Communications

Audience Building Roundtable Workshop Livestreaming or Hybrid: What’s Right for Your Organization? December 3, 2020

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation was pleased to present the final workshop in the Audience Building Roundtable COVID-19 series. This workshop also marked the final workshop for the Audience Building Roundtable, although the website resource will remain in place. The workshop features a panel discussion about sponsorship and funding for non-traditional content, a “how to” about livestreaming and hybrid content, and how to decide on a delivery method. Panelists are:

  • Scott Williford, President, vLink Solutions

  • Chelsea Steverson, Director of Marketing & Digital Engagement, Dad’s Garage Theatre

  • Megan Schmitt King, Director of Development & Strategic Partnerships, Camp Southern Ground

    • Moderator: John Bare, Senior Vice President, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation

Presentations modeled on the Audience Building Roundtable’s “Essential Journey” took place throughout the workshop, with presenters discussing what’s working for their organizations (and what’s not) relative to livestreaming and hybrid approaches to delivering content to audiences. Presentations were made by the following organizations, and each of their presentations is attached here.

Resources - Audience Building Roundtable (including a (free) workforce workshop on Nov. 10)

THE ESSENTIAL JOURNEY BULLETIN
Resources for Arts & Culture Organizations
November 6, 2020

In the age of COVID, The Essential Journey of Audience Building continues to be a practical journey focused on the eyes-wide-open, adaptable, data-driven leadership that guides organizations – and people – through extraordinary times.

City Lights Features Atlanta Audience Study: Listen Now

WABE's City Lights featured the Audience Outlook Monitor Study on September 18. Lois Reitzes interviewed Alan Brown of WolfBrown (who leads the study,) about the results. The Blank Foundation sponsored the study in Atlanta. Twenty-one Audience Building Roundtable organizations are participating. The study examines audiences’ comfort levels about returning to theaters and other cultural venues and has been going on since May 2020 around the world.

To listen to the interview and for more information about the study:
https://www.wabe.org/blank-foundation-survey-looks-at-audiences-comfort-levels-returning-to-theaters-cultural-venues/

On the Path to Future-Proofing: Critical Trends in Audience Engagement in a Pandemic-Impacted Nation, September 10, 2020

In this workshop, IMPACTS Research discusses how the coronavirus has created major shifts in how people engage with arts and culture organizations and how the coronavirus may have impacted the visitation and engagement decisions of people for years to come. IMPACTS Research explores the economic downturn and the changes in interpersonal communication in light of social distancing. How each trend translates to different business models is discussed during the workshop.  

Some key takeaways from this workshop: “Let data light the path.” “Meet audiences where they ARE - and that is online. Younger, more diverse audiences - especially -  are online.”  “Online content consumption has increased dramatically during the time of the pandemic - in all ways.” “Take the long view - be thoughtful, not reactive. Be willing to change.”  “Focus on subscriber-members while being welcoming to younger & diverse audiences.” “$300 is the threshold at which people feel like ‘donors’/investors….”

 REFERENCES 
IMPACTS_WebinarReferences_ABR_Sept102020.pdf

The National Endowment for the Arts Best Practices Tip Sheet for Arts Organizations

The National Endowment for the Arts is offering the following guidance, based on a review and compilation of promising measures that arts organizations are taking to address COVID-19 to date. The list is not prescriptive or comprehensive. It does not supersede guidance from local, state, and national public health authorities. 

COVID-The-Road-Forward-6.25.20.pdf

Stay top of mind during partial re-openings without losing lessons learned during the “great pause”

By Stephen Brown, President, Cookerly PR

As The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation reconvened its Audience Building Roundtable for a “COVID-19 Pivot,” I had the opportunity to talk with more than 50 arts and culture organizations in the Roundtable about ways they can stay top of mind with their audiences during a 2020 which has thrown curveballs to nearly every American institution.

The week ending June 12, 2020, the twelfth week of national arts and culture data expert Colleen Dilenschneider’s research about “intent to visit” has now intersected with societal unrest in the wake of tragedies and protests related to systemic racial injustices, capturing the attention of Americans and the world at large, with people indicating that they intend to return to their usual attendance behaviors within about three months, but with some redistribution of demand.

Preparing to Open: A Public Health Discussion with the Experts from Georgia State University School of Public Health, June 5, 2020

Dr. Gerardo Chowell, Department Chair, Population Health Sciences and Professor of Epidemiology

Dr. Lisa Casanova, Associate Professor of Environmental Health

Dr. Rodney Lyn, Interim Dean, Moderator

THE THURSDAY RETHINK: Amplifying Your Messaging Across Channels, presented by Cookerly PR, May 28, 2020

Presented by Stephen Brown, President of Cookerly PR

Download:
ABR Thursday Rethink Amplifying Your Message 5-28-20 Cookerly PR.pdf

Stephen Michael Brown, APR, is president of Cookerly Public Relations. He helps ideate for consumer and corporate campaigns, develop social media programs and strategize for all facets of integrated marketing and lead generation. Favorite recent assignments have included brand activations for nationwide clients at the Super Bowl, the Winter Olympics, the Kentucky Derby and the Academy Awards.

Stephen is in his element facilitating brainstorms and branding workshops, leading media training sessions and coaching executives for public speaking. He recently spoke at Social Media Week about the intersection of mixed reality on communications disciplines. Some of Stephen’s notable campaigns include the introduction of Coca-Cola Freestyle technology and the McCafé line of coffees to U.S. restaurants; celebrations of The Home Depot’s pioneering work in the DIY industry and InterfaceFLOR milestones in sustainability; and social media activations for Mercedes-Benz, General Mills, LexisNexis and Procter & Gamble.

A graduate of the University of South Carolina and of Leadership Atlanta, Stephen is past president and a board member of PRSA Georgia, chairman of the board for Actor’s Express and involved in advisory boards for Alliance Theatre, Serenbe Playhouse and Center for Puppetry Arts. He is a fan of theatre and movies. He resides in the creative enclave of Pinewood Forest in south Atlanta.

THE THURSDAY RETHINK: Building Your New Information Infrastructure, presented by Cookerly PR, May 21, 2020

Presented by Stephen Brown, President of Cookerly PR

Download:
ABR Thursday Rethink Session Building Your New Information Infrastructure CookerlyPR 5-21-20.pdf

Stephen Michael Brown, APR, is president of Cookerly Public Relations. He helps ideate for consumer and corporate campaigns, develop social media programs and strategize for all facets of integrated marketing and lead generation. Favorite recent assignments have included brand activations for nationwide clients at the Super Bowl, the Winter Olympics, the Kentucky Derby and the Academy Awards.

Stephen is in his element facilitating brainstorms and branding workshops, leading media training sessions and coaching executives for public speaking. He recently spoke at Social Media Week about the intersection of mixed reality on communications disciplines. Some of Stephen’s notable campaigns include the introduction of Coca-Cola Freestyle technology and the McCafé line of coffees to U.S. restaurants; celebrations of The Home Depot’s pioneering work in the DIY industry and InterfaceFLOR milestones in sustainability; and social media activations for Mercedes-Benz, General Mills, LexisNexis and Procter & Gamble.

A graduate of the University of South Carolina and of Leadership Atlanta, Stephen is past president and a board member of PRSA Georgia, chairman of the board for Actor’s Express and involved in advisory boards for Alliance Theatre, Serenbe Playhouse and Center for Puppetry Arts. He is a fan of theatre and movies. He resides in the creative enclave of Pinewood Forest in south Atlanta.

THE THURSDAY RETHINK: Gathering The Grassroots To Reach Your Audiences; Leveraging Social Channels, presented by Cookerly PR, May 14, 2020

Presented by Stephen Brown, President of Cookerly PR

Download:
ABR 5-14-20 Thursday Rethink Session Two_Download-Edition.pdf
May 14 ABR questions.pdf
Survey results from May 14.pdf

Stephen Michael Brown, APR, is president of Cookerly Public Relations. He helps ideate for consumer and corporate campaigns, develop social media programs and strategize for all facets of integrated marketing and lead generation. Favorite recent assignments have included brand activations for nationwide clients at the Super Bowl, the Winter Olympics, the Kentucky Derby and the Academy Awards.

