to the community to be a voice for those who have none.Aggregate Experience Survey respondents reported their level of
135、 satisfaction with their board experience on a five point scale.Board members primarily responded positively about their experiences in the aggregate.Across the entire survey population,87 percent agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with their experience.Among Black trustees,the figur
136、e was similar:82 percent of Black trustees agree or strongly agree that they are satisfied with their experience.Responses are organized by race in Figure 10.9 Liam Sweeney and Katherine Daniel,At Fifty,Remodeling for Equity:MCA Chicago,Ithaka S+R,7 June 2018,https:/doi.org/10.18665/sr.307510.The BT
137、A 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 24 Figure 10:Degree of Satisfaction with Board Experience by Race There was no meaningful difference by gender;Black men and women both agree or strongly agree they are satisfied with their experience.Likewise,when asked whether trustees believe their expertise and
138、perspectives are valued in board discussions,a clear majority agreed or strongly agreed that they were.This,too,was similar across racial groups(Figure 11).Black women reported strongly agree at the highest frequency of any subgroup,at 37 percent(White women:26 percent and NBPOC women:28 percent).Th
139、is data point may be a reflection of the high frequency of Black women trustees holding PhDs or professional degrees.36%46%17%1%1%24%61%12%4%38%53%7%2%1%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%Strongly agreeAgreeNeither agree nordisagreeDisagreeStrongly disagreePercentage of TrusteesTotal Responses=887 TrusteesBlack
140、=168NBPOC=85White=634 The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 25 Figure 11:Degree that Expertise and Perspectives are Valued by Race Trustees were also asked whether they were considering leaving,and if so why.One trustee explained that she was a friend of a trustee and had a desire for a specific e
141、ducation program to come to fruition.She was disappointed when it did not and felt the pace of change was too slow.Another trustee echoed this perspective:Ive felt frustrated by the pace of change.I know change takes time(and weve made some meaningful changes),but Ive also felt us stagnate before ge
142、tting to the big stuff.Board recruitment/retention is an example of this:we havent been willing to look at ourselves as a board and what we can do better.When asked how the board might improve,this trustee said:I wish that board members were willing to put their own desires aside for the good of the
143、 museum.I wish egos were smaller.Another respondent shared that they were disappointed with their board experience,namely due to issues of class:I am on the nominating committee and had some unpleasant experiences where it was clear to me that board service was really relegated to the upper echelon
144、of society and that is distasteful for me as someone both from a financially disadvantaged background and as someone who has worked professionally on behalf of those living with poverty.36%49%12%1%2%21%61%18%28%60%10%1%1%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%Strongly agreeAgreeNeither agree nordisagreeDisagreeStro
145、ngly disagreePercentage of TrusteesTotal Responses=886 TrusteesBlack=168NBPOC=85White=633 The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 26 Art museum boards are known as sites of cultural cohesion for elite social groups.10 Trustees who seek to disrupt class boundaries on the board are likely to face deep
146、ly entrenched barriers.These conflicts may intersect with racial identity and can lead to attrition from trustees who are resistant to the entrenched values of their fellow trustees.Sentiment In addition to questions about their experience,respondents were asked to use three words to describe the cu
147、lture of their board.Table 3 shows the words used most frequently.The first column shows the top five words Black trustees use to describe their board culture.The second column shows the top five words for all other trustees.Table 3:Word Frequencies Black Trustees White and NBPOC Trustees Committed
148、Committed Evolving Diverse Engaged Engaged Friendly Inclusive Passionate Supportive The high frequency of the word Evolving to describe the board room among Black trustees is noteworthy.By coding these words,these data were then aggregated into a sentiment analysis,as can be seen in Figure 12.While
149、the majority of word use is clearly positive,we also see that Black trustees used negative words with a higher frequency than their fellow trustees.10 Vera L.Zolberg,Conflicting Visions in American Art Museums,Theory and Society 10,no.1(1981):103-125;Patricia A.Banks,Ethnicity,Class and Trusteeship
150、at African-American and Mainstream Museums,Cultural Sociology 11,no.1(2017):97-112.The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 27 Figure 12:Sentiment Analysis by Race Socialization and Engagement Our interviews illuminate the socialization processes through which Black trustees come to learn about their
151、 roles and responsibilities,as well as the structure and culture of art museum boards.Respondents report their experiences of both informal and formal onboarding processes.For example,one trustee characterizes her onboarding as“not real formal.”The trustee was on-boarded by their mentor,allowing the
152、m to ask about the requirements and expectations tied to board service.Additionally,they had the opportunity to informally connect with the museum director and curators to learn more about the museums structure and culture.Despite the informal approach to onboarding that they experienced,they also u
153、nderstood the value of formal onboarding for new board members:“Im in the process of onboarding somebody else,and Im like,Do all of these things.”Contrasting the above experiences,another respondent recalls a formal onboarding process that aided in their socialization into the world of art museum bo
