“Are large-scale building projects good for the arts? And why do so many go so horribly wrong? These are some of the questions that Peter Frumkin and Ana Kolendo address in Building for the Arts. The authors bring to life the processes by which decisions get made with compelling interviews and colorful characters, revealing a tangled web of internal politics, personal ambitions, miscalculations, community conflict, and public relations fiascos. Throughout, they provide thoughtful analysis to help planners and project directors think about how to approach decisions along the way. Their book should be essential for arts and public administration programs.”

Steven J. Tepper, dean, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, Arizona State University

“Freakonomics meets facilities planning. Through incisive case studies and insightful analysis of decision making, Peter Frumkin and Ana Kolendo shine a bright light on why cultural building projects often go awry and show how a deeper (and earlier) understanding of the logic of the situation can contribute to happier endings. Important reading for anyone—professional, board member, or funder—who comes within a mile of one of these demanding, multifaceted projects.”

Adrian Ellis, AEA Consulting

“Building for the Arts makes a valuable contribution to the field of arts management by addressing a topic—how arts organizations make the difficult decision to launch major, new building projects—on which there is relatively little research and for which the financial, institutional, and community stakes of ‘getting it right’ are high. The authors present well-written case studies, including both success stories and cautionary tales of projects gone awry—to remind the reader that strategic facility design is an interactive process that can move into and out of alignment at different times.”

Margaret J. Wyszomirski, Ohio State University

“The central question of Building for the Arts is whether the cultural infrastructure in the United States is overbuilt. Organized around the topics of funding, the relationship between institution and community, mission, and organizational capacity, this volume explores how cultural organizations can put themselves in peril by overextending their reach and embarking on unsustainable building campaigns. . . . Recommended.”

Choice

“Frumkin and Kolendo have produced a fine study of the complexities of undertaking capital projects in the arts. Building for the Arts is timely, relevant, and engaging for nonprofit scholars, executives of arts organizations, and foundation program officers. Moreover, any community member who is interested in participating in the arts as a donor, board member, subscriber, or audience member will benefit from reading this book. Everyone will enjoy gaining a deeper understanding of how best to achieve strategic alignment that will give a proposed building project the greatest opportunity for success.”

Voluntas: International Society for Third-Sector Research

"A valuable resource for practitioners in the arts world, . . . [Building for the Arts] provides illuminating descriptive narratives, going behind the scenes to graphically document the organizational politics of decision making and organizational strategy and action in connection with planning, fund-raising, and capital campaigns, building design, programming, and connecting with audiences and local communities. All of these are essential dimensions of professional practice in art organizations."

American Journal of Sociology

“Building for the Arts makes a significant and much-needed contribution to the broader arts management literature.”

Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory