
Arts Management ❖ Executive Coaching
Advisory services for public and private clients
Supporting leadership at the interface of creativity and management.
KCS ArtCounsel offers experienced executive coaching, arts management, and philanthropic advisory services with special focus on the arts, culture and heritage sectors.
Karen Colby-Stothart (FEA, ACC)
Chief Executive, KCS ArtCounsel Inc.
Established in 2020 by Karen Colby-Stothart to offer executive coaching and advisory services in arts management, leadership and arts philanthropy, to public and private clients.
With special interest in Canada’s arts leadership history and future, Ms. Colby-Stothart is especially committed to supporting leaders interested in exploring complex challenges, strengthening fundamental leadership skills and navigating the differentiating features of the arts management context.
Karen Colby-Stothart is a certified Executive Coach (ACC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and is a certified Family Enterprise Advisor (FAE) with Family Enterprise Canada (FEC). She has held various professional, executive, and board positions over three decades in the Canadian charitable and not-for-profit arts sectors. Her most recent roles were Chief Executive of the National Gallery of Canada Foundation (2013-2019) and Deputy Director, Exhibitions & National Outreach at the National Gallery of Canada (2009-2012).

VISION
Stimulating creativity, supporting leadership excellence and contributing to the national legacy in the Canadian arts, culture and heritage sector.
MISSION
Dedicated to supporting Canadian arts leadership through executive coaching and arts management advisory services; and offering strategic counsel to philanthropists and charitable foundations looking to optimize their arts-focused gift strategies and legacies.
Services
Arts Management
Consultation and advisory services offered to leaders within arts, culture and heritage organizations; boards; training programs; special project teams; government agencies and private clients.
Kindly enquire for hourly fees and package rates.
Competency areas include:
Arts Management Executive leadership; strategic planning; stakeholder relations (internal/external/creative); operations; program vs project development;
Special Projects Strategy; innovation; international/national partnerships; team leadership;
Not-for-Profit Boards National NFP considerations; governance; policy; operations; advocacy
Support to Private Collectors Collection & loans management; special projects.
Interim Executive roles On an exceptional basis.
Executive Coaching
Executive coaching services for chief executives; senior leaders; emerging leaders; independent directors on not-for-profit or charitable sector boards, artists and creators with management or entrepreneurial responsibilities; and others exploring the nuances of effective leadership and management in creative environments.
Kindly enquire for hourly fees and package rates.
May include support in the following areas:
Board interface
Executive priorities
Managing creative excellence
Stakeholder relations (public and private)
Leadership effectiveness
Executive presence and communications
Philanthropic Advisory
Advisory services are offered to collectors, philanthropists, family offices and private foundations interested in optimizing their arts-related philanthropic strategies, major gift agreements and special projects.
Kindly enquire for hourly fees and package rates.
Services include:
Working in collaboration with you and your legal and financial advisors, KCS ArtCounsel offers experienced advice in all of your interactions with cultural organizations and their charitable foundations including:
Independent expertise in working with major arts organisations
Conceptualization of effective philanthropic strategies, possibly including multiple beneficiary organizations or projects;
Development of individual (major) gift concepts and agreements with sustainable, aligned, visionary results.
For Foundations, services include:
Board advisory
Management advisory

Exploring excellence in arts leadership, together.






