Second Meeting of the Virtual Book Club

July 21, 2015

—

The Cycle: A Practical Approach to Managing Arts Organizations by Michael M. Kaiser

From Blog Director Jill Randall:

Welcome back! This week, let's discuss chapters 3, 4, and 5. These chapters talk about institutional marketing, building your "family" of stakeholders and participants, and a strong board of directors.

What ideas resonated for you? How do these ideas relate to your work right now, at your organization or with your dance company?

Let me begin….I was most interested in chapter 3, on institutional marketing. I feel that as dancers, we get so fixated (myopic) about selling tickets for our next show or filling the spots in the upcoming summer workshop. But institutional marketing is so key for the health of an organization. We want people excited about us as a whole – our dance company, our dance center, our festival.

Now in this internet age, I think we are poised to really develop our institutional support, now more than ever. You can have people all over the world excited about your work – reading your Facebook posts, contributing to a Kickstarter campaign, forwarding on articles to friends – even if they do not regularly attend events in person. I myself feel this all of the time. For example, while I have not attended Jacob's Pillow in almost 20 years, I still feel connected and supportive of this iconic American dance festival.

To quote Kaiser (page 48):

Today, I think of institutional marketing as a proactive tool for healthy arts organizations as much as I do a remedial approach for troubled ones; those institutions that build strong images for vitality, innovation, and excitement are the ones that routinely have the easiest time filling their classrooms, galleries, and theaters and receive the largest donations.

Please leave a comment here about what ideas in chapters 3, 4, and 5 inspired you and sparked conversations.

————–

2 responses to “Second Meeting of the Virtual Book Club”

Tanya Chianese

Jul 22, 2015 at 2:12 pm

I was also extremely interested in the institutional marketing chapter. It made me feel better about some events I have planned for my small dance company this coming year (such as going on tour), and simultaneously nervous because we do not have much planned besides programming. (Even though Kennedy writes “You programming is your best institutional marketing,” it is still scary.) He also explicitly states that when small organizations argue that institutional marketing is not applicable to them he is frustrated because it’s not true. I appreciate his bluntness, because I feel the same way (out of fear and not knowing where to start) and I need someone of his caliber to tell me I’m wrong.
On a different note, I feel that many of my other activities as an artist could be used as institutional marketing (primarily my teaching), and I’m trying to brainstorm how I can link the two. How do I make all of my personal attempts at educational outreach be considered a part of my dance company’s?

LikeLike

Reply
Jill Randall

Jul 25, 2015 at 11:45 am

Tanya – thanks for sharing your ideas on the reading. I am excited for you and your company over the coming year! Lots of great stuff is happening.
Still on the topic of institutional marketing….speaking generally out there to the dance community…..I wonder if you asked a few people in your community about your organization. How would they describe it? Do they know all of the facets of your program?
I know of several dance organizations that are perceived as only being about kids – though I know that the work is much more far reaching. I imagine that many dance studios and professional development organizations can fall into this misconception…..

LikeLike

Reply