What does Changing the Narrative mean ten years later? That is what this season of The Offstage Mic with Aubrey Bergauer is all about. How can we continue to change the narrative for our cultural institutions today? How can we reverse the negative trends so pervasive these days?

This podcast is about running our business: how to grow audiences, develop high performing teams and leaders, get younger attendees in the seats and on the donor rolls, apply strategies working in other sectors, and generate more revenue, all in order to serve the mission and flourish in a changing world.

We are talking all things the business side of the arts, and it is not business as usual.

Season Six of The Offstage Mic launches April 14. Watch, listen and follow along wherever you get your podcasts.

If your days as an arts leader are consumed by never-ending to-do lists, last-minute fires, and reactive work—this episode is your call to break the cycle. In this Season 5 finale, we dig into a leadership struggle that nearly every arts executive, administrator, and manager faces: the battle between the urgent and the important.

Through honest reflection, personal experience, and practical tools, we unpack why time management in arts leadership isn’t just about productivity—it’s about reclaiming your role as a strategic visionary. You’ll learn how to identify the 20% of your work that drives real impact, why busyness can be a form of avoidance, and how to shift your focus toward building a thriving future for your organization. If you're ready to trade burnout for clarity and momentum, this episode offers both the mindset shift and tactical tools to help you get there.

The Offstage Mic is made possible by Artelize: their Audience Retention Dashboard is the one-stop place to access your audience data across every important metric. And also by Annual Fund Toolkit: they’ve built a support system to help grow your donor community and major gift pipeline.

One of the biggest mistakes arts organizations make is over relying on major donors. In this penultimate episode of the season, Aubrey Bergauer talks with Dana Snyder—author of The Monthly Giving Mastermind—about why major gifts alone won’t save your organization’s financial future. Together, they explore how a strong monthly giving program isn’t just smart strategy; it’s sustainable, reliable, and rooted in digital marketing best practices.

Learn how moving just 2% more charitable donations to monthly giving could unlock $9 billion in recurring revenue. Discover why recurring donors give 42% more per year, and how to build a donor pipeline that leads to more major gifts—not fewer. If you’re tired of chasing one-time checks and ready to grow real stability, this episode is a must-listen.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why over-relying on major donors puts your organization at risk
• The $9 billion opportunity in recurring giving
• How to launch and grow a thriving monthly giving program
• Why digital marketing skills are key to donor retention
• How to move monthly donors into major giving

The Offstage Mic is made possible by Artelize: their Audience Retention Dashboard is the one-stop place to access your audience data across every important metric. And also by Annual Fund Toolkit: they’ve built a support system to help grow your donor community and major gift pipeline.