To:   All Member Organizations & Stakeholders

We need to talk.

It’s been more than 10 years since the idea of an “alliance for audience development” was conceived – and nearly 8 years since Alliance for Audience was born as an independent service organization to the Greater Phoenix region’s arts & cultural community and about 3 years since our services expanded to include Metro Tucson, Flagstaff & Prescott.

We all know that times have changed – and that’s what prompts this very important message.

Thanks to a planning grant recently awarded by the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, we have contracted with a consultant who is charged to examine EVERY facet of Alliance for Audience’s business model to uncover powerful new technologies to advance the core “audience development” mission that is the foundation of this collaboration.

Absolutely NOTHING IS OFF LIMITS in that exploration.

In fact, as the Board of Directors, staff and I have been preparing for this process, we have also come to appreciate some of this organization’s (and our whole community’s) greater “truths.” 

In particular, we recognize that the “need” that led to the formation of Alliance for Audience (and similar organizations nationally) was grounded in shared, long-standing frustrations regarding the under-utilization of arts & cultural assets stemming from reasons both “external” (i.e. changing demographics, heightened competition and diminished arts & cultural education) as well as “internal” (i.e. technological advancements, budgetary pressures).

The under-utilization challenge is historic, profound and long term.

But that challenge has been trumped by a new priority whose challenges are historic, profound and immediate.

Today, Arizona’s arts & cultural organizations are suffering from the onslaught of a devastating financial drought.  Their immediate challenge is one of under-capitalization a situation made critical by the simultaneous experience of withdrawn corporate sponsorships, shrinking government allocations, downgraded philanthropic support, diminished earnings on invested assets and weakened audience participation (which itself diminishes earnings capacity and individual philanthropy.)

Just this week, I heard one organization’s CEO state the challenge succinctly:  “Companies that used to consider generously contributing to or sponsoring our activities now tell us that they no longer consider arts & culture to be “essential” community services.”

This is not just an Arizona challenge.  The under-capitalization of the arts & cultural sector has emerged as nationally significant issue, as noted in Nonprofit Finance Funds’ recently published Case for Change Capital in the Arts and the Kresge Foundation’s focus area on Arts & Culture Institutional Capitalization.

To be clear, the under-utilization challenge has not been solved nor gone away.  But that challenge can no longer be addressed without also confronting the concurrent challenge of under-capitalization.

Alliance for Audience was founded to help organizations work together to achieve goals that are impossible to attain on their own. 

Thus, we now ask the question how Alliance for Audience might re-deploy its assets, position, experience and momentum to address these dual challenges in service to Arizona’s arts & cultural sector.

So, for YOU – the Members & Stakeholders of Alliance for Audience, this is a two part question:

• Do you agree with the “dual challenge” position as stated above?
• If so, HOW might Alliance for Audience be of greater service?  (Specifically, what might you like to see us to more, less and/or different?) 

What do YOU think? 

There is no questionnaire to complete.  No vote to be taken.  This is too important.  And again, NOTHING IS OFF LIMITS.

While I have lots of ideas, please know that I am not “selling” any specific solution – at least, none other than the sincere desire that Alliance for Audience be of continued & meaningful service. 

Please write me at MLehrman@allianceforaudience.org or call me at 602-971-2223 x101.   Please, let’s start a truly courageous conversation about the future. 

These are critically important questions and they deserve to be discussed honestly, openly and candidly.

I look forward to hearing from you.

We definitely need to talk.  

Matt Lehrman
Executive Director
Alliance for Audience
MLehrman@allianceforaudience.org
602-971-2223 x101