154、ard service.The trustee described participating in a formal orientation where they had an opportunity to meet several trustees,as well as the major gifts officer,and learned about the various board committees.The gifts officer was instrumental to their onboarding process:“So,he really essentially to
155、ok me by the hand,talked about the various committees,put me in contact with the chairs of those committees,and walked through and arranged for me to take behind-the-scenes reviews of the committees.That was kind of part of the formal process.He explained the scheduled meetings where the trustees wo
156、uld discuss various issues and would then vote.”The onboarding experience also served as an invitation for the trustee to share their perspectives:“The gifts officer explained,We want to hear your voice,your voice is important to us.Everyone is encouraged to speak up.”Since their 19%7%74%9%6%85%2%7%
157、92%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%NegativeNeutralPositivePercentage of TrusteesTotal Responses=838 Trustees Black=158NBPOC=80White=600 The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 28 onboarding,the trustee has informally built connections with other board members:“Its been really great to just have tho
158、se connections,and people are very open and welcoming,and talking to you to see what your interests are,letting you know whats going on.So,its only been a little over two years,so Im still getting to know everyone.”As detailed in the above excerpts,trustee socialization happens through formal and in
159、formal channels in which Black trustees come to learn about the inner workings of art museums and the roles and expectations of serving on the board.Importantly,formal and informal onboarding opportunities are seen as critical for building relationships among trustees.For example,another respondent
160、observed that there have not been adequate opportunities to connect with board members outside of their formal meetings,recommending that their director should create more opportunities for board members to engage with each other outside of the board and committee meetings.This comment supports the
161、idea that museum directors should be actively managing the climate and culture of the board in order to facilitate alignment and strengthen relationships.Diversity,Equity,Access,and Inclusion Several Black trustees reported that their board lacked inclusivity and diversity or needed to take active s
162、teps towards addressing complex issues like repatriation.One trustee highlighted the importance of repatriation standards and suggested that Black Trustees should lead in this effort:“Black trustees should develop a series of standards that we feel are appropriate for determining whether a piece sho
163、uld be returned or repatriated.You know,these considerations are moral,ethical,and legal.So for me,is there a moral responsibility to return artifacts?Absolutely.Is there an ethical obligation to return artifacts?Absolutely.”Throughout the interview,this trustee expressed discomfort with the lack of
164、 support from museum leadership on this issue.Another respondent shared feeling a disconnect based on the difference in lived experience between herself and other board members.When asked if she is considering leaving the board,she said,I considered leaving the board because I dont feel like I belon
165、g.The majority of trustees are White people who dont work for a living.I am a BIPOC woman who works full time for a living,and I often feel disconnected from the reality of other trustees.I also considered leaving the board because it is a lot of additional work and commitments for me,and I am burni
166、ng out.As another respondent described:The board is not as inclusive as I had hoped,not sure the best way to weigh in on issues without rocking the very embedded norms.This comment reflects the flip side of the evolving board;often the process of evolving can produce friction in the short term.These
167、 quotes reflect feelings of disengagement and alienation,which indicates that there may be uncomfortable or even toxic dynamics on some art museum boards.Interviews with Black trustees highlight the significance of diversity,equity,access,and inclusion(DEAI)work at their respective museums.Important
168、ly,trustees contrast a holistic and The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 29 proactive approach to DEAI work with what can be characterized as a“reactive”or“crisis”approach.One trustee described the holistic approach to DEAI work that their museum championed years before they joined the board.Acco
169、rding to the trustee,the board created a DEAI subcommittee through intentional efforts rather than“through a crisis.”The subcommittee has allowed the museum to“do really deep work,and not just kind of the superficial work of buying up a bunch of people of colors work and putting it on display.”In fa
170、ct,this particular museum has undergone a holistic collections assessment,including using metrics to track their priorities.The trustee recognizes that the museum and board are“not without their own struggles,”including for example,the small proportion of people of color on the board.However,their o
171、verall assessment points to the importance and value of the boards decision to take a comprehensive approach to DEAI work.Another respondent points to a“reactive”approach to DEAI work being done at many museums.For example,it is their perception that institutions“are maybe doing DEAI work because th
172、ey feel like they have to do it rather than actually because they want to do it.”What this means is that the changes they make are less substantive.The respondent notes that DEAI work is not only about the representation of people of color;DEAI is also relevant to policies around labor and staffing.
