But overselling museums is SO easy to do! Consider this situation:

1)  Staff submits budget for next fiscal year.  Expenses way exceed income
due to staff efforts to innovate programs to bring in more money.
2)  Board demands fewer expenses or more income.
3)  Unable to cut expenses any further, staff overestimates income to make
the budget come out even. (hey, it's their JOBS if it doesn't come out even!)
4)  Board trusts staff to make it work and approves budget; meanwhile...
5)  Staff trusts board to "sell" the museum to donors.
6)  Mid-FY it's not coming out right; board and staff panic; both start
overselling the museum and spending money to make money, only the money
isn't coming in.  Museum is in the red.
7)  Someone gets a great idea for next FY to catapult the museum into the
public eye to bring in the needed money.  The idea requires LOTS of extra
money and high visibility:  overselling continues apace.
8)  Time for next budget cycle:  see step 1)


I have no ideas how to stop this, except to adjure all concerned to deal
straightforwardly with one another.  Everyone has to be honest about what
can realistically be done with limited time and money, and shed those
rose-colored glasses about the position of the museum in the community.
Don't expect the other party to work miracles.

In a cynical mode,

Julia Moore
Indianapolis Art Center