The announcement last week that Andrea Rich would resign after 10 years as head of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art underscores the often tumultuous relationships between boards and executives of arts institutions.

While Rich’s leadership was credited by many as helping revive the museum both financially and culturally, she has acknowledged that her differences with key board members contributed to her departure.

She’s far from the only executive to leave an arts institution after clashing with a board.

“One of the major issues facing the entire non-profit community is one of proper appropriate board behavior and fulfillment of responsibilities,” said Edward Able, head of the American Association of Museums in Washington, D.C., the trade group representing 3,000 museums in the United States. “It’s an issue that is seriously diminishing the ability of non-profits to focus on accomplishing their mission.”

At the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Anthony Hirschel unexpectedly announced in January that he would step down as chief executive as the museum nears completion of a $74- million renovation and expansion.

Hirschel, who was recently named director of the David and Alfred Smart Museum of Art in Chicago, said that financial, organizational and program-related pressures were compounded by managing the construction.

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The full version of this story

is available in the April 11 edition of the Los Angeles Business Journal.