173、Additionally,DEAI work marks“a larger cultural shift”for museums and boards that speaks to an organizations values and priorities.The above excerpts illustrate the importance of taking a holistic and proactive approach toward making museums more diverse,equitable,and inclusive.This approach involves
174、 thinking about the structural dimensions of museums,such as labor and staffing matters,in addition to the inclusion of diverse collections.Tied to the holistic approach to DEAI mentioned above,other respondents speak to the ways in which their museums are actively building their DEAI infrastructure
175、.One respondent shared that their museum was engaged in various conversations with consultants to strengthen their commitment to diversity,equity,and inclusion,including unconscious bias training for the board and creating a Diversity Committee.Over the years,that museum went on to hire a chief of c
176、ommunity learning and education,under whom the diversity,equity,and inclusion work lived.That person then hired a director of equity and belonging,who has now been in place for about nearly two years.The respondent shared that the chief of community learning and education reports directly to the mus
177、eum director,signaling the museums commitment to bolstering their DEAI efforts.The museums DEAI infrastructure also includes a staff working group:“So,theres kind of a parallel motion with the board and the staff.And Ive been advocating for a helix kind of model where were working independently,but
178、then coming together to make sure that theres alignment.”Despite this progress,the respondent acknowledges that DEAI efforts can feel“really slow to move,”but also understands that“it takes time”to make substantive changes.The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 30 The above excerpt describes what i
179、s true for many of the Black trustees who we interviewed:concerted efforts are being made to infuse diversity,equity,access,and inclusion into the fabric of art museums,albeit in ways that can often feel“really slow to move.”Three Trustee Perspectives This report has shared a quantitative analysis o
180、f survey findings,contextualized with relevant evidence gathered from interviews with Black Trustees.In this section,we share the perspectives of three trustees who provide lessons for the field.These trustee perspectives resulted from interviews and are edited for clarity and length.They include:Da
181、na King-Artist and Trustee,Oakland Museum of California Alicia Wilson-Trustee,The Walters Art Museum Darrianne Christian-Chair,Newfields Board of Trustees We thank these institutions for granting permission to include these perspectives in order to provide valuable insights for peer museums.We highl
182、ight these three trustee perspectives to illustrate different ways trustees can proactively address issues of diversity,equity,access,and inclusion among their board,staff,and visitors.These trustee perspectives are not highlighted for the purposes of elevating or endorsing individual institutions a
183、s exemplary,or more advanced than others in their approach to DEAI issues.Rather,they were selected because of the value these trustees experiences can offer to readers.Trustee Perspective:Dana King “I am very proud of the work that were doing at the Oakland Museum of California.People have a sense
184、of belonging,and we work very hard to build that from the inside out.”-Dana King(Artist and Trustee,Oakland Museum of California)Dana Kings perspective on the board and museum operations at the Oakland Museum of California(OMCA)reveals several lessons for the sector.King describes a climate in the b
185、oardroom that has been generated by both bottom up and top down accountability,particularly for anti-racism and DEAI work.She notes that raising minimum salaries is crucial for cultivating an equitable workplace.OMCA has made substantial sacrifices in order to ensure that everyone working at the mus
186、eum was earning a fair,livable wage.At the same time,they have changed the development culture in order to make events more accessible to a broader set of constituents,rather than only those willing to pay for a table at a gala.And they have loosened guidelines around giving requirements for board m
187、embers in order to generate a more inclusive environment that relies on contributions of time and expertise,as well as The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 31 monetary contributions.Below,King offers her account of experiences on the OMCA board in her own words.I was recruited to the Board of Tru
188、stees by the Executive Director.I love being here.Its a very welcoming place.And different from any museum Ive ever been to.We received a$3 million grant from the Irvine foundation in 2012 to really explore and address how we treat the visitors to the museum and to understand who lives in the immedi
189、ate vicinity of the museum;because the zip codes in the immediate vicinity of the Oakland Museum are the most diverse economically and ethnically.Many people from those zip codes were not showing up at the museum.We wanted to encourage that interest and find out why it wasnt happening.What could we
190、do to encourage them?Our research department has a scoring system,and we ask our visitors through surveys,open ended questions,and closed ended questions,“How does it feel to be here?”Our DEAI work has trickled down,and its trickled up,but I would suggest that the trickle up has been more significan
191、t.During COVID,we started to work on becoming an anti-racist institution.And it was driven by staff.And so when we shut down,we had the opportunity to really do that work and to see it in action.By action,I mean that we have significantly reduced the hierarchy.Transparency in the institution is a pr
192、iority.From financials to building maintenance,to security to everything in between,all of it is available to suggestions from anyone.Feedback on exhibits or programming that were working on,its available to anybody.So now we have this truly cross functional,working institution;nobody is in silos an
193、ymore.Staff members do their daily work,but if something of interest comes up that they want to participate in,they have all access and every way to participate.We also have meetings between staff and the board.We ask them questions,and they ask us questions.Its a constructive dialogue around the ta
194、ble rather than a hierarchy.We also changed our pay structure so that there is no salary lower than four times the national poverty rate,which translates to approximately$26 per hour or more than$51,000 per year.In doing that,we knew that our budget would only go so far.And that,ultimately,we would
