Like clockwork, every couple of weeks or more, I see artists lamenting the need to promote themselves in the current fractured media environment, mostly complaining about how much time it takes. I get it (and I’ve written about it on this blog before). Let's reframe that perspective—both by reminding ourselves of what really existed when a few media outlets held more power over the arts, and by pushing back against the learned helplessness I see all around us when it comes to connecting with … [Read more...] about From Village Voice to TikTok: Rethinking How Audiences Discover Art
Digital
A Christmas Carol as an Arts Marketing Parable
The marketing plan was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. You're the marketing director of a theater. It was your plan, but you knew it was dead. It's a Wednesday afternoon and the mid-week matinee happening in the theater two floors down was half-full. You can hear over the monitors the actors trying desperately to get the audience to laugh, but it just wasn’t working. You check the sales dashboard in your CRM and the social media accounts. Your Instagram post … [Read more...] about A Christmas Carol as an Arts Marketing Parable
Row X Wrapped
Everyone's seeing their end of year summaries of their year in music listening on their Spotify Wrapped or Apple Music Replays this week. It's a fun feature that these companies do each year, a great engagement point for those companies and their customers. I've also seen some arts organizations building on the trend with their own Wrapped features, like Blumenthal Arts in Charlotte, NC, that highlighted the highest attended shows, and the top selling drink from their concessions stands (the … [Read more...] about Row X Wrapped
5 reasons declining media coverage of the arts isn’t the problem
At the end of a long list about why audiences are shrinking, a burned out, defeated arts manager's last bit of ire will be directed at the declining arts coverage in the mainstream media. It will be the final gasp of their venting session. Then their voice will trail off, they’ll throw up their hands, and reach for their glass of bourbon. An anecdote from an artistic director of a “struggling theater in Florida” was the centerpiece of a story by Cara Joy David’s latest piece for Broadway … [Read more...] about 5 reasons declining media coverage of the arts isn’t the problem
Rush Seats Series: Arts Explainers on TikTok
New Series I’m starting a new occasional series with this post: Rush Seats. These will be short posts sharing something I think you’ll find interesting and useful. I can see a few different types of posts fitting in this series: Let me know what you’d like to read in the Rush Seats series in the comments. First up in Rush Seats is a collection of people I’m following on TikTok sharing explainers that are friendly for new arts audiences and arts insiders alike. What I like about each … [Read more...] about Rush Seats Series: Arts Explainers on TikTok