NAS Leadership Coaching

NAS Leadership Coaching

What is coaching? It’s a process that empowers individuals to maximize their personal and professional potential. A coach’s job is to help clients articulate and achieve meaningful goals, overcome obstacles, and create change.

NAS Leadership Coaching

What is coaching? It’s a process that empowers individuals to maximize their personal and professional potential. A coach’s job is to help clients articulate and achieve meaningful goals, overcome obstacles, and create change.

Why NAS Leadership Coaching?

NAS exists to support arts and culture leaders. Years ago, we recognized that while coaching was becoming an industry standard for leaders in other sectors, it was largely missing from ours. As we looked around, we realized the reason was twofold: there was a lack of funding for this important investment in arts and culture, and a lack of coaches with deep expertise and lived experience in our field.

To remedy this, we built a first of its kind, rigorously trained roster of coaches who are arts and culture leaders themselves and have the lived experience needed to support the people in our field through the unique challenges so many of us face. We offer sliding scale pricing on individual coaching to increase access, we collect data to help our field and organizations funding coaching better understand the impact of investing in this modality, and we work with funders directly to enable coaching for grantees.

Our coaches are able to support arts and culture professionals across a broad range of personal and professional areas, including but not limited to:

  • Change management
  • Organizational strategy
  • Managing teams
  • Healthy communication
  • Inclusion and working across differences
  • Fundraising
  • Career transition
  • Succession planning
  • Conflict resolution

Since beginning this work, we’ve been able to coach hundreds of arts and culture leaders across geography, discipline, career stage, and more. We believe that everyone doing the work of arts and culture is worthy of coaching, and hope to make it as accessible as possible for all.

Why NAS Leadership Coaching?

NAS exists to support arts and culture leaders. Years ago, we recognized that while coaching was becoming an industry standard for leaders in other sectors, it was largely missing from ours. As we looked around, we realized the reason was twofold: there was a lack of funding for this important investment in arts and culture, and a lack of coaches with deep expertise and lived experience in our field.

To remedy this, we built a first of its kind, rigorously trained roster of coaches who are arts and culture leaders themselves and have the lived experience needed to support the people in our field through the unique challenges so many of us face. We offer sliding scale pricing on individual coaching to increase access, we collect data to help our field and organizations funding coaching better understand the impact of investing in this modality, and we work with funders directly to enable coaching for grantees.

Our coaches are able to support arts and culture professionals across a broad range of personal and professional areas, including but not limited to:

  • Change management
  • Organizational strategy
  • Managing teams
  • Healthy communication
  • Inclusion and working across differences
  • Fundraising
  • Career transition
  • Succession planning
  • Conflict resolution

Since beginning this work, we’ve been able to coach hundreds of arts and culture leaders across geography, discipline, career stage, and more. We believe that everyone doing the work of arts and culture is worthy of coaching, and hope to make it as accessible as possible for all.

Types of Coaching/How it Works

 

NAS offers three different types of coaching:

Individual Coaching

NAS coaches support all the people that make arts and culture possible, from young folks just starting out, to veterans looking for new ideas, perspectives, and tools. If you’re ready for a partner to help you break through barriers and show up to your work and life with vision, focus, and alignment, we’re here to help. Whatever your role. Whatever your identity or lived experience. Wherever you live. We want to make coaching as easy and accessible for you as possible.

How it works:

  1. Decide on Your Sliding Scale Coaching Package
    Coaching typically takes place every other week, and each session is 50 minutes long. Coaches are also available for up to three spot coaching sessions in between full length ones: 10-20 minutes via text, phone, video, or email. As of January, 2025, we have moved to a sliding scale pricing model for our coaching to keep this offering accessible, sustainable, and equitable. We invite you to read through the chart below and make the choice that feels most aligned for you. Everyone will receive the same level of support from our coaches and staff no matter what package you select.
    6 Session (~3 Month) Package 10 Session (~5 Month) Package
    Full Rate Coaching:
    This rate covers the full cost of an NAS coaching package, including both payments to coaches and the cost to our organization to provide this service to you. We invite all who are able to join us at this rate to do so, and especially folks who are mid-career and/or working at more well-resourced organizations with access to professional development funds.    		 $2,400 $3,500 (~15% discount per session)
    Access Rate Coaching:
    This rate covers a portion of the true cost of NAS coaching, and is supplemented by donations of time and money to keep coaching accessible to as many people as possible in the arts and culture field. We invite all who need it to leverage this rate, and especially folks in the earlier stages of their careers and/or working with under-resourced organizations with little-to-no access to professional development funds.    		 $1,200 $1,900 (5% discount per session)
    Generosity Rate Coaching:
    This rate allows folks with access to greater resources the opportunity to help make this offering more accessible to our field. Generosity rate coaching covers the full cost of an NAS coaching package, and also supports our general operating budget, which makes more access rate coaching possible for others (receipts available on request). We invite anyone experiencing financial abundance to participate in this way, especially folks in senior career stages and/or those working at very well-resourced organizations with access to substantial professional development funds.    		 $3,000 $4,300
    (~15% discount per session)

    We know that finding your place on a sliding scale can be challenging. Please know, we’ve all had moments where we needed to be held by our community, and we’ve all had moments where we’ve been able to hold others. That is the spirit in which we offer this pricing model: if you’re in a place where you need to be held by this community financially, please allow yourself to be supported in this way. And if you have the financial resources to cover your full coaching package costs or help others that can’t, we ask you to please do so. Whatever you choose, we thank you for practicing care for yourself and the collective.

  2. Sign Up
    Once you’ve decided on your coaching package, you can sign up by filling out this coaching request form. You can see a PDF preview of the form here. After we’ve had a chance to review the information on your form, you’ll receive an email invitation from coaching.com to join our online coaching platform. On this platform, you’ll be able to review coach profiles, make payments for your coaching package of choice, schedule sessions, and more.
  3. Select Your Coach
    Once your profile is set up on coaching.com, you’ll be able to review profiles of all our coaches and schedule 1-3 chemistry calls to figure out which coach best meets your needs. (If you’re feeling excited and want to get a head start on this part even before you’re set up on coaching.com, you can also review coach profiles here.)
  4. Start Coaching
    Once you decide on your coach, you select them on coaching.com and get started. Your coach is your partner in setting and achieving goals that are meaningful to you, navigating challenges you’re facing, and working towards greater personal and professional fulfillment.
  5. We’re Here When You Need Us
    Throughout your coaching journey, NAS is here to support you. From video tutorials to help with the coach selection process to coach re-matching when needed, our goal is to make this process as easeful and meaningful as we can. We’ll be in touch and please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at coaching@artstrategies.org for any support you might need.
Coaching for Organizations

We know the challenges of running an organization, and we believe that an investment in your people is an investment in your mission and the change you want to make in the world. That’s why NAS partners with organizations to offer coaching to the people that make your work possible.

Maybe you’re a leader looking to provide support for your team in a time of organizational transition. Or maybe you’re a funder who wants to offer your grantees support in achieving their goals. Our roster of coaches allows us to support many leaders simultaneously, and our team manages the logistics, administration, and evaluation around coaching so you don’t have to.

How it works:

Reach out to us at coaching@artstrategies.org to schedule an exploratory call. Once we understand the details, NAS will create a custom coaching package designed to meet your unique needs.

Peer Exchange Groups (PEGs)

NAS’ one-on-one coaching work is incredibly powerful, and through 40 years of designing and implementing programs for arts and culture professionals, we have come to believe deeply in the transformative impact of bringing people together. Peer Exchange Groups (PEGs) are our way of combining the two: bringing best-in-class practices from the coaching modality to a community of peers that can learn with and from one another.

