CEO: Behind the Scenes Why risk is the most misunderstood tool in leadership
Mar 18, 2026
Janice Price, President and CEO of ROM Governors and seasoned leader in arts and culture, reflects on risk as a misunderstood leadership tool. She talks about leading through crises, reframing fear into calculated opportunity, balancing mission with finances, and building authentic donor and community relationships. Short, candid stories about pivots, team-building, and museums’ role in belonging.
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Museums Should Actively Invite Diverse Audiences
- Museums must actively invite diverse communities rather than remain 'temples on the hill'; accessibility and relevance drive engagement.
- At ROM, Janice emphasizes reflecting visitor cultures and meeting new Canadians where they are to create resonance.
Cultural Institutions Operate Like Reinvesting Businesses
- The 'not-for-profit' label is misleading; cultural organisations operate like businesses that reinvest surplus into mission rather than shareholders.
- Janice recommends renaming the sector to reflect revenue generation, ticketing, trading, and efficient operations.
The Beatles Pay For Mozart
- Balancing mission and revenue means programming blockbusters to subsidize less-commercial artistic work.
- Janice recalls boardroom wisdom: 'The Beatles pay for Mozart' to justify mixing popular and niche programming.