6 steps to score a seat on a Charlotte arts board

If you’re like me, you have no clue what actually happens on the boards of Charlotte’s many arts and cultural organizations. You might also assume that the possibility of serving on a board is way in the distant future (if ever).

After all, that’s for Charlotte’s most wealthy, affluent community members, right? People who attend galas on the reg – not for 20- and 30-somethings who spend Saturdays at breweries.

Go through the Arts and Science Council’s Cultural Leadership Training Program (CLT) and you could actually land a coveted board seat – it’s a 9-month program designed to identify emerging leaders and help them develop into potential board candidates, it’s basically like board boot camp.

Just ask Jessica Churchill, a Legacy Asset Portfolio Management Executive at Bank of America who went through the CLT program back in 2013. Her daughter had just been through a tough battle with cancer and Churchill was looking for a way to get involved in the community again.

Armed with everything she learned through CLT, Churchill now serves on the board of the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, an organization that was special to her family while her daughter was ill. “There were a few organizations who were very accommodating and Children’s Theatre was one of them,” says Churchill. “It meant something personal to me.”

Her daughter, now 7 years old, beat her cancer and still enjoys trips to the theater. Churchill is currently serving as co-chair on a development committee for the organization.

Anyone can apply for the CLT program but if you are serious about serving on a board, here are a few steps to help you get there.

(1) Get involved in community (if you aren’t already)

Actions speak louder than words. Find an organization you care about and get plugged in. If you are already volunteering for an organization, find a way to step up and take it to the next level. Help plan an event or lead a new fundraising campaign.

(2) Be real about your level of commitment

Ask yourself, “Do I have the time in my life to commit to this right now?” and be honest with your answer. The CLT program itself is nine months long, which is broken up into nine 3.5-hour sessions.

Once you are placed on a board, you’ll be expected to attend meetings, help with events, fundraising, etc. Beyond the time commitment, serving on a board often comes with financial expectations. Participating in the CLT program costs $900. You don’t have to make six figures to be a board member but if you are carefully watching your budget right now, volunteering for an organization may be a smarter move.

(3) Apply for the CLT Program

If you’ve given it some thought and feel ready to take the next step, apply for the CLT program. Applications become available online in spring 2016 at artsandscience.org.

The program will only accept approximately 30 individuals. “We don’t have a prescribed age profile,” says Katherine Mooring, SVP of Programs and Services for the Arts and Science Council. “We accept people in their 20s all the way up to retirees.” The selection process is carried out by CLT alumni, and Mooring says it can be highly competitive. 

(4) Talk to your employer about it

Considering applying for the CLT program? Chat with your employer about it. It may be surprising but Mooring says many companies encourage their employees to get involved and some even pay the $900 program cost.

Churchill often recommends the CLT program to fellow bank employees. Bank of America, a longtime supporter of the Arts and Science Council, encourages this type of engagement. “Giving back to the community is a big deal with Bank of America,” says Churchill. Mooring says CLT has Bank of America employees in almost every class. “There are a lot of really wonderful board members coming out of that company.”

Many other Charlotte companies encourage community involvement as well – you may be surprised by the support you receive.

(5) Get ready to learn – a lot

A large part of the CLT program is learning about how to serve on a board. From getting educated about legal liability to program development to fundraising, the program covers lots of useful information in its nine sessions. “We are giving people a really good baseline that puts them in the position to ask the right questions,” says Mooring.

(6) Work with an organization you are passionate about

When it comes time to be matched with a board, the CLT program class members participate in a round of “speed dating” with 10 different local organizations. They are then narrowed down to the top three and, more often than not, participants are matched to become board members. Mooring says that in the end, “the best board members are those directly connecting a passion.” Choose something that’s meaningful to you, and go all in.

Here is a list of organizations currently involved with the CLT program:

ASC, Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte, A Sign of the Times, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Blumenthal Performing Arts, Carolina Raptor Center, Carolina Voices, Charlotte Ballet, Charlotte Symphony, Charlotte Museum of History, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, Choir School at St. Peters, Clayworks, Community School of the Arts, Festival in the Park, Levine Museum of the New South, McColl Center for Art + Innovation, The Mint Museum, One Voice Chorus, Playing for Others, The Possibility Project, Rural Hill, Sustain Charlotte, Theatre Charlotte and Wing Haven.

Feeling inspired?

Take in a little culture this weekend – for free – with Bank of America’s Museums on Us program. You can get free general admission to participating museums on the first full weekend of every month just by presenting your Bank of America credit or debit card.

Participating museums include: Mint Museum Uptown, Mint Museum Randolph, Levine Museum of the New South, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture.

(Note: This content was co-created with Bank of America.)