Hi, I’m Drew McManus. The Orchestra Insider.
“I hear that every time you show up to work with an orchestra, people get fired.”

Those were the first words out of an executive’s mouth after her board chair introduced us. That executive is now a dear colleague and friend but the day that consulting contract began with her orchestra, she was convinced I was a hatchet-man brought in by the board to clean house.

I understand where the trepidation comes from as a great deal of my consulting and technology provider work for arts organizations involves due diligence, separating fact from fiction, interpreting spin, as well as performance review and oversight. So yes, sometimes that work results in one or two individuals “aggressively embracing career change” but far more often than not, it reinforces and clarifies exactly what works and why.

In short, it doesn’t matter if you know where all the bodies are buried if you can’t keep your own clients out of the ground, and I’m fortunate enough to say that for 20 years, I’ve done exactly that for groups of all budget size from Qatar to Kathmandu.

For fun, I write a daily blog about the orchestra business, provide a platform for arts insiders to speak their mind, manage a site for arts managers to sharpen their skills, keep track of what people in this business get paid, help write a satirical cartoon about orchestra life, and love a good coffee drink.

Services Public Speaking Venture Platform

Services

Services For Artists & Entrepreneurs

There is a great deal about the business of being an artist your formal training didn’t prepare you for. I can help advance your career and maximize your potential without having to learn lessons the hard (and expensive) way.

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Public Speaking

I have been a regular speaker at industry conferences and as a guest academic lecturer for more than two decades. Here are some of the more popular sessions and topics:

Tactical Sessions

Many sessions are available in both on-site and webinar formats.

  • Culture Change: Making Effective Data Driven Decisions
  • Web UX Bootcamp
  • Web Accessibility For Content Managers
  • Click Click Done: Must-Have Google Analytics Settings
  • Culture Change: Making Effective Data Driven Decisions
  • Everything Tech Providers Wished You Knew About Writing RFPs
  • Operating In a Post Net Neutrality Environment

Academic Lectures

I frequently create custom content based on the needs of your attendees and students so feel free to reach out with an idea.

  • The Realities of An Orchestral Career
  • Mock Negotiations Sessions
  • Fourth Generation Theory: The Future Of Organized Labor
  • What Executive Directors are Looking for in a Music Director

Upcoming Events Event Archive

Would you like me to speak at your event or institution? Let’s chat…

Upcoming Events

All Upcoming Events

No events scheduled right now, but check back again soon.

The Venture Platform

Serving as a divisional designation of Drew McManus LLC, The Venture Platform was launched in 2010 and has become one of the leading providers of integrated web and e-mail marketing solutions. With unmatched support alongside supreme quality and value, we’re opening up a whole new world for the way arts orgs improve marketing performance and build durable relationships with their community.

  • Design and development
  • Incredible support
  • Unlimited training
  • Power and ease of use
  • Supreme quality and value

Visit VentureIndustries.Online To Learn More