JUNE 2017 ISSUE: Exploring our “Film” Beginnings

← Back to Newsletters

---

RIALTO CENTER FOR THE ARTS

By The Rialto Center for the Arts

For over a century, the Rialto has been a dynamic arts venue in the heart of Atlanta, showcasing exceptional artistic talent and advancing education initiatives in our public schools. As part of a vibrant downtown landscape, the Rialto has remained true to its mission: to inspire, educate and entertain diverse audiences by presenting innovative and exceptional arts programming and cultivating community partnerships.

But the Rialto’s original purpose was to showcase what was arguably the most influential art form of the twentieth century – film. Opened in 1916, the Rialto was part of the original theater district of Atlanta. Evolving from a 925-seat vaudeville and silent film theater to the Southeast’s largest movie house to what it is today – a performing arts center showcasing live arts programs from all disciplines and around the world. The Rialto is located on the same corner as the original building, Forsyth and Luckie Streets, and has the distinction of being one of only a few businesses in the city that has done the same type of work for 100 years in the same spot.

As a celebration of our centennial year, (the “new” Rialto opened on Christmas Day, 2016) we wanted to explore our “film” beginnings. We are now undertaking a comprehensive campaign to raise money for upgrades to our current systems to allow for digital and film projection on a giant, tension-mounted motorized screen. The goal of our audience building initiative is to attract both younger patrons and new rental business. Given the bustling film industry and all of the film shoots in downtown Atlanta, there needs to be an intown space to hold premieres. We want to be that space. We requested grant funds from The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation’s Audience Building Roundtable to do two things: upgrade our existing film/media equipment and implement a new AudienceView ticketing system for tracking and follow-up of patrons.

The grant funds allowed the Rialto to upgrade our film/media capabilities through the purchase of a 27’ x 15’ Stumpfl screen with an aluminum frame and legs. A screen like this was something that we previously had to rent at a much higher price point. In addition to saving the rental fees, this upgrade enables us to set up quickly, with less labor and faster turnover between events. We debuted this screen for a very special evening – a Rialto Series show designed to attract a new, younger audience - a screening of the restored print of the 1927 German silent film Metropolis, with live, original accompaniment by Boston’s Alloy Orchestra. ArtsATL and Creative Loafing gave us much-needed preview coverage. The pre-show talk, by film scholar Dr. Allesandra Rhangos, drew more than 100 attendees. Our concessions featured popcorn and movie candy. Our ticket sales topped $6,000.

A portion of the grant funding was used to purchase the new AudienceView integrated ticketing and customer-management system, enabling us to customize payment plans, create real-time reporting and connect via e-mail marketing. We have been able to capture data and follow patrons from the beginning of transactions all the way to post-event surveys instead of relying on Survey Monkey or on paper copies in the lobby after a show. The new system allows us to capture more information, including the high percentage of new ticket buyers we attracted to the Metropolis offering (First-time buyers must create an account in the new system). The follow up comments in our audience surveys included: “Very cool – loved the event;” “More film please – tonight’s performance was amazing;” and “Awesome sound with movie.” The ticketing system indicated that we reached part of our target audience since many of our attendees were students one of the stated goals in our application for funding. We had a much larger walk-up audience than usual for our Series events and observational data confirmed that the audience demographic skewed toward attendees in their 20s and 30s.

Since we chose the Metropolis event as a test program that would use both aspects of the funding we received, we feel that we succeeded. Our takeaway is that film events, especially unusual ones that attract press attention, will drive a different audience through our doors. Later in the season, we reached out to the same audience for our show Shaolin Warriors and received an enormous response from students and younger attendees. As a result of the Metropolis project, we anticipate presenting another film festival during summer 2017 (In summer 2016, we presented the Be Downtown film festival which brought 400 new attendees into the space). We will target our new audience through special discounts, offers for behind-the-scenes tours and meet-and-greets with filmmakers and others affiliated with the screenings.

We chose to focus on film and media because of observations showing a lack of proper screening facilities intown; because we wanted to capitalize on our centennial and be the only place downtown that remains a movie venue; and because of the success of last summer’s foray into film showings. We made the decision based on research: we reviewed downtown offerings and noted what isn’t happening; we asked ourselves if there is a niche we can fill; we looked into what might interest a different audience; and we capitalized on the proximity to continuous film/television shoots.

Research certainly worked for the Rialto in this case. Utilizing a design thinking approach to our planning allowed us to work through empathy: we observed, engaged with, and listened to our new audience. We used data in the define stage of design thinking. The conclusions we drew are pushing us to another level.

The Rialto was able to leverage the funding we received to purchase new equipment; create a new type of season offering; and to use the new AudienceView[1]  system to its full advantage by tracking ticket buyers from point of purchase to post-show.

At the Rialto, we feel that the grant we received from The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation launched us on a new path; the funding gave us the ability to take a risk. We believe the risk was well worth it. We are now on pace to reap the rewards of upgrading our technical capabilities coupled with enhanced data capture.

JUNE 2017 ISSUE: High Museum of Art

← Back to Newsletters

---

HIGH MUSEUM OF ART

The Plan

The Audience Building Roundtable Technical Assistance grant funded recruitment and engagement events for the High Museum of Art’s Young Professionals (YP) members. The event was modeled after the High’s popular First Fridays and was promoted to acquire new YP members, renew expired members and engage current YPs.

The target audience included 1,500 current and/or prospective YP members, ages 21 to 39. The goal of the event was to cultivate current and prospective members, deepen their connection to the Museum and connect YPs to arts culture in Atlanta.

Funding allowed the High to provide attendees with free admission and activities throughout the evening.

What We Tried

The High’s membership team collaborated internally with the public programs, marketing, creative services, special events and guest relations teams to plan the event.

An event logo was created and featured on flyers, the website, the “Art After Dark” Facebook event page and on glow-in-the-dark admittance stickers.

Local print-making duo, Broken Window Theory, created exclusive prints. The Shutterbooth photo booth gave guests a printout and a gif version of their picture to share on social media, both featuring the event logo. The 139 attendees received an event-specific koozie and a drink ticket. Music was provided by DJ Teknology and Photo by Gannon provided event photography. 

 RESULT: YP MEMBERSHIP
GREW FROM 422 TO 436 MEMBERS

To build on “Art After Dark” momentum and engagement efforts, the High will host two membership drive events to continue to grow this membership level before the end of the fiscal year (May 31, 2017). 

What We Learned

Many of our patrons do not understand that Young Professionals is a membership level, not just an age bracket. We are considering changing the group’s name from Young Professionals to Young Patrons in order to convey that YP members are also donors that are vital to supporting the mission of the High Museum.

Recommendations

We recommend peer organizations create events with a myriad of components to keep guests interested while still providing networking opportunities. YPs come to events to have fun, creative experiences and to make friends.

We also recommend boosting the Facebook event. This inexpensive marketing technique packed a big punch. For $200, 485 individuals indicated they would attend, 5,200 were interested and the event reached 174,000 with 22,000 views.

Our experience showed that YPs appreciated the event exclusivity but we believe many more individuals would have attended the event if we offered an event-specific ticket. “Art After Dark” then could have provided the opportunity for attendees to upgrade their ticket purchase to join, engaging potential new YP members in person versus pre-event.

JUNE 2017 ISSUE: Marketing to Millennials: Could less be more?

← Back to Newsletters

---

DANCE CANVAS

 By Sicily Ledford, Dance Canvas

While at the National Arts Marketing Project Conference in November 2016, which I attended on scholarship from The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and the Georgia Repertory Theater, I learned (and was reassured) that not all millennials prefer to be reached through online platforms and social media. Although, it is worth noting that we still tend to social media outreach as an integral facet to our audience building tactic,it’s important to remember that reaching patrons through face-to-face audience building tactics can develop a more resilient, lasting relationship. Face-to-face interaction can also be useful to focus on reaching small groups of this generation of individuals at a time. Essentially, once meaningful relationships are created, patrons will tell their colleagues and friends to attend events or support the organization. This classic bring-a-friend tactic is, undoubtedly, very effective. Although this process does not yield an immediate increase in number of patrons attending events or amount of donations, it does increase the authenticity of the organization to patron relationship which, in turn, results in long term organizational health. It also increases the likelihood for donations as these patrons grow in their careers. As a part of this generation, I felt charged to  share this simple, but vital and refreshing idea. 

Since my return from the National Arts Marketing Project Conference, our administrative team developed a Dance Canvas Ambassador Program. Our team first met over pizza and brainstorming; this evening of discussion did not cost anything more than pizza, paper, and pencils. Our Executive Director, Angela Harris, began by leading everyone through a design thinking activity using the template that we received at an Audience Building Roundtable meeting, only stopping conversation when we realized that the restaurant was closing! We finished with a hearty list of ideas for engineering our student engagement initiatives and recruiting an energized group of inaugural Dance Canvas Ambassadors.

In light of the face-to-face and word-of-mouth concept mentioned above, this small but mighty group of young, dedicated Dance Canvas ambassadors—all patrons and volunteers—serve to connect our organization to the younger population in the metro Atlanta region. This initiative essentially serves as a way to engage college students in professional development opportunities and Dance Canvas events. Our ambassadors are inspired to complete special projects, carry out audience engagement initiatives and lead a cohort of peers from several of Dance Canvas’ partner colleges. Ambassadors are asked to volunteer for at least three Dance Canvas events including our “Introducing the Next Generation” performances. 

In return, ambassadors receive these benefits!

• Free Dance Canvas T-shirt & magnet

• Free admission to all Dance Canvas shows and events

• Special invitations to private Dance Canvas events (networking opportunities)

• Access to Dance Canvas choreographers through masterclasses, workshops, and meet & greets

• Access to free professional development seminars, VIP Q&A's, and special DC Ambassador social / networking events

• Cohort of Peers from several colleges

• Mentorship and career goal assistance from the Dance Canvas staff

Currently, our partner colleges are the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Kennesaw State University and Georgia Tech. These partnerships support the part of our mission that serves emerging artists that are college students, recent graduates,and/or of the millennial generation.

In review, our ambassador program provides volunteer support for audience building tasks and projects including,but not limited to, social media content development and targeted ticket sales. 

Each of our ambassadors reached out to their peers to increase student ticket sales for our “Introducing the Next Generation” performance series in March 2017. Our group of ambassadors also led the two post-show receptions in the Ferst Center for the Arts lobby. These gatherings were an absolute hit and the post show vibe led to even more relationship cultivation as patrons could interact directly with choreographers, dancers and Dance Canvas students while enjoying free hors d'oeuvres and beverages. 

The challenge that comes with having an ambassador team is the time it takes to educate and lead rather than simply delegate tasks. But I hesitate to call this a “negative.”  The ambassadors are eager and quick to learn and we hope to support them in becoming leaders for our organization and for the Atlanta arts community. We encourage organizations to take the time to generate or further develop their relationships with this group of “art-zealous” patrons. It is an investment that will yield returns into the future.

We welcome you to share our Ambassador program with others using the link below.
http://www.dancecanvas.com/collegiate-alliance-ambassador-prog. We are happy to answer any questions at info@dancecanvas.com.

JUNE 2017 ISSUE: Actor’s Express

← Back to Newsletters

---

Actor’s Express

With the support of the Audience Building Roundtable Technical Assistance Grant, Actor’s Express set out to turn our large group of one-time attendees (tryers) into repeat ticket buyers (buyers) and our repeat ticket buyers into subscribers (advocates). During our 2015-16 season, which included six mainstage shows and a large summer musical, AE welcomed over 4,000 households into the theatre. Of those households, 78% were one-time ticket buyers, 14.5% were repeat ticket buyers and 7.5% were subscribers. Based on this data we determined that we really need to focus our energy on moving patrons from one-time ticket buyer to repeat ticket buyer status. We have not yet reached the end of our 2016-17 season, so cannot give a full report on the effects of the project, but we have encountered some success with our tactics thus far.