195、have to entertain downsizing.And we worked with staff,and the staff supported this knowing full well that there would be a restructuring.But in doing so,we knew that it would raise the level of income for everybody at the institution.And then we gave those who were part of the downsizing the first o
196、pportunity to apply to any job that came up within the institution after we made that shift.We have a mission statement and a set of priorities that runs through the entire institution,all the way through to our vendors.We want our vendors to have the same values that we are building within the inst
197、itution.And we are now reworking our finances and our philanthropy to match our vision and values.We will no longer have those big,bold,beautiful functions where everybody comes in ball gowns,and the tickets are$1,000,to start.We want to find a way to invite the entire community to participate in fu
198、ndraising for the institution.Because what we found is that if people are not asked,theyre not fully included.And therefore they dont feel a The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 32 part of the growth of the institution.And we want people to feel comfortable,whether its a$5 bill they are donating,
199、or its$500,000 or$5 million.Understand that its all important,and that it all matters to us.And so were no longer going to build an exclusive hierarchy of fundraising,which Im really proud of.With respect to board giving,we dont demand a minimum.From each individual on the board we ask that they giv
200、e to the museum,to the degree that they give anywhere else and to be willing to make the museum a priority.And thats it.And then that way,our search for new trustees isnt a financial one,its not about money.And that way we really experience the breadth of what people can bring to the table.For our b
201、oard culture,we have a list of community agreements around how we engage with each other.And we have a check-in around the table,but its about something personal,to connect people together.“What book are you reading?How are you feeling as we navigate COVID?”Points of connection,letting the pretenses
202、 that we carry fall away.I thought we were a pretty close board,but things like that have made us tighter.People worry about introducing some of these new strategies and norms.Will the board members who have been large donors stay?We have found that new doors open.For example,we had a Black Panthers
203、 exhibition a few years ago that marked their 50 years.Oakland is integral to the history of the Panthers.One of our major donors said that they were not comfortable with us,“advocating on behalf of the Panthers.”Well in fact,we were just telling the truth of history.Big difference.And the person sa
204、id that if we were to continue down this path,that they were pulling their funding from the institution,not just for the exhibit.The executive director spoke to us about it,and we decided to let him go.Because we knew that that exhibition would open so many doors for us financially and create such a
205、ccess for us out in the community.And so we dont let money drive our decisions around how we can include,diversify,and expand.And then when COVID hit,we had planted so many of those seeds,that we received so much love financially from our donor base and from our foundations,much of it money we didnt
206、 even ask for;and I think its because of the investments we made in building community.To open ourselves up and make the museum accessible to everyone.The board on which I sit excels at decolonizing the institution,and Im impressed by the way it builds community and relies on community.People speak
207、their truth,from the boardroom to the galleries,and thats not welcome in many spaces.But it is welcomed at our museum,and I have been so grateful to be part of the experience.The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 33 Trustee Perspective:Alicia Wilson“I think were on a path.”-Alicia Wilson(Vice Pres
208、ident of the board,The Walters Art Museum)Alicia Wilson,trustee of The Walters Art Museum,discusses the boards focus on diversifying vendors,particularly with respect to investing the museums funds.She also speaks about the work the museum is doing towards increasing the diversity of its collection,
209、which has primarily focused on European art.The three words I would use to describe our board culture are inclusive,progressive,and innovative.Im one of the vice presidents among the board leadership.Its a board leadership team that is racially and gender diverse.Almost half of us are under the age
210、of 55.Contributors to the board who have the means to write the biggest checks do not dominate the officer ranks of the board leadership.I think prior board leadership intentionally made space and room for young and diverse leadership.Our board values the unique contributions that members bring to t
211、he organization beyond dollars and cents.There truly is a shared understanding that art museums,if they are going to grow,and if they are going to be sustainable,have to be relevant to a network of people that ordinarily would not have received the first invitation to come behind the museum walls.An
212、d so,we,at the Walters,understand that if the Walters or any cultural institution is going to experience growth and maintain relevance,we have to diversify the network of those who are its ambassadors and champions.On our board,weve also thought and acted with respect to deciding who is managing our
213、 endowment and how we might engage and incorporate a more diverse group of money managers in its management.I seem to recall that we were one of the first art museums in the country to intentionally diversify the money managers overseeing our portfolio.The board and the whole organization have felt
214、that DEAI has to be embedded in all of our work,and that we all have to be held accountable for measurable outcomes.We dont have an investment or any other discussion at the board level without talking about DEAI.We ask,“Who are our money managers and how much money is under their management?”“And a
215、re we pushing as far as we can?”And the beauty is that those sorts of questions are not asked by a small fraction of the board,but the entire body.There is measurable progress that we have been able to make in the area of racial diversity and inclusion on the board,and I think the conversation on ra
216、ce has been at the forefront.Just take for example,the makeup of the board.It is one of the few boards where I see eight Black men in leadership.Typically,there may be one or two on a board,but I just dont get to see that number of Black men elevated to pivotal and critical positions on the board.Ou
