Boycotting is alive and well as a protest tactic. Based on ticket sales figures leaked to The Washington Post, Kennedy Center audiences are voting with their feet and staying away. Sales appear to be cratering. Here's the damage: The Center’s constituent arts organizations are suffering as well, with the National Symphony Orchestra’s subscriptions down 28% and the Washington National Opera down 25%. It’s just two weeks into the subscription campaign, but the staffer who provided the … [Read more...] about Kennedy Center audiences vote with their feet. What happens next?
Strategy
It’s all about the Vibes: Lessons from the election for arts marketers
What can we learn about arts marketing from how people consume information about elections? Here are three observations: The 2024 Presidential election has been called the “vibes election”. Believe me, I wish people didn't just vote based on vibes and everyone spent serious time looking at high quality, factual information to inform their vote. But looking at the reality of how some people consume information, let's see what we in the arts can do to get more people in to experience art so … [Read more...] about It’s all about the Vibes: Lessons from the election for arts marketers
Imagine if the arts were funded with $27 donations
In a recent New York Times article, Barry Edelstein, Artistic Director of The Old Globe, a large nonprofit theater in San Diego, gave a quote that caught my eye. He said, "We’re not going to solve the structural financial problems facing the sector through Bernie Sanders-style $27 contributions. It’s going to take really significant infusions at the scale that Roy is doing them.” The person that Edelstein is talking about is Roy Cockrum. The Roy Cockrum Foundation has quickly … [Read more...] about Imagine if the arts were funded with $27 donations
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: Mary Rice on the pure enjoyment of classical music
Happy Monday, everyone. Rush Seats is my occasional series of shorter posts sharing a quick observation, a resource, a timely topic or in-process idea. Check out the first post here. Here's a TikTok video from opera singer Mary Rice* about a concert in a canyon at the Moab Music Festival. It is definitely on the all-in experience end of the spectrum - the concert itself was about 90 minutes (with the best acoustics Mary says she's ever heard), but the whole experience was six hours end to … [Read more...] about Rush Seats: Mary Rice on the pure enjoyment of classical music