Personnel Shortages: Most Important Issue in Arts Management

Personnel Shortages
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Arts management refers to utilizing organizational principles to lead in an artistic environment. In other words, arts management employs business administrative skills and procedures in the art world. It entails daily operations of art entities to align art and business objectives. While business discipline is concerned with managing resources, budgeting and efficiency, art entails expression and is less concerned about profits. Hence, there is a need to balance the two concepts such that business practices do not inhibit artists’ creativity while art can also make profits for the artists. For that to happen, arts management must have adequate personnel with the right training. However, currently, arts management faces the challenge of a shortage of qualified personnel who can ensure that art and business work together.
While the art field has a relatively large number of artists, performers, actors, and musicians, there is a shortage of trained personnel who can undertake management work. Art attracts a large number of creators who are willing to use their talents to express themselves. However, there is a shortage of trained individuals to manage the artists and their works. The management of arts, like any other discipline, requires individuals with the necessary training (Evard and Colbert, 2000). Arts managers must have the necessary management skills and the ability to operate in the art space. They are required to ensure that business interests do not limit the expression of the artists while at the same time ensuring efficient allocation of resources to meet the set goals and objectives. Getting managers who have trained on art-related issues of challenging, as more managers prefer to work in other business sectors. The relatively low number of trained personnel in arts management limits the extent to which art institutions can advance.
Reduced government spending on the arts industry has led to inadequate personnel. The COVID-19 pandemic saw most governments cut down their support to the arts industry (Travkina and Sacco, 2020). For instance, the Australian arts sector witnessed budget cuts during post the pandemic. According to Burke (2022), the Australian government made a $190 million or 19% reduction in the 2022-23 financial year compared to the previous years. The reduction in government support means that art institutions cannot train the required. The relatively low number of trained personnel because of underfunded arts institutions has contributed to inadequate personnel, adversely affecting arts management. Further, the underfunding of educational institutions means that personnel receive inadequate training. Such people need further training to enhance their skills. The arts institutions are forced to absorb a labor force that does not have the adequate skills to meet the current demands.
While large arts institutions can employ more personnel, smaller organizations cannot meet their labor requirements. Arts managers, like other professionals, come with more demands for compensation. Arts institutions are required to have the necessary resources to compensate the managers, who are determined to earn as their counterparts in other industries...