First, we employed the help of an hourly box office assistant to clean up our database. This work included inputting new customers from third-party vendors and merging duplicate records. Our database can now output more accurate data to inform our marketing decisions. We found the results so beneficial that we have incorporated these tasks into the role of a new part-time business manager who started with Actor’s Express at the beginning of 2017.

For each show in our 2016-17 season, we have been following up with single ticket buyers with an email immediately following the performance the patron attends and a postcard mailing after the production closes. The email and mailer both include a discount to the next two productions if booked by a certain date.

Follow-up postcard mailing for Company

The good news is that the follow-up piece has increased our number of return single ticket buyers! We have compared last season’s Sweeney Todd and Yockey Repertory, which had no follow-up mailings, to this season’s Company and Appropriate, which both had follow-up mailings, in the chart below. Both sets of shows had comparable attendance and draw to the two following productions. In both cases,  the percentage of single ticket buyers and first time ticket buyers was higher than  previous seasons.

While the follow-up piece did have a direct impact on single ticket buyers returning to the theatre, we did not see much use of the promotion codes. The code on the Company piece was used 32 times and the code on the Appropriate piece was used just 9 times. Based on these results, we believe it was not the discount that enticed patrons to come back, but instead the follow-up mailing  served as a  reminder. Going forward we plan to experiment with these alterations to the follow-up mailing:

• Using an exciting production photo from the show the patron attended instead of artwork from the upcoming shows as the focal point of the mailing

• Eliminating discount code on the follow-up piece

• Using a deeper discount on the follow-up piece to encourage advance purchase of tickets

• Sending more follow-up pieces between shows

To address the next level of the patron loyalty pyramid, we have instituted a telemarketing campaign targeted toward repeat ticket buyers to turn them into subscribers. In the past, we have experienced some resistance from patrons in making the leap to a subscription package.To combat this, we created a special package called a 4-Pack aimed toward repeat ticket buyers. This package was not available to the general population. It was only available to the identified patrons who were contacted via telemarketing and through follow-up emails. The package, instead of providing one ticket to each show in our five-play season, allows the buyer four tickets to be used in any way he or she wants. The patron can use all four tickets for one show or use one ticket for each of four plays. This package provides  flexibility to repeat ticket buyers while increasing their commitment to the next season. With the addition of the 4-pack option we saw the number of subscribers rise from 528 for the 2015-16 season to 728 for the 2017-18 season, a 38% increase in the number of subscribers. We plan to use the telemarketing approach in two ways for 2017-18 subscriptions.

1. Target repeat ticket buyers from the 2016-17 season with an exclusive 4-Pack option

2. Target 4-Pack buyers to move into traditional subscription packages or a 6-Pack option

Finally, to increase patron engagement for those already deeply involved with the organization like subscribers and donors, we have created two programs based on results of patron feedback. During our conversations with subscribers and donors, we learned that patrons:

• Want facetime with Actor’s Express artists

• Want to know more about the behind the scenes work of a professional theatre company

• We're excited about our upcoming 30th Anniversary Season

The first program we created is called Fridays with Freddie. On the fourth Friday of every production run we invite subscribers and donors to have lunch on stage with Actor’s Express Artistic Director Freddie Ashley. Each lunch has a theme and special guests if appropriate. The first lunch was a sneak peek into Season 30 and the second focused on the casting process. These lunches allow patrons to have an intimate insider experience at AE. We also include a donation request tailored to the event presented by our Development Director as part of the program. Each luncheon has been attended by 25+ patrons and netted at least $2,000. We plan to continue these lunches into our 30th Anniversary Season.

