Ireland Kost McNeill

I definitely attribute my success to my grit. After my master's, I was working in that school, and I ended up taking a little part-time minimum wage gig, and it was like, I was so overqualified for that job, but I wanted to learn more about what it was like to get back to the arts and how to run a program kind of on the ground. So I think having grit just to push through health setbacks, and not starting over - because it definitely was a good stepping stone to where I am now - that's been huge. I'm really proud of not giving up on that dream that education didn't have to fit in a box, that it could be interdisciplinary, that it could be artistic, that it could be fun. Even though I stepped back from that original plan, I pushed through and got to a position where I can be an artist and I can be a teacher full-time, and now I'm a director. I'm also very lucky that I had the chance to get that far.

There's always more to learn, no matter what your field is. You may think you have it all figured out, but there's always more to learn, and if you forget that, then I typically see people either get burned out or full of themselves. There's always more to learn.

I think two things. First off, take no shit. Truly. Because, I mean, especially with me, I'm barely 5 feet tall, I look very young, and it's very easy for people to assume that they can get away with treating me as less than, and they can't. So I think truly, standing up for yourself is so important, and knowing what you're about. Those two things - standing up for yourself and knowing who you are - are critical.

I think one of the biggest challenges I have is definitely keeping momentum going while also making sure we're financially stable. We're a non-profit, and I feel like every organization says this, but it's true. I have a fabulous co-worker, Jill, who's an amazing financial director that really helps guide our program so that we are stable and don't have fear of shutting down. Like, so many theaters in our area have had so many issues. There's a saying from a book I love, a fiction novel by Elizabeth Gilbert called City of Girls, and there's a quote in it that says, to make a small fortune in theater, you have to start off with a large fortune. I think that is something that is important not to forget - one of the challenges is making sure we're keeping things affordable while also making smart choices that are going to give the program longevity. I'm really thankful for Jill and finding the balance between making things affordable as a nonprofit, but also making sure that we're not following in that traditional downbound path. We've gotten really good at it - we apply for grants each year, we have community sponsors that we reach out to, the kids are really good about fundraising, whether that's making little crafts or getting donations. So we're on a good pathway, but I think it's more like a cautionary tale that I just try not to forget as I watch other people and similar organizations.

Definitely organization. I love structure, and I think when people hear that I'm super into the arts, they assume I'm very Type B, but I'm a very Type A person. So yeah, I love structure, I love organization. I think that it's always okay to get away from a plan and go off the beaten path, but you gotta have a plan, or you're gonna end up nowhere.