Our PEGs are small, intentionally curated groups of arts and culture professionals that meet regularly for 6 sessions over multiple months guided by a skilled NAS coach facilitator. PEGs give participants the opportunity to set and achieve meaningful goals for themselves and their organizations as they would in traditional coaching, but leverage a group model to foster connection and community.

Because leadership can be isolating, these groups offer a safe and confidential space in which participants can share transparently and feel supported. PEGs create opportunities for participants to learn and grow alongside their peers and find authentic ways to navigate their challenges together.

How it works:

We offer PEGs to current participants in NAS programs, we’re piloting alumni PEGs offerings, and we co-create PEGs with organizational partners to meet the needs of their teams and communities. To explore co-creating PEGs for your organization and/or community, contact us at coaching@artstrategies.org.

Types of Coaching/How it Works

NAS offers three different types of coaching:

Individual Coaching

NAS coaches support all the people that make arts and culture possible, from young folks just starting out, to veterans looking for new ideas, perspectives, and tools. If you’re ready for a partner to help you break through barriers and show up to your work and life with vision, focus, and alignment, we’re here to help. Whatever your role. Whatever your identity or lived experience. Wherever you live. We want to make coaching as easy and accessible for you as possible.

How it works:

  1. Decide on Your Sliding Scale Coaching Package
    Coaching typically takes place every other week, and each session is 50 minutes long. Coaches are also available for up to three spot coaching sessions in between full length ones: 10-20 minutes via text, phone, video, or email. As of January, 2025, we have moved to a sliding scale pricing model for our coaching to keep this offering accessible, sustainable, and equitable. We invite you to read through the chart below and make the choice that feels most aligned for you. Everyone will receive the same level of support from our coaches and staff no matter what package you select.
    6 Session (~3 Month) Package 10 Session (~5 Month) Package
    Full Rate Coaching:
    This rate covers the full cost of an NAS coaching package, including both payments to coaches and the cost to our organization to provide this service to you. We invite all who are able to join us at this rate to do so, and especially folks who are mid-career and/or working at more well-resourced organizations with access to professional development funds.    		 $2,400 $3,500 (~15% discount per session)
    Access Rate Coaching:
    This rate covers a portion of the true cost of NAS coaching, and is supplemented by donations of time and money to keep coaching accessible to as many people as possible in the arts and culture field. We invite all who need it to leverage this rate, and especially folks in the earlier stages of their careers and/or working with under-resourced organizations with little-to-no access to professional development funds.    		 $1,200 $1,900 (5% discount per session)
    Generosity Rate Coaching:
    This rate allows folks with access to greater resources the opportunity to help make this offering more accessible to our field. Generosity rate coaching covers the full cost of an NAS coaching package, and also supports our general operating budget, which makes more access rate coaching possible for others (receipts available on request). We invite anyone experiencing financial abundance to participate in this way, especially folks in senior career stages and/or those working at very well-resourced organizations with access to substantial professional development funds.    		 $3,000 $4,300
    (~15% discount per session)

    We know that finding your place on a sliding scale can be challenging. Please know, we’ve all had moments where we needed to be held by our community, and we’ve all had moments where we’ve been able to hold others. That is the spirit in which we offer this pricing model: if you’re in a place where you need to be held by this community financially, please allow yourself to be supported in this way. And if you have the financial resources to cover your full coaching package costs or help others that can’t, we ask you to please do so. Whatever you choose, we thank you for practicing care for yourself and the collective.

