Teaching artists don’t deliver enrichment. They build trust, catalyze dialogue, and create the conditions for communities to see themselves differently. So why does the sector treat them as disposable?

We are proud to share that Ed Yim will be partnering with TOC Arts Partners to expand our executive search and strategic planning work in classical music and opera.

TOC Arts Partners welcomes Eric Gershman, expanding our robust organizational strategy practice to include financial sustainability planning, business and revenue modeling, comprehensive organizational assessment, and more.

There is a long list of challenges facing arts leaders today. Navigating a search firm should not be one of them. We’ve compiled this article to demystify how executive search firms such as ours operate, what you can expect when working with TOC Arts Partners, and how to navigate the process with clarity and confidence.

 What if the most meaningful act of resistance isn't just what you cancel, but what you choose instead? There's something quietly radical about insisting on shared physical experience in an era designed to keep us apart.

Tom O’Connor Consulting Group is now TOC Arts Partners. This new name reflects the evolution of our practice over the past decade, from a solo consultancy to a collective of strategists, storytellers, connectors, researchers, artists, and all-around problem solvers.

A search grounded only within the limits of one person’s (or even business’s) pre-existing network can be surprisingly narrow and is not bringing you the type of responsive and informed candidate pool you deserve. If you are selecting a search partner, here are some additional areas we suggest exploring.

Finding the right development leader can feel like chasing a unicorn, especially in the arts and culture sector, where fundraising expectations are high, resources are lean, and retention is a challenge. But it is possible to build a strong and sustainable fundraising team if you approach the process with clarity, creativity, and commitment.

What is a healthy organization? It’s a question many leaders wrestle with, especially in the arts sector, where resources are often stretched, and the demands on teams are high. We’ve come to understand that healthy organizations are not born but built and rebuilt through intentional reflection, collaborative visioning, and bold decision-making.

Engaging your internal teams around a concept or a project should be the first step in any audience engagement plan. If we expect our staff to represent our organization or institution they need to be aligned with the vision and mission, and, importantly, understand why we are programming the work we are programming and who we are serving with our work.

The most resilient and effective organizations are led by those with an understanding of systems thinking and organizational behavior, all with the goal of supporting a team to continue learning, adapting, and delivering.