How Nonprofit Arts Organizations Sustain Communities: Examining the Relationship Between Organizational Strategy and Engagement in Community Sustainability
| Date | 01 April 2020 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0275074019884316 |
| Published date | 01 April 2020 |
| Author | Alisa V. Moldavanova,Nathaniel S. Wright |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
research-article2019
Article
American Review of Public Administration
2020, Vol. 50(3) 244 –259
How Nonprofit Arts Organizations Sustain
© The Author(s) 2019
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Communities: Examining the Relationship
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https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074019884316
DOI: 10.1177/0275074019884316
Between Organizational Strategy and
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Engagement in Community Sustainability
Alisa V. Moldavanova1 and Nathaniel S. Wright2
Abstract
This article investigates the relationship between several elements of organizational strategy and arts and culture nonprofits
perceived contributions to community sustainability. We ask the following research question: What are the drivers of arts
and culture nonprofits’ engagement in community sustainability? Drawing on data collected from a survey of 175 nonprofits
in the state of Michigan, this article reports the findings about arts and culture organizations perceived engagement in
community sustainability and factors that may foster or inhibit such engagement. The study advances our understanding of
the role that nonprofit organizations play in fostering local sustainable development, and it also informs broader scholarly
discourse on the role of arts and culture organizations in a society.
Keywords
community sustainability, arts and culture nonprofits, organizational strategy, human resource capacity, performance
measurement
Sustainability and sustainable development in local commu-
upon various organizational factors, such as organizational
nities have become important concerns for public adminis-
and leadership capacity (Light, 2004), resources that they
tration scholars and practitioners alike (Leuenberger &
possess (Moulton & Eckerd, 2012), as well as the effective-
Bartle, 2009; Opp & Saunders, 2013). There is an increasing
ness of the organizations themselves (Liket & Maas, 2015;
realization that such complex problems as sustainability
Sawhill & Williamson, 2001). In addition to these internal
require the involvement of various societal actors, including
factors, effective performance of roles depends on organiza-
both public and private organizations. Moreover, the govern-
tional external environment, such as the level of stress that
mental sector alone is unable to fully advance local sustain-
organizations experience as well as the quality of relation-
ability agendas due to resource-related and political ships with key stakeholders (Bryson, 2004; Kim, 2016).
constraints, while the business sector may lack the motiva-
In local communities, nonprofit organizations are increas-
tion to pursue the public good philosophy that underscores
ingly seen as vehicles of sustainable development, which
many sustainability initiatives (Moldavanova, 2018; Smith,
includes their contributions to environmental sustainability
2010). Therefore, the involvement of nonprofits in public–
(Portney & Cuttler, 2010) and their impact on local economic
private partnerships and cross-sectoral networks that advance
and social systems (Moldavanova, 2016; Salamon, 2012;
sustainable development policies is of critical importance to
Wright, 2010). Some nonprofits, such as environmental,
the success of such initiatives (Smith, 2010).
community development, and social service organizations,
In the era of the hollow state (Milward & Provan, 2000),
are seen as organic actors in local sustainability discourses
nonprofit and voluntary sector organizations are considered
(Wright, 2010; Portney & Cuttler, 2010; Smith, 2010), while
important social and policy actors. They perform a variety of
contributions of others, such as arts and culture nonprofits,
roles, including civic and political engagement, service deliv-
may not be as apparent (Markusen, 2014). Arts and culture
ery, social innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as serving
as a platform for expressing values of individual citizens
1Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
(Frumkin, 2002). Many of these roles are important for
2Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
advancing environmentally, economically, and socially sus-
Corresponding Author:
tainable local communities (Opp & Saunders, 2013). Alisa V. Moldavanova, Department of Political Science, Wayne State
However, the ability of nonprofit organizations to perform
University, 2040 FAB 656 W. Kirby, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
various roles related to local sustainable development depends
Email: alisam@wayne.edu
Moldavanova and Wright
245
nonprofits, however, perform a wide range of public service
as a mission driver, rather than an outcome of organizational
roles that foster sustainability in their communities, includ-
activities, as reflected in the perceptions of organizational
ing their participation in economic development and neigh-
managers about the importance of various sustainability-
borhood revitalization, public arts education, and cultural
related roles.
