The World's Best Board

Twice a year, the Mormon Arts Center Advisory Board gathers together for a meeting. A little over a month ago, we had a standing room only crowd to discuss developments of the Center. The Church History Museum in Salt Lake City graciously hosted it.

Most arts organizations view their boards are primarily fundraisers. While they share their opinions about this or that decision made by artistic directors, they perform institutional roles to maintain governance and compliance, primarily. We see our Advisory Board a bit differently. We really seek their input. And we listen.

The group is made up of four kinds of tastemakers: artists are represented in the fields of literature, visual art, and music; academics are represented by university professors and Church department personnel; the business world is represented by a diverse group of executives from advertising, investing, communications, and law; and the final group represents individuals with broad experience in the Church and with others arts organizations—they are our biggest advocates for the audience.

The Advisory Board members come from all over the country and from as far away as Australia. But they share a love for the Church and for art and the Church’s artists. As the Center has settled into a rhythm of developing ideas, the Board has eagerly embraced their role as sounding board, nudge, and guide. Do they raise money, too? Yes (and thank you), but they do much more than that.