It Takes Three to Tango: Revisiting Paradox Management in Art and Culture Organizations

Abstract

The growing interest in creative industries research on the tension between the production of economic value and the production of symbolic value and its application in art and culture management has provided an interesting identification of different dilemmas, but not the practices that CEOs of art and culture organizations use to deal with the dilemmas. Our analysis of in-depth interviews with CEOs of successful, longstanding art and culture organizations in Israel extends theory on art and culture management by highlighting a Three-to Tango management model. According to the CEOs, there are three basic functions that are essential to address the conflict between art and business: The Dreamer - held by the artistic director, the Doer - held by the business manager, and the Ambassador - held by the chair of the board of directors. The chair supports the CEO by facilitating a delicate tango for three with the CEO and the artistic director. Managers reported that their engagement in a harmonious tango for three helped them to embrace the conflict between the production of economic value and the production of artistic value.