217、r racially diverse board members are leading committees and pushing forth an agenda of growth for the organization.And with respect to women,we are also very forward in the number of women who are leading committees and at the forefront of growth of the organization.That being said,we are still on a
218、 journey,but we certainly are being more intentional and digging deeper.The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 34 In terms of our collection,it is still very European.We are working on addressing that and some of our latest acquisitions incorporate pieces from all over the world.When we think about
219、 diversifying our visitors,weve been making really strong efforts to buy pieces that are more reflective of a larger group.I do a lot to introduce people into our museum that previously would not visit.I often host Black women and my young mentees at the museum for a variety of exhibitions.I think I
220、m pretty effective in making the museum relevant to people.For instance,we had a jewelry exhibit that gave me an opportunity to host women interested in the art of jewelry.So,I feel like thats my real sweet spot,bringing people to the museum and exciting them about the beautiful artwork that makes u
221、p the Walters collection.The museum board impresses me by the way it responds to the changing times,and that they are open to making those shifts.I think theres still more work to do,including continuing to be thoughtful about what is being added to the collection,and whether it represents all the v
222、alues that we all hold dear.But I think were on a path.Trustee Perspective:Darrianne Christian “I was very clear about the fact that were going to be 100%transparent.I think that makes all the difference,because then it shows that youre being authentic when you can be 100%transparent about everythin
223、g.”-Darrianne Christian(Chair,Newfields Board of Trustees)In Darrianne Christians interview,she shared her perspective on the challenges of bringing in a curator of color into a high profile role in the museum.Christian feared Indianapolis was not ready for this curators point of view,even as the in
224、stitution needed to advance their thinking about DEAI issues with respect to their collection and program.She discusses leading the institution through a crisis,as well as adapting to the learning curve of becoming board chair.Christian also discusses pivoting the museums programs toward increasing
225、earned revenue in order to move away from spending endowment funds.I joined the Newfields board in 2016.At the time,I joined because they were looking to diversify the board.They were struggling to do that for a number of reasons,some of which are a result of what we know about systemic racism.First
226、,our market of Indianapolis is not considered to be a top-tier arts market compared to larger cities.Second,there was a minimum giving requirement of$10,000 for board members,every year,over a three year term.Here in the Midwest,thats a heavy lift.The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 35 Third,in
227、my experience,and this may be anecdotal,and it may be true,may not be true.From my experience with other minorities that have the means to givetypically,we want to give to causes that will directly support our communities,not necessarily to something like a museum per se.We see that theres great nee
228、d in our communities because of the inequities.We really dont translate that same need to the arts in quite the same way as we do to causes more closely tied to socioeconomic and racial justice issues.As a result of those lower numbers,thats how I ended up on the board with no art experience,not nec
229、essarily an art lover either.But Ive always been a lover of museums,and thats how I started on the board of Newfields.It was definitely a challenge to be involved at first.Right after I joined the board,I had a baby.I have four children,so I wanted to be focused with respect to my board involvement.
230、Give me something to do,and Ill do it.But Newfields was what some might call,“a country club board,”for lack of a better term.It was known as the playground for the“whos who”of Indianapolis.I didnt necessarily associate with that circle,and I did not regularly socialize with any of the people that w
231、ere on the board,aside from my friend,another Black woman,who recruited me to the board.Shortly after she recruited me,she moved from Indianapolis,and I ended up being the only minority on the board.I was the only minority for a year or two,I think.Im also on another board called the Central Indiana
232、 Community Foundation.And one of the things that we identified was that sometimes its hard to get underrepresented groups on these boards because of those financial commitments,those minimum giving requirements.We had a program where we paid the fees for underrepresented groups to be on boards aroun
233、d the city,because we saw the value in having that presence.Eventually,there was another young lady,a Black woman,who came on the Newfields board through that route.She eventually rolled off the Newfields board after a few years because,once again,the country club culture meant that the board met in
234、 the middle of the day.Well,she was a working professional,and her husband was a working professional.As a result,there were challenges for her that made it hard to participate.And while her feedback,ideas,and commitment were there,it was just very difficult for her to serve,even with someone removi
235、ng that cost barrier.A lot of times as minority professionals,we arent in a position where we 100 percent own our schedule,whether we work for companies,hospitals,or for clients.So there is still that barrier associated with participation.As a result,you can see how the board was not conducive to be
236、ing very diverse,socially,economically,or,just from a standpoint of different life experiences.Fast forward,and I find that I actually enjoy serving on the board.We hired a young African American curator who I immediately took a liking to.I really connected with her when she was hired.I was just so
237、excited about her.I had come to hear her speak.And I remember sitting there thinking,“Okay,well,Im gonna go,listen to about half of her talk,and then Im going to leave.”And then I remember when she started speaking,I was so enamored with her that I didnt want to leave her talk early,and I was textin
238、g on my phone trying to find somebody to pick up my kids!I wanted to hear everything that she had to say.And I remember thinking,“Oh my goodness,I dont think Indiana is ready for her!”I mean,honestly,that was my take.The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 36 I really tried to do what I could to nur