preservation (Moldavanova, 2013; Toepler & Wyszomirski,
Utilizing data collected from the 2016 Arts, Culture, and
2012). Therefore, researching arts and culture nonprofits’
Community Sustainability Survey of 175 nonprofit culture
engagement in local sustainable development is important
and arts organizations in the state of Michigan, this article
for understanding the efficacy of such development.
reports findings about arts and culture nonprofits’ perceived
Despite the recognition of the positive impact of arts and
engagement in roles that foster community sustainability, as
culture nonprofits on local communities (DiMaggio &
well as factors that may foster or inhibit such commitment.
Mukhtar, 2004; Hager & Winkler, 2012; LeRoux & This article first discusses the various roles through which
Bernadska, 2014; Rushton & Landesman, 2013; Throsby,
arts and culture organizations may engage in community sus-
1995; Tubadji, Osoba, & Nijkamp, 2015), much less is
tainability. It then introduces the research framework along
known about the environmental and organizational drivers of
with operational hypotheses, followed by a discussion of the
such contributions, including how organizational strategy
results of the empirical analysis. This article concludes by
shapes the ability of arts and culture nonprofits to engage in
discussing how its findings may inform broader scholarly
community sustainability. Moreover, a great deal of scholar-
discourse on the role of cultural organizations in society and
ship has focused on the instrumental contributions of the sec-
what factors are likely to foster or inhibit the perceived
tor at the expense of attention paid to the broader role of arts
engagement of arts and culture nonprofits in sustainable
and culture organizations in society, including both their
development in local communities.
instrumental and non-instrumental impacts (Markusen,
2014).
Sustainable Development and Arts and
The tendency to focus on instrumental benefits is not
Culture Organizations
unique to arts and culture organizations, as the pressures for
greater accountability have driven many nonprofits to focus
The term “sustainable development” is commonly under-
on tangible outputs of their work (Gori & Fissi, 2013; Hughes
stood as development that meets the needs of the present
& Luksetich, 2004; Liket & Maas, 2015; Turbide & Laurin,
without compromising the ability of future generations to
2009), while economic recessions, resource scarcity, and
meet their own needs (World Commission on Environment
competition for funding have forced organizations to focus
and Development, 1987). Although the concept of sustain-
on their own financial wellbeing (Weerawardena, McDonald,
ability itself is constantly evolving, most scholars recognize
& Mort, 2010). Like other nonprofits, arts and culture orga-
the symbiotic relationship between three imperatives of sus-
nizations engage in strategic responses to external stress,
tainable development: environmental, economic, and social
such as capacity-building and developing stakeholder-ori-
(Fiorino, 2010; Wang, Hawkins, Lebredo, & Berman, 2012).
ented management approaches (Kim, 2016; Toepler &
Some scholars, however, argue that it is critical to recognize
Wyszomirski, 2012). While such practices generally enhance
culture as the fourth pillar of sustainability (Moldavanova,
the resilience of cultural organizations, the relationship
2013, 2016; Throsby, 1995; Tubadji et al., 2015). For exam-
between these strategic practices, the level of stress that
ple, David Throsby unifies cultural and economic systems
organizations experience, and engagement in roles that foster
under his framework of “culturally sustainable develop-
local sustainable development has received little attention in
ment” (Throsby, 1995), which implies that arts and culture
the literature.
nonprofits are principal contributors to the idea of sustain-
This article addresses the described gaps in the literature
able development across a wide range of social and eco-
by investigating the wider range of roles, including both
nomic settings. However, the extent of cultural organizations’
intrinsic and instrumental, that are associated with arts and
engagement in local sustainability initiatives varies. While
culture nonprofits’ engagement in community sustainability,
some...
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