On November 13, 1998, The American Assembly convened thirty-two representatives of the for-profit arts, not-for-profit arts, high technologies industries, higher education, service organizations, and foundations at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California. Subsequently, on April 8 and 9, 1999, thirty-four leaders from the same sectors met at Arden House in Harriman, New York, under American Assembly auspices. Participants at both gatherings discussed connections--existing and potential--between the for-profit and not-for-profit arts, and whether and how such connections might be formalized and expanded.

In reviewing these trends and the many examples of cross-sector collaborations, participants concluded that these relationships are of benefit to the institutions, companies, and artists involved. They also concluded that cross-sector collaborations were increasingly stimulated by new technologically generated opportunities for product and its dissemination.

Participants offered cautions, however, observing that collaborations between for-profits and not-for-profits do not address all the challenges facing arts sector organizations, and that, in fact, they can be expected to create new challenges. Traditional discussions of organizations in the for-profit and not-for-profit arts have stressed differences between them in mission, incorporation, accountability, purpose, disciplines, performance, relationships to audiences, marketing and distribution capacities, and income generation. Assembly participants identified several factors that inhibit cross-sector collaborations:

• The enlargement of risk, especially financial risk, that such collaborations  might entail. 
• Lack of communications and understanding across the full arts sector. 
• A shortage of cultural translators to convene and broker such communications.
• A dearth of knowledge about the design and implementation of cross-sector deals and their legal, administrative, and economic underpinnings.
• Skepticism about past deals that have yielded minimal pay-offs for both for-profit and not-for-profit partners.
• The unfamiliarity of funders and investors with cross-sector connections.
• Concern that partnerships will benefit only those arts organizations stable or large enough to sustain them, further disadvantaging small or middle-sized enterprises, whether for-profit or not-for-profit.

Participants believe that further collaboration should be encouraged and pursued, and recommendations made for action in the areas of:

• Funding and investment.
• Stimulating artistic product.
• Developing infrastructure.
• Building audiences.
• Building and preserving communities.

On November 13, 1998, The American Assembly convened thirty-two representatives of the for-profit arts, not-for-profit arts, high technologies industries, higher education, service organizations, and foundations at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California. Subsequently, on April 8 and 9, 1999, thirty-four leaders from the same sectors met at Arden House in Harriman, New York, under American Assembly auspices. Participants at both gatherings discussed connections--existing and potential--between the for-profit and not-for-profit arts, and whether and how such connections might be formalized and expanded.