239、ture her;I hosted a coming out party for her when she did her first show,tried to help raise dollars for her show,things like that.And then there was something that happened at the museum where her experience clearly was not working for her.I think a big part of it was just the way things are here i
240、n Indiana with the culture and the politics.So she left the museum,and she left very vocally expressing her discontentment.As a board member,and as a friend of hers,I know the types of things that she may have been experiencing.And so I think she really struggled here,and I didnt learn about everyth
241、ing until after the fact.Its difficult because with her being an employee and leaving in that way,it would mean as a trustee,you cant then communicate with the person anymore because of the sensitive nature of things.I felt like I lost a friend.Then we had another very public incident at Newfields a
242、round a job posting that spiraled us right into the spotlight and had my phone buzzing with calls from the community.I understand my fiduciary duty and to act in the best interest of the organization.Im on the phone with the board chair.And of course,she wants to talk to me,because Im the only Afric
243、an American board member.Then the board is on the phone,working through this for hours,just moments after I return from vacation.We put together a committee to manage everything,and Im asked to chair the committee.And then from there,the board chair and board pretty much 100 percent empowered me and
244、 that committee to put together what we needed to do to address this situation.There was never a single ounce of pushback for anything,which I think spoke highly of the Newfields board and their complete trust.They were also completely humbled by what had happened to recognize that we have clearly h
245、urt our community and hurt people.And that was not our intention.I was a junior board member,I had never chaired a committee on the board,although I had been on the executive committee because they wanted my voice.The director would call me throughout my time on the board;he wanted to know what I th
246、ought about things and was instrumental in recruiting the Black curator that I talked about.In the midst of this crisis,the director departed,and I was asked to be board chair.We put together a plan for the institution.What is Newfields going to do and what does that look like?Weve executed on that
247、plan.Weve stuck to it.If we said we were going to do something,we did it.And the board was willing to do whatever it took to do it,without hesitation.We already had the DEAI consultants because we brought those consultants in after we lost the curator who left very publicly.We had already done some
248、basic training with the board with the Racial Equity Institute.When I took over as board chair,it was a huge learning curve for me,because I hadnt been a committee chair.Ive relied on our previous board chair for help with understanding how to do a lot of things.Initially,we needed to diversify our
249、board.Our chair was very honest about the fact that we need to be nimble.If you make this board too big,we cant be as nimble.So,for our board,weve eliminated the$10,000 minimum.Weve done away with that.We have our annual meeting in May.I actually chaired our governance committee this year;and there
250、were just The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 37 some things that we needed to address,how we function as a board,and things that I felt could be improved.At the end of the day,you can never get away from people on the board giving;theres just certain foundations that are not going to give you g
251、rants if you dont have 100 percent participation.I feel that the foundations need to challenge that,too,because its like theyre forcing these organizations to do certain things.So,we decided to look at our requirement that everyone on the board has to make a financial commitment.What weve determined
252、 is that we need board members to give us time,talent,and treasure,but they may not be able to give in equal measure.So,thats our philosophy going forward.We dont put that level of emphasis on the treasure part.Time and talent are equally important.At the same time,an organization like Newfields,an
253、art museum,and a lot of these other organizationswhen youre a non-profit,treasure is key to your survival.What we decided is that everyone will be aware of what the board gift is.Those who can give more than$10,000 will,and then there are others who will give less.So,we have whats considered an over
254、all board gift.The one thing that Newfields had already started and that was part of our strategic plan is that we are working toward becoming less reliant on our endowment and philanthropic dollars.We lean more towards relying on earned revenue.This year is the first year that we didnt have to draw
255、 on our endowment.Whereas five to seven years ago,right before I joined them,they had a date when they were going to close the doors,because we were spending down our endowment to the tune of 8 percent.We had all of this land with an art museum.If you know anything about art museums,the cost to main
256、tain it is extremely expensive.We had to be creative and figure out ways to bring in additional revenue.Because we have all this additional acreage,we started activating it.Hence why we changed from the Indianapolis Museum of Artwhich is what the organization was when I became a board memberand we b
257、ecame Newfields,which is made up of the Indianapolis Museum of Art,the garden,and Fairbanks Park.At Newfields,we have the gardens,where we have these additional events like Winter Lights and Fall Harvest that weve activated as additional events at the museum to bring in additional revenue.So,this ye
258、ar,we didnt have to draw on our endowment.The other thing we did was to take out our whole fourth floor.We received a grant from the Lilly Endowment;they funded our fourth floor renovation into the LUME,which was previously dedicated to contemporary art.The LUME is an immersive digital experience wh
259、ere you will see original artworks by world-famous artists.Weve now combined our contemporary art into other areas in the museum.We hosted the Van Gogh exhibit in the LUME,which exceeded our expectations in a way that we could have never imagined.11 The byproduct of that is that when people came to
260、see the Van Gogh exhibit,they actually engaged more with the museum.For example,when I would come to the museum as a board member,the demographic would fit typical art museum demographics.When you go now,the exhibit has opened the door to more people because there are some people who may not necessa
