The work of arts & cultural marketing is a never-ending frenzy: pursuing PR, balancing budgets, gathering images, designing promotions, writing brochures, pulling mailing lists, designing ads, distributing fliers, reviewing sales figures, proofing draft after draft, scheduling mailings, managing print schedules, evaluating options, strategic planning, managing teams, coordinating with artistic, executive and board leadership AND SO MUCH … [Read more...]
4 Questions for the Arts & Cultural Community
April 6, 2012 By 7 Comments
Why is this night different from all other nights? Thus starts "The Four Questions" - the centerpiece of the traditional Passover Seder (held tonight) which recounts the story of the Jewish people's freedom from slavery in ancient Egypt. The Seder is more than a great meal with family and friends. It is an annual experience by which a Jewish family revisits the essence of its history, religion and culture in a way that conveys meaning and … [Read more...]
Rocco’s Lore of Supply (& Demand)
March 25, 2012 By 3 Comments
Remember the heat that NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman took last year for suggesting that the arts & cultural sector is suffering from over-supply? He was quoted by the New York Times saying, "You can either increase demand or decrease supply. Demand is not going to increase, so it is time to think about decreasing supply." As you may recall, he noted that the NEA’s 2008 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA) reported a 5 … [Read more...]
Where Do Audiences Come From?
March 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment
In just 30 seconds - and without words - this AT&T commercial poignantly answers the question of how a son receives the gift of passion for football. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAQddBxWlNA The answer is universal. The commercial could have been set in an art museum, concert hall, theater, science center, art studio or many such places. This is commonly understood. When we were young, we were introduced to experiences that … [Read more...]
Defining a “Great” Arts & Cultural Community
March 6, 2012 By 9 Comments
Imagine two communities: One is widely regarded for its high-quality theaters and museums - but very few of its residents participate, The other is undistinguished nationally for its theaters and museums - except for the fact that very many of its residents participate frequently. I'm not asking in which community you'd rather live or visit. One suspects that the readers of Arts Journal blogs are routinely drawn to communities whose … [Read more...]
The Fundamentals of an Audience Development Plan
February 23, 2012 By 3 Comments
The goal of arts & cultural marketing is "butts in seats." So it generally follows that the goal of audience development is to put "more butts in seats" and/or "different butts in seats." Marketers are necessarily focused on "picking the low hanging fruit." The best marketing plans present finely tuned and adaptable strategies for optimizing sales while conserving resources. So, it generally follows that the function of audience … [Read more...]
Prophet & Profit
February 19, 2012 By 4 Comments
It is no secret that leaders of non-profit organizations feel an overwhelming pressure to “be more entrepreneurial” in a fast-changing and increasingly competitive world. Yet, the notion of “chasing dollars” stirs up deep anxieties. At best, non-profits search desperately to find the capacity and expertise needed to research, evaluate and pursue a new ventures. At worst, non-profits worry that the pursuit of $ opportunity necessarily … [Read more...]
My Life as a Starship
February 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment
I am a Trekker. I am not ashamed to admit that I own an (original series) Captain's uniform (don't call it a costume, please), my own set of "Vulcan ears" and an eclectic array of items both purchased and received as gifts including, yes, my very own tribble. As a kid, countless idyllic Saturday nights began with a Star Trek rerun (at 6pm on Channel 11 in New York) on a black & white TV while the babysitter heated up my frozen … [Read more...]
Learning to Play Ball on a New Field
January 29, 2012 By 2 Comments
In the book, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game Michael Lewis reveals how the Oakland Athletics baseball team and its general manager Billy Beane crafted an analytical, evidence-based, sabermetric* approach to assembling a competitive baseball team, despite Oakland's disadvantaged revenue situation. (*SABR refers to the Society of American Baseball Research, an entity founded in 1971 to compile information of interest … [Read more...]
Newt & Mitt Get On the Bus for Audience Development
January 22, 2012 By 1 Comment
It is the obvious nature of politics that each candidate tries to throw their opponent under the bus. But that's not the part of the bus to which arts & cultural marketers should most be paying attention. We should be asking: Why does every Presidential candidate have a campaign bus in the first place? Consider the modern Presidential campaign: Each candidate possesses substantial financial resources and directs them to massive … [Read more...]
