Inside and outside the boardroom: Collaborative practices in the performing arts sector

Collaboration is crucial in the arts sector, where forms of collaborative governance (CG) – the inclusion of private partners in the decision-making process – have been implemented in order to overcome scarcity of resources and to engage with stakeholders. The governance of performing arts organizations today must be based on constant collaboration between public and private entities in order to generate greater value. The purpose of this study is to identify the drivers of CG in performing arts organizations by means of a case study of I Teatri Foundation of Reggio-Emilia, one of the first theatres in Italy to include private partners in governance. The methodology is based on both documentary analysis and interviews. The findings show that CG should be applied at micro and meso levels (inside and outside the boardroom), as both levels contribute to the creation of value for the audience.