  2. Sign Up
    Once you’ve decided on your coaching package, you can sign up by filling out this coaching request form. You can see a PDF preview of the form here. After we’ve had a chance to review the information on your form, you’ll receive an email invitation from coaching.com to join our online coaching platform. On this platform, you’ll be able to review coach profiles, make payments for your coaching package of choice, schedule sessions, and more.
  3. Select Your Coach
    Once your profile is set up on coaching.com, you’ll be able to review profiles of all our coaches and schedule 1-3 chemistry calls to figure out which coach best meets your needs. (If you’re feeling excited and want to get a head start on this part even before you’re set up on coaching.com, you can also review coach profiles here.)
  4. Start Coaching
    Once you decide on your coach, you select them on coaching.com and get started. Your coach is your partner in setting and achieving goals that are meaningful to you, navigating challenges you’re facing, and working towards greater personal and professional fulfillment.
  5. We’re Here When You Need Us
    Throughout your coaching journey, NAS is here to support you. From video tutorials to help with the coach selection process to coach re-matching when needed, our goal is to make this process as easeful and meaningful as we can. We’ll be in touch and please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at coaching@artstrategies.org for any support you might need.
Coaching for Organizations

We know the challenges of running an organization, and we believe that an investment in your people is an investment in your mission and the change you want to make in the world. That’s why NAS partners with organizations to offer coaching to the people that make your work possible.

Maybe you’re a leader looking to provide support for your team in a time of organizational transition. Or maybe you’re a funder who wants to offer your grantees support in achieving their goals. Our roster of coaches allows us to support many leaders simultaneously, and our team manages the logistics, administration, and evaluation around coaching so you don’t have to.

How it works:

Reach out to us at coaching@artstrategies.org to schedule an exploratory call. Once we understand the details, NAS will create a custom coaching package designed to meet your unique needs.

Peer Exchange Groups (PEGs)

NAS’ one-on-one coaching work is incredibly powerful, and through 40 years of designing and implementing programs for arts and culture professionals, we have come to believe deeply in the transformative impact of bringing people together. Peer Exchange Groups (PEGs) are our way of combining the two: bringing best-in-class practices from the coaching modality to a community of peers that can learn with and from one another.

Our PEGs are small, intentionally curated groups of arts and culture professionals that meet regularly for 6 sessions over multiple months guided by a skilled NAS coach facilitator. PEGs give participants the opportunity to set and achieve meaningful goals for themselves and their organizations as they would in traditional coaching, but leverage a group model to foster connection and community.

Because leadership can be isolating, these groups offer a safe and confidential space in which participants can share transparently and feel supported. PEGs create opportunities for participants to learn and grow alongside their peers and find authentic ways to navigate their challenges together.

How it works:

We offer PEGs to current participants in NAS programs, we’re piloting alumni PEGs offerings, and we co-create PEGs with organizational partners to meet the needs of their teams and communities. To explore co-creating PEGs for your organization and/or community, contact us at coaching@artstrategies.org.

Clients say…

Clients say…

%

Are more confident managing change

%

Feel less overwhelmed

%

Feel less isolated

%

Are very likely to recommend their NAS Coach to a friend or colleague

Meet the Coaches

NAS coaches are arts and culture leaders themselves who’ve undertaken rigorous coach training. They have a nuanced understanding of the unique challenges so many of us face, and a deep commitment to supporting arts and culture professionals.

Learn more about their diverse backgrounds, specialties, and coaching styles →

Meet the Coaches

NAS coaches are arts and culture leaders themselves who’ve undertaken rigorous coach training. They have a nuanced understanding of the unique challenges so many of us face, and a deep commitment to supporting arts and culture professionals.

Learn more about their diverse backgrounds, specialties, and coaching styles →

Get Started

Ready to begin working with an experienced NAS Coach? Let’s get started!
 

Sign up for Individual Coaching →
Contact us for PEGs or Organizational Coaching →

Frequently Asked Questions

How is coaching different from mentoring, consulting, or counseling?

Coaching is a powerful tool, and it’s one of many that can help you along your journey. As you decide whether coaching is right for you, it’s important to understand the difference between this modality and others with which its often confused:

  • Counselors are trained mental health professionals, often working with clients on understanding and healing from past experiences.
  • Mentors are trusted guides and advisors – people willing to share their experiences and offer advice.
  • Consultants are experts hired to provide answers, solutions, support, and plans.

