Michael M. Kaiser, president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., will give an "Arts in Crisis" presentation today at the Honolulu Civic Center.

Kaiser will address challenges facing nonprofit performing arts organizations, ranging from board development and marketing to budgeting, during a presentation set for 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Mission Memorial Auditorium, 550 S. King St. The free event is open to the public.

Kaiser, who has headed the Kennedy Center for almost nine years, has expanded the educational and artistic programming for the nation's center for the performing arts. He is considered a national authority in arts management and administration, and is otherwise known as the "turnaround king," according to a news release issued by the Hawai'i Arts Alliance.

In February, Kaiser created "Arts in Crisis: A Kennedy Center Initiative," a program that provides free arts management consulting to nonprofit performing arts organizations. The program provides confidential planning assistance in areas of critical importance to sustaining a performing arts organization in a troubled economy.