261、rily be able to connect with art in the traditional sense of how an art museum is presented.But,something like the LUME with the Van Gogh exhibit resonates with people.So,weve seen a marked uptick in our membership 11 The Lume Van Gogh exhibit is a large immersive digital art exhibit of Van Goghs wo
262、rk.The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 38 attendees and repeat visitations because people now come to Winter Lights,Fall Harvest,the LUME,and Spring Blooms.Theyre coming to more of our events.What is interesting about Newfields is that during the midst of the pandemic and the 2020 racial controv
263、ersy,we had the most visitors weve had in the history of the museum.Weve broken every attendance record weve ever had.I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that the world and the community saw that we made a mistake and how hard we worked to address it.As part of our plan,we put together a p
264、osition description for a diversity officer at the executive level that our new CEO can hire.We wanted the CEO to be able to hire their own person for that position because the chief diversity officer will report directly to the CEO.Prior to identifying our new CEO,we hired a chief people officer,wh
265、o is also a diversity expert.What we found,I mean,everyone knows this,but there are so many corporations in America that have had DEAI people,but theyve had no power.Unless you put them directly under the CEO,where theyre reporting to the CEO,and unless we as the board,work with that person as we es
266、tablish the goals and mission and the vision for the organization,it isnt going anywhere.We also put together a scorecard that is a metric for every area on performance and evaluation.Whether it be strategic,people,financial,etc.It should always be something that we measure throughout the organizati
267、on.The focus on measurement is really important.And the other byproduct of that is that,as a trustee youre there to govern.Youre not there to tell the CEO and the leadership team how to manage the organization.The board is responsible for one employee of the institution,the CEO.One of the things I f
268、elt we didnt do well in previous years was we didnt listen.Therefore,when our big crisis happened,I just met with whoever would take my call,and there were people who would not take my call.They were like,“Oh,no,Newfields.”But that didnt happen often,maybe in part because of who I am and who my husb
269、and is in our community,everybody pretty much took my call.And board members heard me say that there were people in the community who just felt like Newfields was not a welcoming place.That was very crushing.You know,because theyre board members and in their role,theyre trying to,they want to make t
270、his place great,where people see it as a place to come hang out to do all of this stuff.And then the thought process that in spite of all of this,people are saying,I dont feel comfortable.Or,you know,its not a welcoming place for people that look like me,that really resonated.I think that more than
271、anything,it truly resonated.I was very clear about the fact that were going to be 100 percent transparent.I think that makes all the difference,because then it shows that youre being authentic when you can be 100 percent transparent about everything.Now,of course,as a board,theres certain things you
272、 cant say,and you cant do because of your fiduciary duty.But one of the things that I established from the very beginning was that were going to be 100 percent transparent,and we are going to listen,and that has not failed us.The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 39 When youre in crisis,you have t
273、o hire all these people,like lawyers and communications experts.They were directing me to do things,and Im like,“No,this is what Im going to do.”And they were losing it.I told them Id take the fall.I told them my feelings on what I thought was going to happen.I told them,“Were going to own it.You ju
274、st have to own it.We have to tell people this is whats happening,this is what were going to do about it,and were sorry.”I think that approachI think a lot of people are so fearful of the backlash.But,you know,I kept saying to them,“Well,it cant get any worse.”We were already in the Wall Street Journ
275、al,so Im like,“It cant get any worse.So,what do we have to lose?”I think people realized were authentic,and that has helped with other areas of the museum.When we started our CEO interviews,we were shocked by how many people applied.We had over 211 applicants for one job.I was thinking people werent
276、 going to want to touch Newfields because of what happened,but people actually see it as quite exciting to be able to come in at this time and continue to be a part of our work.Ten Evidence-based Strategies for Cultivating DEAI Values in the Boardroom The above analysis of survey responses and trust
277、ee interviews suggests several valuable strategies that directors,board chairs,governance committees and other constituencies can consider to make the boardrooms of their institutions more reflective of DEAI values.1.Recruit board members outside of traditional avenues.This may mean the museum engag
278、es artists or community leaders,search firms,and trustee pipeline programs in order to create more balanced and diverse voices on the board.While network based recruitment is likely to persist,stepping outside of those channels can yield essential benefits.2.Create a balance of formal and informal o
279、nboarding opportunities for trustees.Museum directors and board leaders should intentionally create opportunities for new trustees to learn about the ins and outs of board service,including informal channels to build and strengthen relationships within the museum.Establish a personal relationship be
280、fore extending the board invitation so that it doesnt feel transactional.3.Avoiding isolation,embrace a cohort model of trustee recruitment and onboarding.If the board is lacking Black representation,develop strategies to recruit multiple trustees simultaneously in order to avoid isolating a single
281、Black trustee.4.Representation through committee assignments matters.The underrepresentation of Black trustees on investment,directors search,and collections/acquisitions committees has an impact on the most central operations of the museum.Museum leadership should consider studying the composition