Coaching differs from the above in that it’s highly future and action oriented, but never focused on advice or someone else’s answers. A coach’s job is to ask powerful questions such that you can get clear on your own goals and find your unique answers to whatever big challenges and questions you’re navigating.

We believe that all the modalities above can be incredibly useful, and that none need to be mutually exclusive.

What sets NAS Coaches apart?
NAS Coaches are different in a number of important ways:

  1. Coaching in arts and culture is not new, but with few coaches that have lived experience or expertise in our field, it can be frustrating for people to have to explain to coaches the nuances of working in our sector. That’s why NAS created a first of its kind coach training program for arts and culture leaders: to create a cohort of coaches that have this experience and can meet the needs of professionals in our field. Now, we’ve built a roster of coaches including those trained with NAS and others we’ve met along the way that have the experience needed to meaningfully serve arts and culture leaders.
  2. Coaching is a largely unregulated field, meaning that anyone can technically call themselves a coach, whether or not they’ve trained to be one. Our coaches have all been rigorously trained in best in class programs, most of which are accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the leading global organization dedicated to advancing the coaching profession.
  3. Having a roster of coaches means you get to choose the coach(es) that best meet your needs. Whether you’re an individual looking for your own coach, or an organization looking to bring on multiple coaches at the same time, our goal is to help you find the coach that’s right for you.
What if I can’t afford access rate coaching?

We know well that many of us working in arts and culture operate on limited budgets in our organizations and in our lives. If the access rate coaching packages are out of your price range, you aren’t alone.

Because NAS has to cover the cost of our coaches and also all the personnel and operating costs that make your coaching package possible, we aren’t able to offer coaching at prices below our access rate. That said, you still deserve to work with a coach if you want to and there are ways to make that happen at a lower cost to you. We encourage you to do any/all of the following:

  1. Ask your funders, managers, and/or community for support. We’ve created this fundraising template to help. We invite you to use this language or make it your own. If you’re having trouble copying and pasting the text, here’s a link to download a Word document (Note: Clicking this link will initiate an immediate download).
  2. Reach out to the coach(es) you want to work with directly (you can find their bios and email addresses here). You can tell them more about yourself and see if you can work out a lower-cost rate that works for both of you.
  3. Contact us at coaching@artstrategies.org. Some coaches have specifically told us they’re willing to offer pro/low bono sessions for those that need them, and we’re happy to let you know who those coaches are for you to reach out to.
What happens if I want to switch my coach mid-cycle?

If at any point during your coaching work you feel your coach is no longer the right partner for you, reach out to us at coaching@artstrategies.org. Our team will work with you to find a coach who better meets your needs.

What are your session cancellation and refund policies?

We’re glad you asked!

Session Cancellations: We all know that life happens. If you need to reschedule a coaching session, we ask you to please give your coach as much notice as you are able. If you cancel a session with less than 24 hours notice, that is considered a late cancellation. In the event of a late cancellation, coaches are not required to reschedule the session, and clients will not be refunded for any sessions missed for this reason.

Coaching Refunds: We understand that your needs and circumstances might change after purchasing your coaching package, so we offer the following refund policy:

  • 85% refund within 60 days of purchase if you haven’t yet started your sessions
  • 50% refund on any unused sessions within the first 6 months of purchase

You can contact coaching@artstrategies.org to initiate a refund within the timeframes above. Please note, after 6 months, refunds are no longer available.

For organizations: If you’re purchasing coaching for individuals, we encourage you to check in with them directly prior to refund deadlines to confirm they are able to use their sessions. Where possible, NAS will try to notify your organization if you may be eligible for a refund, but due to client volume and team bandwidth we cannot guarantee our ability to do so.

In case you need it, you can find a direct link to these policies here.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is coaching different from mentoring, consulting, or counseling?

Coaching is a powerful tool, and it’s one of many that can help you along your journey. As you decide whether coaching is right for you, it’s important to understand the difference between this modality and others with which its often confused:

  • Counselors are trained mental health professionals, often working with clients on understanding and healing from past experiences.
  • Mentors are trusted guides and advisors – people willing to share their experiences and offer advice.
  • Consultants are experts hired to provide answers, solutions, support, and plans.