Fridays with Freddie during The Crucible

The second program is a fundraising campaign called the $30k Club. The goal of the campaign is to leverage the enthusiasm for our 30th Anniversary Season to raise $30,000 in new gifts to support Season 30. Patrons can join the $30k Club either by making a new donation of $100 or increasing their annual fund gift by $100. Members of the $30k Club get special access to events during Season 30 and a pin that gets them a free drink at every show. After launching the program in February, we have already recruited 123 members. The goal of this program is to raise additional funds for Season 30 while growing our base of entry-level donors.

The Technical Assistance grant has allowed us to really look at our own patron engagement pyramid and determine the best ways to elevate patrons to the next level. Our efforts to convert repeat ticket buyers into subscribers through special telemarketing packages and to engage our subscribers on a deeper level through programs like Fridays with Freddie and the $30k Club have been very successful. We have seen some success with converting single ticket buyers into repeat ticket buyers, but we feel there is more to do here. Over the next season, we will experiment with different iterations of the follow-up mailing in addition to introducing some new tactics.

We would recommend that our peer arts organizations really try to understand what their patrons are looking for and develop programs that are mutually beneficial to both the patrons and the organization. Is it access to artists? Is it a behind the scenes tour? Is it guest passes to bring friends? One of our keys to success is making sure that when we do more deeply engage our patrons, we don’t let them leave the theatre without showing them the next step in their relationship with AE.

During this process, we have not encountered anything that we would tell other organizations to completely avoid. We would say to be wary of discounting. With people who are already familiar with the organization, this may not be a necessary tool in getting them to further engage. 

JUNE 2017 ISSUE: Atlanta Ballet

← Back to Newsletters

---

ATLANTA BALLET

Atlanta Ballet held a Board Summit on October 13, 2016 for senior staff and board to discuss key organizational issues for a future strategic planning process. TDC, a nonprofit research and consulting firm, facilitated the discussion. The summit focused on addressing the following four questions:

1. Are you in agreement that audience growth should be the primary goal of the next several years? Are there other key goals that need to be considered?

2. What does Atlanta Ballet need to drive audience growth?

3. What other organizational issues need to be tackled going forward?

4. What other questions does the planning process need to answer?

The room was divided into four assigned groups, each with a mix of board and staff members. The following are the findings from the breakout session:

1. All groups agreed that growing audiences should be one of the major goals considered over the next several years. Many felt strongly that growing diverse audiences should be a top priority and that Atlanta Ballet should be striving for greater visibility throughout the city of Atlanta.

2. The group focused on several of the key points: 1) Test and act on programming preferences of audiences; stage productions with high levels of title recognition; 2) pursue lapsed patrons; and 3) enhance visibility through civic pride and personal connection.

3. The following additional questions were identified: 1) Who should be Atlanta Ballet’s audiences? How can the organization achieve this? 2) How can Atlanta Ballet raise the needed endowment funds in the long term? 3) What level corporate support would be possible to achieve within Atlanta’s unique corporate fundraising environment?

A planning committee made up of both board and staff will launch a planning process, which will include a more in-depth internal analysis alongside external research.

Design Thinking Workshop with the Museum of Design

June 22, 2017 - click on the following links to download:

Design Thinking Workshop with the Museum of Design 

Atlanta Ballet

Atlanta Ballet held a Board Summit on October 13, 2016 for senior staff and board to discuss key organizational issues for a future strategic planning process. TDC, a nonprofit research and consulting firm, facilitated the discussion. The summit focused on addressing the following four questions:

1. Are you in agreement that audience growth should be the primary goal of the next several years? Are there other key goals that need to be considered?
2. What does Atlanta Ballet need to drive audience growth?
3. What other organizational issues need to be tackled going forward?
4. What other questions does the planning process need to answer?

The room was divided into four assigned groups, each with a mix of board and staff members. The following are the findings from the breakout session:

1. All groups agreed that growing audiences should be one of the major goals considered over the next several years. Many felt strongly that growing diverse audiences should be a top priority and that Atlanta Ballet should be striving for greater visibility throughout the city of Atlanta.
2. The group focused on several of the key points: 1) Test and act on programming preferences of audiences; stage productions with high levels of title recognition; 2) pursue lapsed patrons; and 3) enhance visibility through civic pride and personal connection.
3. The following additional questions were identified: 1) who should be Atlanta Ballet’s audiences? How can the organization achieve this?; 2) How can Atlanta Ballet raise the needed endowment funds in the long term?; and 3) What level corporate support would be possible to achieve within Atlanta’s unique corporate fundraising environment?

A planning committee made up of both board and staff will launch a planning process, which will include a more in-depth internal analysis alongside external research.

Actor's Express

With the support of the Audience Building Roundtable Technical Assistance Grant, Actor’s Express set out to turn our large group of one-time attendees (tryers) into repeat ticket buyers (buyers) and our repeat ticket buyers into subscribers (advocates). During our 2015-16 season, which included six mainstage shows and a large summer musical, AE welcomed over 4,000 households into the theatre. Of those households, 78% were one-time ticket buyers, 14.5% were repeat ticket buyers and 7.5% were subscribers. Based on this data we determined that we really need to focus our energy on moving patrons from one-time ticket buyer to repeat ticket buyer status. We have not yet reached the end of our 2016-17 season, so cannot give a full report on the effects of the project, but we have encountered some success with our tactics thus far.

First, we employed the help of an hourly box office assistant to clean up our database. This work included inputting new customers from third-party vendors and merging duplicate records. Our database can now output more accurate data to inform our marketing decisions. We found the results so beneficial that we have incorporated these tasks into the role of a new part-time business manager who started with Actor’s Express at the beginning of 2017.

For each show in our 2016-17 season, we have been following up with single ticket buyers with an email immediately following the performance the patron attends and a postcard mailing after the production closes. The email and mailer both include a discount to the next two productions if booked by a certain date.

The good news is that the follow-up piece has increased our number of return single ticket buyers! We have compared last season’s Sweeney Todd and Yockey Repertory, which had no follow-up mailings, to this season’s Company and Appropriate, which both had follow-up mailings, in the chart below. Both sets of shows had comparable attendance and draw to the two following productions. In both cases both the percentage of single ticket buyers and first time ticket buyers for the shows with follow-up pieces (Company and Appropriate) were higher than for the show from the previous season.

While the follow-up piece did have a direct impact on single ticket buyers returning to the theatre, we did not see much use of the promotion codes. The code on the Company piece was used 32 times and the code on the Appropriate piece was used just 9 times. Based on these results, we believe it was not the discount that enticed patrons to come back, but instead the follow-up mailing was a good reminder. Going forward we plan to experiment with these alterations to the follow-up mailing:

• Using an exciting production photo from the show the patron attended instead of artwork from the upcoming shows as the focal point of the mailing
• Offering no discount on the follow-up piece but still mailing it right after the production the patron attended closes
• Using a deeper discount on the follow-up piece to encourage advance purchase of tickets
• Sending more follow-up pieces between shows

To address the next level of the patron loyalty pyramid, we have instituted a telemarketing campaign targeted toward repeat ticket buyers to turn them into subscribers. Since, in the past, we have experienced some resistance from patrons in making the leap to a subscription package, we created a special package called a 4-Pack aimed toward repeat ticket buyers. This package was not available to the general population. It was only available to the identified patrons who were contacted via telemarketing and through follow-up emails. The package, instead of providing one ticket to each show in our five-play season, allows the buyer four tickets to be used in any way he or she wants. The patron can use all four tickets for one show or use one ticket for each of four plays. This package provides a lot of flexibility to repeat ticket buyers while increasing their commitment to the next season. With the addition of the 4-pack option we saw the number of subscribers rise from 528 for the 2015-16 season to 728 for the 2017-18 season. This is a 38% increase in the number of subscribers. We plan to use the telemarketing approach in two ways for 2017-18 subscriptions.

