Be not afraid: A look at Opera Philadelphia

The pandemic hit arts organizations hard. Especially theater companies that relied on ticket sales. Even with donors stepping up and performers taking to the stage online, many are still struggling to re-open to pre-pandemic scale.

Take a look at this article: https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2023/08/15/opera-philadelphia-stephen-klasko-merger-cuts.html

When the board chair announces publicly that he’s “not afraid of merger” - it tells you something about how we perceive of nonprofit mergers. Sure they are emotionally taxing and technically complex - but taken through a lens of collaboration and a deep commitment to the mission - they can be a boost for even the most struggling nonprofits. They will force you to question your nonprofits value and what the world would be like without it. Then you can focus on the parts that truly matter. It becomes less about preserving the institution and more about what the future holds. Sometimes, when we look ahead, we can learn that it may be time to take our final bow - but in many cases, it’s the just the opening of another show.