Research Projects

At its core, my research and scholarship focuses on two specific concepts that are critical elements of building and sustaining a resilient, adaptive, and vibrant arts, cultural and creative sector:

• The role of data, information, and knowledge management as a means to create institutional and sector-wide knowledge through improved performance and outcomes.

• The role of innovation and entrepreneurial approaches in the development of new enterprises, programs, business models, and funding/philanthropic structures.

My research ultimately seeks to understand and address the critical components that are necessary to build stronger organizations and a stronger sector. As someone who has spent significant time in leadership positions within the sector, I firmly believe that research in our field must be broadly applicable and contain an element of praxis. Our field needs research that can be used to inform leading thinkers and practitioners while also building a formal body of scholarship.

The formal study of arts administration is relatively new when compared to other long-standing fields of study and research. Thus, the best research and scholarship for our field is that which can provide relevant insights that are broadly applicable. I believe my research and scholarship is adding valuable knowledge to the field and is leveraging my expertise, skills, and interests. In all of my research and scholarship efforts, I seek to achieve my ultimate objective of adding significant value to the field while continuing to grow my role as a well-respected representative of my institution.

My research activities are relevant and necessary at this critical time when the arts, cultural, and creative sector is facing significant, structural challenges. These challenges have created a need for new organizational practices and a new type of leadership. Rapid advances in technology, changing demographics, and competition for limited resources are requiring the sector to evolve and adapt in order to exist in our fast-paced, knowledge-driven society. Many long-standing models and approaches are no longer applicable, and as such, research plays a critical role in supporting the advancement of the field. My role as a scholar is to continue to lead our field through my growing body of research that is advancing knowledge and building tomorrow’s organizations and leaders.

The types of research and scholarship I have undertaken to date all align with my research agenda described above. I have been able to lead a wide range of research projects that address both institutional and sector-wide issues in our field. My research methods combine both quantitative, data-driven methods and qualitative, ethnographic methods. In our field, these mixed-methods approaches are most successful in understanding the full scope of the issues I am investigating.

Funded Research Projects:

Sustainable Earned Revenue Strategies for Small and Mid-Sized Cultural Organizations
Funding Source: Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS, via SAADA)
August 2023 – August 2026

Assessing the Impact of Archival Representation on Arts Communities of Color (Co-PI)
Funding Source: Wallace Foundation (via South Asian American Digital Archive)
January 2023-January 2025

Artura.org Planning and Development (Co-Pl)
Funding Source: Mellon Foundation (via Brandywine Workshop & Archives)
June 2021 - June 2023

"Making History at 250" Census of Humanities Project (Collaborator)
Funding Source: National Endowment for the Humanities
June 2020 - September 2021

The Future of Historic House Museums (Co-PI)
Funding Source: Drexel Areas of Research Excellence (DARE)
June 2019 - June 2020

Strategic Change and Sensemaking in the Performing Arts (Co-PI)
Funding Source: Drexel Faculty Research Grant
March 2018 – June 2019

Nonprofit Ecosystem Analysis and Visualization (PI)
Funding Source: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, sponsored by Stanford University
January 2017 - March 2018

Museums Count Research and Project Development (PI)
Funding Source: Institute of Museum and Library Services (a federal agency)
April 2014 – June 2016

Organizational Practices and Performance of Knowledge-Centric Arts Organizations (PI)
Funding Source: Westphal Faculty Grant
July 2014 – September 2015

Creation of a Scalable, National Model for Performing Artists’ Use of Historic Sacred Spaces (PI)
Funding Source: Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, sponsored by Partners for Sacred Places
October 2014 – January 2016

Knowledge-Centric Arts Organizations and Financial Performance (PI)
Funding Source: Westphal Faculty Grant and International Travel Award
September 2015 – July 2016

The Role of Arts & Culture in Underserved Communities (Co-PI)
Funding Source: Drexel University Office of Research and the Office of University and Community Partnerships
May 2013 – June 2014

Development of Online Arts and Cultural Knowledgebase (PI)
Funding Source: Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, fiscally sponsored for WolfBrown through National Arts Strategies
August 2013 – March 2014