Benchmark Analysis: Board Governance

March 15, 2022

In the last 18-months arts organizations have faced extreme challenges from the global health crisis to social and racial reckoning. Constituents have demanded change and accountability at all levels of the arts organization, especially in governing boards. Our latest Arts Executive Poll asked arts leaders to benchmark themselves on the state of board policies and structures, recruitment priorities, and other initiatives to diversify governing boards. Highlights from the survey include:

• About half of arts organization boards see "board diversification" as one of their top 3 current priorities

• Almost all arts organizations' overall contributed income are up to 50% funded by board giving

• The majority of arts organizations experienced normal or lower turnover rates of board members in the past year when compared to turnover in previous years.