1. Target repeat ticket buyers from the 2016-17 season with an exclusive 4-Pack option
2. Target 4-Pack buyers to move into traditional subscription packages or a 6-Pack option

Finally to increase patron engagement for those already deeply involved with the organization like subscribers and donors, we have created two programs based on results of patron feedback. During our conversations with subscribers and donors, we learned that patrons:

• Want facetime with Actor’s Express artists
• Want to know more about the behind the scenes work of a professional theatre company
• Were excited about our upcoming 30th Anniversary Season

The first program we created is called Fridays with Freddie. On the fourth Friday of every production run we invite subscribers and donors to have lunch on stage with Actor’s Express Artistic Director Freddie Ashley. Each lunch has a theme and special guests if appropriate. The first lunch was a sneak peek into Season 30 and the second focused on the casting process. These lunches allow patrons to have an intimate insider experience at AE. We also include a donation request tailored to the event presented by our Development Director as part of the program. Each luncheon has been attended by 25+ patrons and netted at least $2,000. We plan to continue these lunches into our 30th Anniversary Season.

The second program is a fundraising campaign called the $30k Club. The goal of the campaign is to leverage the enthusiasm for our 30th Anniversary Season to raise $30,000 in new gifts to support Season 30. Patrons can join the $30k Club either by making a new donation of $100 or increasing their annual fund gift by $100. Members of the $30k Club get special access to events during Season 30 and, most importantly, a pin that gets them a free drink at every show. After launching the program in February, we have already recruited 123 members. The goal of this program is to raise additional funds for Season 30 while growing our base of entry-level donors.

The Technical Assistance grant has allowed us to really look at our own patron engagement pyramid and determine the best ways to move patrons from one level to the next. Our efforts to convert repeat ticket buyers into subscribers through special telemarketing packages and to engage our subscribers on a deeper level through programs like Fridays with Freddie and the $30k Club have been very successful. We have seen some success with converting single ticket buyers into repeat ticket buyers, but we feel there is more to do here. Over the next season, we will experiment with different iterations of the follow-up mailing in addition to introducing some new tactics.

We would recommend that our peer arts organizations really try to understand what their patrons are looking for and develop programs that are mutually beneficial to both the patrons and the organization. Is it access to artists? Is it a behind the scenes tour? Is it guest passes to bring friends? One of our keys to success is making sure that when we do more deeply engage our patrons, we don’t let them leave the theatre without showing them the next step in their relationship with AE.

During this process we have not encountered anything that we would tell other organizations to completely avoid. We would say to be wary of discounting. With people who are already familiar with the organization, this may not be a necessary tool in getting them to further engage. 

Dance Canvas

Marketing to Millennials:  Could less be more?

By Sicily Ledford, Dance Canvas

While at the National Arts Marketing Project Conference in November 2016, which I attended on scholarship from The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and the Georgia Repertory Theater, I learned (and was reassured) that not all millennials prefer to be reached through online platforms and social media. Although, it is worth noting that we still tend to social media outreach as an integral facet to our audience building tactic. It is simply important to remember that, in fact, reaching patrons through face-to-face audience building tactics can develop a more resilient, lasting relationship. It can also be useful to focus on reaching small groups of this generation of individuals at a time. Essentially, once meaningful relationships are created, patrons will tell their colleagues and friends to attend events or support the organization. This classic bring-a-friend tactic is undoubtedly timeless. Although this process does not yield an immediate increase in number of patrons attending events or amount of donations, it does increase the authenticity of the organization to patron relationship which, in turn, results in long term organizational health. It also increases the likelihood for donations as these patrons grow in their careers. As a part of this generation, I felt charged to continue to share this simple, but vital and refreshing idea.

