The Offstage Mic

The Science of Leading Change in the Arts

This episode is all about change management in arts organizations. Aubrey Bergauer breaks down the research behind building a change-ready culture and how to actually shi

Can Auto-Renewing Subscriptions Work in the Arts?

Auto-renewing subscriptions in the arts: how one organization hit 87% adoption and tripled its season ticket base in two seasons. Justin Morgan, Director of Audience Deve

How to Adopt AI at Your Arts Organization: A Practical Guide

Artificial Intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept, it’s an operational necessity for lean arts organizations. In this episode of The Offstage Mic, Aubrey Bergauer

From $1M Deficit to Balanced Budget: A Case Study

Running an arts organization is hard, but tackling a $1 million deficit is a different level of challenge. In this episode, Aubrey Bergauer sits down with Vanessa Morosco

7 Performing Arts Predictions for 2026: Your Mid-Year Scorecard

Are your traditional funding sources drying up while your audience development plateaus? In this mid-season reflection, Aubrey Bergauer revisits her seven bold performing

Opera Isn't Dying. The Business Model Is, featuring Caitlin Vincent

Is opera actually dying, or is the business model simply stuck in the digital dark ages? In this episode of The Offstage Mic, Aubrey Bergauer sits down with Dr. Caitlin V

How to Drive Revenue Through Customer Experience, featuring Mercury Soul

Customer experience is more than a buzzword. It is a critical driver of the bottom line, affecting everything from word-of-mouth marketing to donor retention. In this epi

Episode 50: The Data Defining the Future of the Arts

Welcome to Season 6 of The Offstage Mic! We are kicking things off with a massive milestone: our 50th episode. In this season premiere, host Aubrey Bergauer dives deep in

Introducing Season Six of The Offstage Mic

What does Changing the Narrative mean ten years later? That is what this season of The Offstage Mic with Aubrey Bergauer is all about. How can we continue to change the n

The Time Management Lie Holding Back Arts Executives

If your days as an arts leader are consumed by never-ending to-do lists, last-minute fires, and reactive work—this episode is your call to break the cycle. In this Season

Major Gifts ≠ Financial Sustainability: Why Monthly Giving Is the Game-Changer for your Arts Organization

One of the biggest mistakes arts organizations make is over relying on major donors. In this penultimate episode of the season, Aubrey Bergauer talks with Dana Snyder—aut

How to Level Up Operations at Your Arts Organization

Does managing operations at your arts organization feel tedious or unwieldy? Maybe you know your internal processes need a boost, but don’t you know where to begin. Good

5 Steps to Using UX Design in Arts Management

For arts organizations, the vast majority of your audience is not subscribers and donors; over 90% of your patrons are the ones who come and go, never to engage with anot

The Research Behind Gender Bias in the Arts

Women in arts administration make up over half of the workforce. Yet arts leadership roles — on stage and off — are still male dominated. This episode, Aubrey shares some

How to Build Your Arts Marketing Budget

Marketing has changed so much for arts administrators in recent years that you might not know how to maximize your marketing budget these days. What percentage should you

Harnessing Data At Your Arts Organization

Understanding patron data can be daunting, confusing, or even cringeworthy for arts administrators. But your data is an asset, and arts organizations are leaving thousand

How to Transform Patrons to Donors with Tailored Messaging

For arts administrators, donor development often means soliciting as many patrons as possible, as soon as possible, without accounting for their unique needs. This may gl

They Never Taught You That, Part 3: Apply These 7 Research-backed Skills to Grow Your Leadership in Arts Management

Advancing in arts leadership can be tricky, because what got you to where you are now likely won’t get you to where you want to be. In the final part of this bonus series

They Never Taught You That, Part 2: Top 8 Negotiation Strategies to Advance in Arts Leadership

Imagine negotiating the salary and benefits you know you deserve as an arts leader. Or going to the bargaining table for union negotiations, and all parties come out sati

They Never Taught You That, Part 1: Things They Never Taught You About Growing Your Leadership in Arts Management

There’s a lot about arts leadership most of us were never taught. And you can’t win a game if you don’t know the rules. So we’re bringing you three bonus episodes from ou