Coaching differs from the above in that it’s highly future and action oriented, but never focused on advice or someone else’s answers. A coach’s job is to ask powerful questions such that you can get clear on your own goals and find your unique answers to whatever big challenges and questions you’re navigating.

We believe that all the modalities above can be incredibly useful, and that none need to be mutually exclusive.

What sets NAS Coaches apart?

NAS Coaches are different in a number of important ways:

  1. Coaching in arts and culture is not new, but with few coaches that have lived experience or expertise in our field, it can be frustrating for people to have to explain to coaches the nuances of working in our sector. That’s why NAS created a first of its kind coach training program for arts and culture leaders: to create a cohort of coaches that have this experience and can meet the needs of professionals in our field. Now, we’ve built a roster of coaches including those trained with NAS and others we’ve met along the way that have the experience needed to meaningfully serve arts and culture leaders.
  2. Coaching is a largely unregulated field, meaning that anyone can technically call themselves a coach, whether or not they’ve trained to be one. Our coaches have all been rigorously trained in best in class programs, most of which are accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the leading global organization dedicated to advancing the coaching profession.
  3. Having a roster of coaches means you get to choose the coach(es) that best meet your needs. Whether you’re an individual looking for your own coach, or an organization looking to bring on multiple coaches at the same time, our goal is to help you find the coach that’s right for you.
What if I can’t afford access rate coaching?

We know well that many of us working in arts and culture operate on limited budgets in our organizations and in our lives. If the access rate coaching packages are out of your price range, you aren’t alone.

Because NAS has to cover the cost of our coaches and also all the personnel and operating costs that make your coaching package possible, we aren’t able to offer coaching at prices below our access rate. That said, you still deserve to work with a coach if you want to and there are ways to make that happen at a lower cost to you. We encourage you to do any/all of the following:

  1. Ask your funders, managers, and/or community for support. We’ve created this fundraising template to help. We invite you to use this language or make it your own. If you’re having trouble copying and pasting the text, here’s a link to download a Word document (Note: Clicking this link will initiate an immediate download).
  2. Reach out to the coach(es) you want to work with directly (you can find their bios and email addresses here). You can tell them more about yourself and see if you can work out a lower-cost rate that works for both of you.
  3. Contact us at coaching@artstrategies.org. Some coaches have specifically told us they’re willing to offer pro/low bono sessions for those that need them, and we’re happy to let you know who those coaches are for you to reach out to.
What happens if I want to switch my coach mid-cycle?

If at any point during your coaching work you feel your coach is no longer the right partner for you, reach out to us at coaching@artstrategies.org. Our team will work with you to find a coach who better meets your needs.

What are your session cancellation and refund policies?

We’re glad you asked!

Session Cancellations: We all know that life happens. If you need to reschedule a coaching session, we ask you to please give your coach as much notice as you are able. If you cancel a session with less than 24 hours notice, that is considered a late cancellation. In the event of a late cancellation, coaches are not required to reschedule the session, and clients will not be refunded for any sessions missed for this reason.

Coaching Refunds: We understand that your needs and circumstances might change after purchasing your coaching package, so we offer the following refund policy:

  • 85% refund within 60 days of purchase if you haven’t yet started your sessions
  • 50% refund on any unused sessions within the first 6 months of purchase

You can contact coaching@artstrategies.org to initiate a refund within the timeframes above. Please note, after 6 months, refunds are no longer available.

For organizations: If you’re purchasing coaching for individuals, we encourage you to check in with them directly prior to refund deadlines to confirm they are able to use their sessions. Where possible, NAS will try to notify your organization if you may be eligible for a refund, but due to client volume and team bandwidth we cannot guarantee our ability to do so.

In case you need it, you can find a direct link to these policies here.