Since my return from the National Arts Marketing Project Conference, our administrative team developed a Dance Canvas Ambassador Program. Our team first met over pizza and brainstorming; this evening of discussion did not cost anything more than pizza, paper, and pencils. Our Executive Director, Angela Harris, began by leading everyone through a design thinking activity using the template that we received at an Audience Building Roundtable meeting, only stopping conversation when we realized that the restaurant was closing! We finished with a hearty list of ideas for engineering our student engagement initiatives and recruiting an energized group of inaugural Dance Canvas Ambassadors.

In light of the face-to-face and word-of-mouth concept mentioned above, this small but mighty group of young, dedicated Dance Canvas ambassadors – all patrons and volunteers - serve to connect our organization to the younger population in the metro Atlanta region. This initiative essentially serves as a way to engage college students in professional development opportunities and Dance Canvas events. Our ambassadors are inspired to complete special projects, carry out audience engagement initiatives, and lead a cohort of peers from several of Dance Canvas’ partner colleges. Ambassadors are asked to volunteer for at least three Dance Canvas events including our “Introducing the Next Generation…” performances.

In return, ambassadors receive these benefits!

• Free Dance Canvas T-shirt & Magnet
• Free admission to all Dance Canvas shows and events
• Special invitations to private Dance Canvas events (networking opportunities) 
• Access to Dance Canvas choreographers through masterclasses, workshops, and meet & greets
• Access to free professional development seminars, VIP Q&A's, and special DC Ambassador social / networking events
• Cohort of Peers from several colleges
• Mentorship and career goal assistance from the Dance Canvas Staff

Currently, our partner colleges are the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Kennesaw State University, and Georgia Tech. These partnerships support the part of our mission that serves emerging artists that are college students, recent graduates, and/or of the millennial generation.

In review, our Ambassador program provides volunteer support for audience building tasks and projects including—but not limited to—social media content development and targeted ticket sales.

Each of our Ambassadors reached out to their peers to increase student ticket sales for our “Introducing the Next Generation…” performance series in March 2017. Our group of Ambassadors also led the two post-show receptions in the Ferst Center for the Arts lobby. These gatherings were an absolute hit, and the post show vibe led to even more relationship cultivation as patrons could interact directly with choreographers, dancers, and Dance Canvas students while enjoying free hors d'oeuvres and beverages.

The challenge that comes with having an Ambassador team is the time it takes to educate and lead rather than simply delegate tasks. But I hesitate to call this a “negative.”  The Ambassadors are eager and quick to learn and we hope to support them in becoming leaders for our organization and for the Atlanta arts community. We encourage organizations to take the time to generate or further develop their relationships with this group of “art-zealous” patrons. It is an investment that will yield returns into the future.

We welcome you to share our Ambassador program with others using the link below.

http://www.dancecanvas.com/collegiate-alliance-ambassador-prog. We are happy to answer any questions at info@dancecanvas.com.

Serenbe Institute - Free Art for Audiences

May 12, 2017 - click on the following links to download:

Serenbe Institute Grant Report click here to download

Complete collection of the presentation materials from May 12, 2017 in a .zip format: Click here to download

Video of Serenbe Presentation

Dad’s Garage - Audience Analysis

May 12, 2017 - click on the following links to download:

Dad's Garage Grant Report click here to download

Complete collection of the presentation materials from May 12, 2017 in a .zip format: Click here to download

APEX Museum - Reaching Visitors

May 12, 2017 - Member presentations click on the following links to download:

APEX Grant Report click here to download

Complete collection of the presentation materials from May 12, 2017 in a .zip format: Click here to download

Children’s Museum of Atlanta - Capturing Visitor Information

May 12, 2017 - Member presentations click on the following links to download:

Children's Museum Grant Report click here to download

Complete collection of the presentation materials from May 12, 2017 in a .zip format: Click here to download

FLUX Projects - Free Range Art

May 12, 2017 - Member presentations click on the following links to download:

FLUX Grant Report click here to download

Complete collection of the presentation materials from May 12, 2017 in a .zip format: Click here to download