Arts and culture is a part of what makes Denver unique; last year alone it generated $1.8 billion in economic activity for metro Denver. At Your Conversation With on Oct. 26, Dr. Christoph Heinrich, Frederick and Jan Mayer director of the Denver Art Museum (DAM), discussed the uniqueness of Denver and the intersection between art and business.
Here are some of our favorite insights from the DAM head.
Why Denver? Why not Denver? There’s a boldness to Denver that is unexpected; Denver isn’t afraid to get creative and collaborate, Heinrich said. Denver’s culture of community is part of what sold him when he visited Denver a little over 10 years ago. “Denver is the gate to the Wild West,” Heinrich said. “My wife and I feel in love with the Rockies, the city and the hospitality.”
Even Picasso had a mentor. Mentors can guide, shape and influence your career. Find mentors in business because they’re who you can rely on. “I must say that I’ve had three wonderful mentors and without these mentors, I don’t know where I would be,” Heinrich said. He shared a lesson he learned from each mentor:
- Find the balance between successor and predecessor: As the successor, share your knowledge and advice as you transition out of your position, but once you’ve stepped down, give your predecessor the space to take over.
- Keep your budget top of mind: People won’t tell you how to run your business as long as your numbers don’t drop into the red zone. Stay on top of your budget so you have room to do your job.
- Don’t micromanage. Your job is to make sure that you hire the right people, not tell the right people how to do their job. Understand the difference between being informed and micromanaging.
Treat a business strategy like launching an art exhibit. Making the decision of what to exhibit next is similar to deciding the next move for your company, Heinrich said, because you have to understand your business and be relevant but know what areas you haven’t tapped into yet. “These things that you’re not and that you try to be, there’s an opportunity,” Heinrich said. “Find opportunities to do something – a door that opens, a connection that you have.”
Don’t be afraid to collaborate with your competitors. The wide array of arts and culture organizations that have thrived thanks to the seven-county Scientific Cultural and Facilities District (SCFD). And while they may vie for a similar audience, there is high degree of respect and has created plenty of opportunities collaboration, hosting events and exhibitions together. “I think there is a very high degree of collaboration; it defines Denver and SCFD,” Heinrich said.
Join us for the next Your Conversation With on Dec. 6 with Amelia Earhart, 9NEWS reporter and president of the Fly With Amelia Foundation.
Laura James is the marketing and communications coordinator for the Denver Metro Chamber.
Photo credit: mclcbooks via Visual Hunt / CC BY-NC-ND