When Ernest Auerbach took the helm at Austin Opera in 2011, the organization had been in existence for twenty-five years and was near bankruptcy. In the years leading up to the financial disaster, the Opera's well-meaning board of trustees and staff leadership had somehow lost sight of the fact that while opera is an art, running an opera is a business. Now it was up to Auerbach to save it from collapse.

Auerbach-a seasoned military leader and corporate executive-provides insight into the business model he developed to achieve a financial and artistic turnaround at Austin Opera as well as examples, methods, and tools that will help other performing arts organizations design their own sustainable business model and avoid a downward turn. Nonprofit leaders will learn how to:

Recognize signs of an impending disaster
Gain trust and effectively communicate with allies
Develop priorities during a financial crisis
Focus on organizational details while maintaining a mission
Keep patrons, donors, and trustees happy


Saving Performing Arts is a concise survival guide designed to help performing arts organizations avoid trouble and become successful organizations with excellent future prospects and money in the bank.


"A great lesson in leadership for those in every sector of the performing arts."
-Kevin Smith, Opera America field consultant