The Illinois Arts Alliance created their Peer Coaching Circles program following an extensive job satisfaction survey of the Illinois arts community in 2001. The data gathered indicated a high level of job fulfillment as well as early indicators of leadership succession challenges and concerns about significant levels of stress for organizational leadership and management alike.

Using these survey results as a springboard, IAA launched a series of discussions, focus groups and further research. Specifically, IAA constituents indicated the need for support systems for new, mid-career, and well-established leaders of arts organizations to overcome some of the challenges of stress and isolation that seem to be an inherent part of these positions.

In response, IAA developed and implemented Peer Coaching Circles, a program based on a model developed by Authenticity Consulting and piloted with great success in the arts community by the New York Foundation for the Arts. During 2005, IAA piloted three Circles - two in Chicago and one in Rockford. Another six circles in Chicago, Evanston, and Carbondale followed in 2007.

Recognizing the need for other communities to develop similar programming and the lack of information available to guide them in this endeavor, IAA received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts to develop a Peer Coaching Toolkit.

This website is designed to assist local arts agencies, service organizations and others who are interested in creating similar professional develop support systems for their constituencies to better understand the peer coaching philosophy, the basics of program development and to direct them to available resources for this purpose.

The Value of Peer Coaching Circles

Here are some Circle members' comments about their Peer Coaching experience:

• "Simply creating a structured way to consider problems/challenges is hugely beneficial. It gives a much needed perspective on bigger issues and underlying problems. Because it's difficult to get out of a routine, day-to-day way of thinking, it's very valuable to have these monthly set-asides where that's 'my job': giving thoughtful consideration to the 'big issues.'"

• "Just the sheer knowledge that I am not alone, that others have the same or similar challenges and struggles [is a benefit]. I have learned a lot from the group because even though we are all arts organizations, we have different approaches to problems and past experiences."

• "Just to be able to have two hours once a month to decompress out of the office is a great benefit to me - [it is] just as good as getting a massage."

• "This is a very beneficial program that can increase capacity and effectiveness of organizations."

• "Because of the partnerships formed [as a result of Circle membership], several arts organizations have grown and improved."

• "Being accountable to the Circle in achieving goals is very motivating."

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