282、of these committees to ensure that they are representative and that diverse voices are not siloed in outward-facing The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 40 committees such as communications;community engagement;and diversity,equity,and inclusion committees.Avoid tokenization through committee ass
283、ignments by ensuring that the engagement of trustees of color is distributed among all committees.5.Cultivate diverse pathways onto the board by demonstrating social impact.Black trustees reported that many of their peers do not necessarily think of art museums first when it comes to allocating thei
284、r philanthropic dollars.By improving the community impact of museum programs,leaders will be able to more effectively demonstrate the value of a financially healthy museum to a more diverse set of potential donors.This can result in a more diverse pathway to trusteeship that is reflective of the mus
285、eums authentic commitments to the public.6.The weight of DEAI work should not fall solely on the shoulders of trustees of color.During our interviews,many trustees conveyed that increasing board diversity,or finding solutions to DEAI-related problems,became their responsibility.While it is meaningfu
286、l to ask trustees of color for guidance,diversity work should be prioritized by all members of the board.To create lasting change,it is fundamental to incorporate diversity and inclusivity within the institution,and not just see the appointment of diverse board members as an end point,but rather as
287、a starting point.7.Strategize cycling on new members.Term limits can help to keep the board from growing too insular and stagnant.Some trustees reported an in-group dynamic on boards.8.Listen and act.Black trustees are multiple times more likely than NBPOC and White trustees to describe the board cu
288、lture negatively,revealing potentially toxic climates.Leaders should listen to these perspectives in order to learn about embedded boardroom culture and develop strategies to intervene.9.Generate buy-in at all giving levels.Many trustees provide valuable expertise and perspectives even though they m
289、ay not be financially contributing the standard amount.By recruiting diverse donors regardless of giving level,the museum can focus on cultivating higher levels of engagement that manifest in multiple ways.With an overemphasis on the financial commitments of joining the board,museums run the risk of
290、 losing important insights and relationships.10.Encourage and partner with museum leadership to diversify vendors for procurement,investment management,and other museum business.Interviews revealed the importance of a museums procurement and investment strategies as indicators of their commitment to
291、 diversity,equity,and inclusion.Diversity within the business and financial operations of museums also creates opportunities to partner with firms that may have significant community and social impact footprints.The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 41 Conclusion The Black Trustee Alliance and Ith
292、aka S+R produced this report as a service to the cultural sector so that leaders may inform their strategic approaches to DEAI efforts in the boardroom and broadly across their organizations.This inaugural survey has allowed us to establish benchmarks in the art museum trustee population,which can b
293、e measured over time.It has provided valuable insights into the characteristics of Black trustees with respect to education,age,income,among other identity variables.Through interviews and free text survey responses,this report details the complex experiences of Black trustees as they navigate embed
294、ded hierarchies and try to effect change in their institutions.These narratives provide important context for the aggregated survey findings and are able to inform opportunities for further research.Art museum trustees are among the most influential constituents when it comes to the sustainability o
295、f the cultural sector.By gathering and analyzing evidence to understand more about this population,the values that drive them,and the challenges they face we are able to inform strategic choices about what the future looks like for art and the public.The BTA 2022 Art Museum Trustees Survey 42 Append
296、ix A:Methods Ithaka S+R designed a research project to gather evidence from art museum trustees.Researchers crafted a survey instrument to gather information about:The experience of board members Committee assignments for board members Recruitment and onboarding Trustee demographics Distribution In
297、order to reach North American board members,we partnered with the Association of Art Museum Directors(AAMD).Because we did not have access to the contact information of trustees,and museum directors are reluctant to provide this information due to privacy concerns,we took a unique approach to survey
298、 distribution.The survey was distributed to museum directors as an open link(i.e.not a personalized survey link).We then asked the directors to forward the survey to their board members.With supplementary outreach from BTA to its network of museums directors and trustees,we closed the survey with 92
299、6 total responses and 168 responses from Black trustees.The survey was distributed to 287 art museums across North America.We had one or more respondents from 134 institutions,resulting in a 47 percent institutional response rate.Because an institution is recorded as participating if at least one bo
300、ard member participates,the institutional response rate does not reflect the percentage of board members who participated out of the total number of North American board members.We are not able to calculate an individual response rate,because we do not know how many individuals received an invitatio
301、n to participate in the survey.On average,we received seven individual responses per participating museum.We chose to survey all trustees,rather than just Black trustees.This decision was made in order to allow us to generate a comparative analysis in order to better understand the Black trustee exp
302、erience.In order to supplement our findings from the survey,the BTA and Ithaka S+R team conducted interviews with 20 Black Trustees from art museums across the country.Beginning in March and ending in June of 2022,Celeste Watkins-Hayes and Deirdre Harkins spoke with 18 Back trustees who participated
303、 in the survey,and two who did not take the survey,but volunteered to share their experiences and insights.Each interview was recorded through Zoom,transcribed on Temi,or Otter.ai,and analyzed using NVIVO.Further analysis was completed with assistance from Dominique Adams-Santos,associate director of the Center for Racial Justice at the Gerald R.Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan.