Financial officers gather to discuss topics regarding arts organizations

Proctors Collaborative hosts Arts Group conference

SCHENECTADY— This past April, top finance officers from arts organizations around the country gathered at Proctors for a two-day conference to discuss challenges, opportunities and best practices facing the arts industry.

With members from performing arts centers, symphonies and museums, the CFO Arts Group represents organizations with budgets ranging from $10 million up to $70 million.

According to Proctors Collaborative CFO Chris Musto, the forum is meant for these organizations to gather, bounce ideas off one another and ask questions of their peers.

“It’s great to have a network of professionals in our industry that can collaborate and share ideas, challenges and solutions with one another. Having an in-person conference significantly improves our organizational relationships and friendships,” Musto said.

Within the last year, the groups steering committee, or advisory board, had been restructured, and Musto, a new member of the committee, volunteered Proctors in Schenectady as a hosting site.

“I knew we could pull it off on short notice and the other venues were unsure,” he said.  

The two-day conference, sponsored by The Bonadio Group, M&T Bank and Tessitura, covered multiple topics that are relevant to the world of arts and finance such as cybersecurity, human resources, fraud, funding and more.

The conference featured a presentation from The Bonadio Group and Foxpoint Solutions, round table discussions and group dinner each night to further the days’ conversations.