Nonprofit cultural governance: France versus USA

This chapter compares the governance models of nonprofit cultural organisations in France and the United States, focusing on heritage and performing arts, and explores the impacts of these differences on fundraising methods and leadership characteristics. These two models are considered idiosyncratic because they are based on radically different, even opposing, management types. At first glance, there seems to be no possible convergence points between these models, notably because they are inseparable from the specific cultural context in which they were developed and which, in turn, influences them. The French model is deemed too political, centralised, and wasteful by American researchers, while the American model remains a puzzle to French researchers: how can the arts thrive without a formal artistic policy and virtually no funding? The methodology consists of a strategic conversation around six emblematic case studies presented by French and American researchers. The empirical results show the effectiveness of both models in their specific contexts, including in times of crisis, and underline the importance of leadership. The conclusion suggests that the apparent opposition between French-style governance and American-style governance is less strict than it seems. A more integrative approach allows for a more nuanced understanding of these models, even recognising a certain degree of hybridisation between the two: the French system sometimes drawing inspiration from the American system to address some of its limitations, and vice versa.