Kate Dumbleton - Executive Director, Chicago Jazz Ensemble

Why do you mentor?
Well, many reasons actually.  Until I returned to grad school at 40, I was mostly "self-taught" in my career in the arts.  Because Arts Administration is, in many ways, only now (last 12-15 years) emerging as a recognized professional field there is a large population of professionals who are self taught.  The history of the field is one of mutually beneficial mentorship.  So, in that sense, I see myself as part of the continuum. It was very meaningful to me that people took the time to help me learn.  I always try to create opportunities for people coming up in the field to develop-- the smart, entrepreneurial ones recognize the opportunity and take advantage of it.  Then, I guess I just like to learn myself.  It’s so interesting to teach because young people know SO MUCH more than me about technology and communication. I feel a real sense of dialog in the learning.  Finally, I love art and believe it’s a very important part of life.  If there are things I can help people learn from my experiences, it’s great!!

How has being a mentor helped your career?
I guess mentoring makes me see things I might otherwise miss.  It also helps me "keep it real" and keep present when it comes to understanding younger audiences---from a content and language perspective etc.

How did you connect with your mentee(s)?
Different ways at different times.  When I owned my business it was usually that they worked for me and had an interest in developing in one way or another.  It has also happened from word of mouth---meaning someone says "go talk to Kate about that...."  That still happens now.
It’s pretty fun when that happens because its interesting so see what knowledge people think I might be able to pass on!

How long have your mentoring relationships typically lasted?
Depends.  Sometimes its very brief and others are still ongoing with varying levels of interaction/frequent communication.  I still have mentors myself!!

What has surprised you most about being a mentor?
I don’t think I ever anticipated how much I would love it or how much I would learn myself.

What have been some of the challenges of being a mentor?
Making the time is sometimes difficult, no surprise.  Also, on occasion, young people can feel a sense of entitlement or are naively critical -- "I already know that" or "what’s so hard about that?" and this can be a challenging attitude to break through.  I always try to carefully explain that whatever you "know" does not make up for the experience of doing something and dealing for many years with the complexity of working with the great unknown---people!

What do you look for in a mentee?
Someone who is passionate about their field and has a commitment to learning.  I look for a sense of humor and a sense of play.  I look for the ability to think about a situation from varying perspectives/needs.  I look for strategic thinking skills and an ability to tell my why they made a given decision and, importantly, for someone who knows how to listen (you cant imagine how rare it is to find strong listening skills).  I also look for someone who is aware of the world around them--who has a critical perspective on the arts in relation to the larger world.

Do you have any tips for mentees?
Recognize that your mentor knows more than you--if only for the simple fact of experience, and open your mind to what they can give you.   And, never underestimate the power of a thank you note!

Kate Dumbleton is an arts management professional and educator with more than a decade of experience working in jazz.  In addition to owning her own successful art exhibition and performance space in San Francisco, Ms. Dumbleton’s experience includes music direction and programming for jazz clubs and festivals; curatorial and program direction of artist and composer residencies for nonprofit arts organizations; project and production direction; venue and record label management; administrative direction; and artist management. Ms. Dumbleton has worked with a diverse group of jazz and improvised music artists, performing arts centers, museums, and dance and theater companies.   She has also taught project development and producing at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and serves as a mentor to young curators and arts administrators.  Ms. Dumbleton graduated Cum Laude with a BA in History and English from Hamilton College, Clinton, NY and has an MA in Arts Administration and Policy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.