Mentorship Opportunities
"From day one, Sharon Yazowski imparted lessons that will serve me throughout my career. From managing a staff, to board recruitment, to work-life balance, she helped guide me through what had often been a challenging year, both personally and professionally. Most importantly, during the site visit, I caught a glimpse of the care, dedication, and tenacity it takes to be a competent, effective leader. For that, I am truly grateful."
~Oliver Saria, Bindlestiff Studio, San Francisco
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CP creates professional development opportunities for emerging talent (artistic, marketing, education, finance, etc.) to learn from experienced leaders in the field. We are committed to developing new audiences representing our state’s changing demographics; CP is dedicated to developing tomorrow’s arts leaders today.
2024/25 California Presenters Leadership Program
California Presenters offers a year-long, intensive, one-on-one mentorship program that champions arts presenters of diverse levels of experience in developing the skills to succeed as leaders in the field. We hand-pair promising emerging or established administrators with well-respected, senior CP members who have demonstrated a personal commitment to advancing the professional development of new leaders in the presenting field.
DEADLINE to submit 2024-25 Applications is March 22, 2024
Applicant Criteria:
Applicants may be either:
- Employed by an organization that is a member of California Presenters or
- Working for a community-based organization that does at least some presenting of professional performers and is not a current CP member.
A presenting organization is defined as a civic, non-profit or community-based organization whose primary mission is the public presentation of creative, cultural and performing arts events featuring artists other than its own. This may include: Cultural centers, festivals, non-profit organizations, College and University-based presenters, City and County presenting organizations, museums, independent venues and performing arts centers.
Program Benefits and Commitments Include:
- Hand-selected pairing with appropriate mentor
- Scholarship* to attend two consecutive CP Annual Membership Conferences
- Monthly phone call with mentor
- “Shadow Day” one-day site visit to mentor’s organization, travel and lodging covered by CP
- Occasional joint webinars and conference calls for entire cohort
- Participation in CP Professional Development webinars
- Access to the CP Listserve and other resources
- Continued involvement in CP following your mentorship year
- One year free CP membership for applicant’s organization, if not a current member.
"Like many mentors, I found that I learned a great deal from the experience. My mentee, Danielle Cohen, came to visit my organization and attended a public and a school performance by the classical crossover group Simply Three, toured our facilities, and participated in a staff and marketing meeting. Danielle's questions, insights, and observations were helpful in bringing great perspective to our activities." ~ Rebecca Carson, Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts at Pepperdine
Program Requirements:
- Attendance at two consecutive California Presenters Annual Membership Conferences
- Participation in at least one phone call per month with mentor and 3-4 conference calls or webinars
- Travel to mentor site for one-day, “shadow day” to occur within program year
Review Criteria
A CP selection committee will review all applications. Applicants that can demonstrate a strong interest in leadership development, expresses clarity in what they want to learn or be exposed to, a commitment to presenting the performing arts and enthusiasm for participating in a learning community will be the most competitive.
Acceptance into the California Presenters Leadership Program includes a scholarship covering conference registration, hotel and a transportation stipend to two CP Annual Membership Conferences. Awarded mentees will be asked to work up to two hours during the conference and will be asked to share a hotel room with another scholarship recipient of the same gender.
A CP selection committee will review all applications. Applicants that can demonstrate a strong interest in leadership development, expresses clarity in what they want to learn or be exposed to, a commitment to presenting the performing arts and enthusiasm for participating in a learning community will be the most competitive.
Acceptance into the California Presenters Leadership Program includes a scholarship covering conference registration, hotel and a transportation stipend to two CP Annual Membership Conferences. Awarded mentees will be asked to work up to two hours during the conference and will be asked to share a hotel room with another scholarship recipient of the same gender.
Banner photo credits: Carpenter Center at California State University, Long Beach; Mentor Ally Haynes-Hamblen, City of Las Vegas' Office of Cultural Affairs with her mentee CJ Di Mento, Oceanside Public Library and Oceanside Arts Commission; 2019 panelists, Michael Reed, Arizona State Gammage, Tempe, AZ; Brianne Hannum, MUSE/IQUE, Pasadena, CA; Dean Mermell, Flower Piano, Joshua Tree, CA; Mauro ffortisimo, Flower Piano, San Francisco, C