The New Year starts bang! with performing arts presenters, artists and the journalists who cover them convening —  GlobalFest world music and  Winter Jazzfest musicians’ showcases — the NEA Jazz Masters fête  and shortly thereafter the  Chamber Music America conference, all in NYC. As pres of the Jazz Journalists Association, I’m happy to announce a four-session mini-conference on Media for Audience Development taking place (free to the public, registration requested) within the larger Association of Performing Arts Presenters convention Jan. 6 – 8 at the midtown Sheraton Hotel and Towers, followed by a panel on Social Media in Practice at the Chamber Music America conference (at the Westin Hotel in Times Square) on Jan. 14.
The JJA sessions are rather different from the  day-long DIY Crash Course, which seems to be oriented as an overview of the jazz industry for artists, being presented by JazzTimes magazine on Jan. 5 in collaboration with APAP just before its convention (same site). The JJA is focusing on how presenters and artists — not only or necessarily in jazz — can/should use media. See my guest posting on the APAP blog for details about what the JJA is doing and why we think it’s necessary.
But in a nutshell: There’s no reaching and building audiences unless presenters and artists collaborate with journalists who are media experts (or at least, professionally proficient) to deal with how people get their information and form their interests in the arts now. Large audiences are out there — think of Oprah’s reach. Too mega for most of us, but there’s something about the relationships her vast audience  assumes with her. Relationships, now better than ever fostered through media, is what audience-buidling is about. So what can we learn about that, what will we share, how can we work together?
Sorry, Oprah’s not scheduled at the JJA, APAP or CMA meetings. However, a stellar cast of panelists, guest speakers and moderators have been lined up, including —
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- Michael Geller, executive director of the American Composers Orchestra on commissioning video portraits of programmed composers;
-  Josh Jackson, producer for NPR and WBGO of  The Checkout  on social media postings to a developed fan base;
- John Seroff of GreenHouse Publicity and
- Scott Mehinick of Improvised Communications/JazzDIYÂ — both regarding pr now
- Jo Ann Kawell of Ozmotic Media and the JJA’s eyeJAZZ initiative re online media 2.0
- Susan Brink of Unexpected Venues and the JJA’s eyeJAZZ initiative;
- George Moorer, producer/director & Greg Thomas, former host,  Jazz It Up! tv;
- Jeremy Robins, filmmaker-educator who created the ACO’s composers’ portraits;
- Michal Shapiro, Huffington Post videoblogger;
- Yvonne Ervin, editor Hot House, exec director of the Western Jazz Presenters Network, vice president of the JJA;
- John Gilbreath, Earshot Jazz (Seattle);
- Doron Sadja of Roulette (Brooklyn);
- Marguerite Horberg of Portoluz (Chicago);
- Giovanni Russonello of CapitalBop.com (Washington D.C.);
- Mark Christman of Ars Nova Workshop (Philadelphia);
- Daniel Maurer, editor of The Local East Village;
- Steve Smith, music editor of Time Out New York.
The assumption of the Media for Audio Development mini-conference is that artists, presenters and media adepts (journalists, content providers, etc. who spread word, sound, image and
Jazz Journalists Association
thought throughout far-flung spheres of culture) all crave more engagement with more of the public. We believe that if we’re in contact they’ll attend our events, support our productions, learn about and maybe join the ongoing discussion about the arts in our lives, which now using new technologies can have greater reach and inclusion than every before. The audience and us are one, of course. And those new technologies which we’re almost all using? Right now they are are asserting irreversible influence on every art form. if not changing the nature of art itself.
Becoming our own media-makers – putting video spotlight on the arts – what works and what doesn’t – hyperlocal and global platforms: these programs are free to all but space is limited so registration is requested (and does not by itself admit anyone into the APAP convention conference). Questions? President@jazzjournalists.org.