Entirely wishful thinking on my part. But consider this: Now is an opportune - and incredibly necessary - time to connect the nation's arts & cultural policy to our country's most profound challenges. With all due respect and appreciation to NEA Chairs of the past, the ideal leader for President Obama's second term is someone who can substantially inspire, articulate and mobilize the significant opportunity of the arts & cultural … [Read more...]
What I Believe: 2013
New Years Day is an excellent time to reflect on the beliefs we choose to carry forward into the new year - the pillars upon which our future efforts will be based. Here are my TOP FIVE. I welcome discussion - and would love to hear yours, too! --- An empty seat never recommended anything to anybody. Arts & culture is a business driven by word of mouth. Every empty seat (or whatever that looks like for your type of … [Read more...]
It’s Time to Dream Again
On the occasion of its arts council's 50th anniversary, I was recently invited to Fort Worth to design and facilitate a "visioning" session by which 75 community leaders - representing an array of civic, municipal, political and arts & cultural interests - asked, "What investments in arts & culture might we make today that will pay our community dividends over the next 50 years?" Such a refreshing conversation! No speeches. No … [Read more...]
What We Forget
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
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)
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...]
Entrepreneurial Resolve
A couple of months ago, I accepted an invitation to teach a semester-long upper-level seminar on Arts Entrepreneurship this Spring at Arizona State University. Having conceived, founded & operated Alliance for Audience over the last 10 years, I accepted the invitation with confidence in my knowledge, experience & ability to convey the substance of strategic plans, cash-flow management, human resources, marketing, board management, … [Read more...]
Going Forward, There Is No “Collective”
In a "collective" - the component parts exist only to serve the good of the whole. There is no appreciation of individuality, independence, choice, creativity, dialogue, agility or soul. Collectives are imposed. As the Borg in Star Trek say, "You will be assimilated." "Collective" is NOT a synonym for "collaboration." Try gathering a group of people together to discuss HOW to address some shared need or pursue some mutual objective and … [Read more...]
When You’ve Got “The Big Mo”
Arizona Republic, October 9, 2011Last weekend, the Arizona Diamondbacks completed an unexpected (but highly entertaining) worst-to-first season transformation. Though they exited in the first round of the Major League Baseball playoffs, they left the field with undeniable momentum that will carry their ticket sales strongly into next year. Let's face it, there's real audience development power in being able to combine a full page and … [Read more...]