Stephen is in his element facilitating brainstorms and branding workshops, leading media training sessions and coaching executives for public speaking. He recently spoke at Social Media Week about the intersection of mixed reality on communications disciplines. Some of Stephen’s notable campaigns include the introduction of Coca-Cola Freestyle technology and the McCafé line of coffees to U.S. restaurants; celebrations of The Home Depot’s pioneering work in the DIY industry and InterfaceFLOR milestones in sustainability; and social media activations for Mercedes-Benz, General Mills, LexisNexis and Procter & Gamble.

A graduate of the University of South Carolina and of Leadership Atlanta, Stephen is past president and a board member of PRSA Georgia, chairman of the board for Actor’s Express and involved in advisory boards for Alliance Theatre, Serenbe Playhouse and Center for Puppetry Arts. He is a fan of theatre and movies. He resides in the creative enclave of Pinewood Forest in south Atlanta.

THE THURSDAY RETHINK: How To Get The Media To Talk About You Again, presented by Cookerly PR, May 7, 2020

Presented by Stephen Brown, President of Cookerly PR

Download: Thursday ReThink Session One How To Get the Media to Talk About You Again 5-7-20.pdf

Stephen Michael Brown, APR, is president of Cookerly Public Relations. He helps ideate for consumer and corporate campaigns, develop social media programs and strategize for all facets of integrated marketing and lead generation. Favorite recent assignments have included brand activations for nationwide clients at the Super Bowl, the Winter Olympics, the Kentucky Derby and the Academy Awards.

Stephen is in his element facilitating brainstorms and branding workshops, leading media training sessions and coaching executives for public speaking. He recently spoke at Social Media Week about the intersection of mixed reality on communications disciplines. Some of Stephen’s notable campaigns include the introduction of Coca-Cola Freestyle technology and the McCafé line of coffees to U.S. restaurants; celebrations of The Home Depot’s pioneering work in the DIY industry and InterfaceFLOR milestones in sustainability; and social media activations for Mercedes-Benz, General Mills, LexisNexis and Procter & Gamble.

A graduate of the University of South Carolina and of Leadership Atlanta, Stephen is past president and a board member of PRSA Georgia, chairman of the board for Actor’s Express and involved in advisory boards for Alliance Theatre, Serenbe Playhouse and Center for Puppetry Arts. He is a fan of theatre and movies. He resides in the creative enclave of Pinewood Forest in south Atlanta.

“Baby Come Back” to the Rialto!

By Darlene Hamilton, Assistant Director, Marketing & Communications
Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University

The Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University was among five arts organizations chosen to participate in the second cohort of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation’s Audience Building Roundtable Patron Analysis: Putting Data into Action. We were thrilled to participate in the study. Each organization provided three years of data on Single Ticket Buyers (STBs), Subscribers, Members and Donors.

It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! It’s a Superuser!

By Laura Flusche, PhD, Executive Director, Museum of Design Atlanta

In 2017, when the Audience Building Roundtable of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation offered member organizations an opportunity to be part of a second cohort working with TRG Arts to analyze patron data, MODA jumped at the chance. We have an expansive database — we use Blackbaud’s ALTRU — but didn’t feel that we’d developed enough effective methods for analyzing that data and using it to build audience.

Dad’s Garage Addresses a Primary Barrier to Attendance: Not Having Someone to Attend With!

By Lara Smith, Managing Director, Dad’s Garage

Our “Social Spaces” project addressed one of the primary reasons people don’t attend arts and cultural events: They don’t have someone to go with! We want our theatre to serve as a community gathering space, and we currently host birthday parties, game nights, volunteer appreciation events, fundraisers for other organizations, neighborhood meetings, and many other events. “Social Spaces” took this one step further and identified groups we could engage with our unique brand of arts programming, with fun events before and after our shows.

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