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I have an innate tendency to believe that subdividing or categorizing things leads to more problems than doing so solves. I have throughout my career quietly disbelieved that a liberal arts education is served by breaking it up into separate departments. The structure leads to division, competitiveness, and, most importantly, missed opportunities for larger understanding. There is no such thing as self-contained knowledge. Everything is related.<\/p>\n
So when I look at organizational structures in the arts, I have a knee-jerk (negative) reaction to separating marketing from fundraising from programming from advocacy, etc. I know that different forms of expertise are necessary for different functions. It is the nature (or lack) of interaction among them that concerns\u00a0 me.<\/p>\n
I have been in this business long enough to have watched the field of the arts move from a belief that marketing is evil (a sense that still permeates much of the larger not-for-profit world) to a view embracing its necessity. Unfortunately,\u00a0 as a relative late-comer to the table, it is often a “last (or next-to-last) among equals.” By that I mean marketing is seen as a tool\u00a0 or a “tricks” department to get (as I said\u00a0 in What Is Arts Marketing?<\/a>) “butts in seats” or “eyes on walls.” This is as opposed to being a partner in the larger venture of connecting the arts with individuals and communities.<\/p>\n First, on the “everything’s connected” level, fundraising and marketing are nearly two sides of a single coin (if you see a pun there, it really is not intentional). That’s why I’ve started referring to the two together<\/em> as development. I have seen terribly destructive turf wars develop when budgets for the two are separate and there is competition to meet goals. Ticket buyers and donors should be a single group of people. They are not prey to fight over. There is much motion nationwide to combine fundraising and marketing, which is good except when the combination is undertaken to eliminate a staff position. (Let’s see, how about reducing support for the economic engine that powers the organization. That’s a good idea, right?)<\/p>\n Second, in terms of developing long-term relationships with the community, it is essential that the marketing people be in conversation with the programmers. The old model of programmers handing a fait accompli<\/em> schedule to the marketers whose job it is to “sell” that schedule is a substantial impediment to engagement. It also diminishes the opportunities for relationship-building upon which sales and fundraising depend. Programming needs to take both<\/em> mission\/artistic vision and<\/em> community interests\/needs into account. (I won’t revisit that rationale here. It’s the cornerstone of this blog.) The marketing staff is well positioned to participate in that discussion. (In the performing arts, they are generally best positioned to do so. In the museum world, of course, it is usually the education department that is most directly connected with the community.) To tell the truth, I really believe that all elements of the arts organization’s management should have a voice in programming decisions; not a final voice, but an important one.<\/p>\n To my mind, the ideal model is one in which the relationship between organization and community is at the center of the organization’s identity and all of its decision-making processes. This is what I mean by “systemic marketing.” (As a reminder, my operating definition of marketing is “communication with external constituencies about the work of the organization.”) When the relationship is central, the message is consistent and each point of contact reinforces every other one.<\/p>\n So what would this look like in your organization or in those you know well?<\/p>\n Engage!<\/p>\n Doug<\/p>\n Whole Pie Picture (Not cut up. Get it?) I have an innate tendency to believe that subdividing or categorizing things leads to more problems than doing so solves. I have throughout my career quietly disbelieved that a liberal arts education is served by breaking it up into separate departments. The structure leads to division, competitiveness, and, most importantly, missed opportunities for larger understanding. 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<\/a> Some rights reserved<\/a> by oh estelle<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"