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Which comes first - the audience or the arts & cultural offering?

Consider what the community database reveals about the number of arts & cultural organizations situated throughout Arizona and the density of audience participation.  I think it tells us that the AUDIENCE comes first!

From an organization’s perspective, a large population of arts & cultural attendees suggests that there is a tempting market from which to attract people to attend arts & cultural venues and events.

This map reveals the arts & cultural attendance density from nearly 700,000 unique Arizona households.  The dark pumpkin color area indicates audience participation of over 9,000 households.  As expected, the Phoenix metropolitan area is one of the biggest areas, with bountiful arts and cultural participation. However, what draws my attention is the fact that the households of Prescott and Flagstaff show very dense arts & cultural attendance as well even though those communities have very few organizations represented (so far) in the Community Database.

As of 2011, the Community Database includes four arts and cultural organizations in Prescott and one in Flagstaff.  As you can see in the above chart, the organizations in Prescott represent 8% of all the member organizations. However, even though the dark pumpkin color represents bountiful households participating in arts and culture, the number of households that participate in local arts and cultural events was unclear. That means many people in Prescott go to other towns (mostly Phoenix area) to enjoy their arts and cultural activity.

For the leaders of local arts & cultural organizations in those communities, the obvious question is “How can we encourage the households to enjoy arts & cultural opportunities closer to home?”

At first glance, it may feel like bad news to some arts and cultural organizations. However, it shows actually a large amount of potential consumers that organizations can attract. It means there is a huge market that organizations can explore. If Community Database members can access the households’ information and analyze consumer’s pattern, they can increase the arts and cultural attendance rate for their own organizations and in their own communities.

The Community Database has already set the table for you- now come and partake of the feast!

Doug McLennan, Founder & Editor of ArtsJournal presented a keynote address titled, “MORE THAN APPLAUSE:  The Pursuit of Cultural Conversation”  in which he wondered how arts & cultural expression could have been so integral to the movements that led to the New Deal, Civil Rights, Vietnam-era activism, the Environmental cause, AIDS and the NEA “culture wars” of the late 1980′s but be far from evident in today’s most pressing issues, such as Education, 9/11, Iraq, Immigration, Health Care, Financial Crash and the Federal Budget.

Despite touch economic times, he argued that the arts & cultural community must not lose sight of its unique position to serve as ”an infrastructure of ideas” – allowing for the necessarily “messy, noisy, liquid & complicated” exchange of information and perspectives required in a healthy democracy. 

Where the goal (and business model) of TV and radio seems to depend on polarizing discussions and keeping arguments boiling, Doug suggests that it is the realm of performances, exhibitions and other cultural experiences to engage multiple voices and open dialogue that addresses a far more complex range of issues, beliefs and desires.  (He continued with a rich discussion of the growing significance of social media – a topic I’ll address further in a future post.)

Responding to Doug’s comments was a panel comprised of

• Ron Barber, District Director, Office of Representative Gabrielle Giffords; Founder, Fund for Civility, Respect & Understanding
• Denise Uyehara, Tucson artist
• James Garcia, Co-Founder, The Real Arizona Coalition; Producing Artistic Director, New Carpa Theatre

The discussion was simply too lengthy and deep to do it justice in this brief post – but among the highlights:

Ron Barber pointing out that after the tragic events in Tucson last January, that “there is a pause in the rhetoric” – and, perhaps, an opportunity to re-examine HOW people might engage in civil society.  This is an ideal time, he suggested, for arts & cultural organizations to rise to the opportunity of a much higher level of engagement in all matter of community affairs. 

Denise Uyehara sharing examples of her dance & performance art – offering opportunities to understand new perspectives on matters of immigration.

James Garcia explaining that the Real Arizona Coalition is a widespread gathering of business, civic and community associations on a statewide basis who have joined forces to confront issues that are firmly grounded in profound issues of race and power – and to which the arts & cultural community is invited to also participate.    

 The Community Discussion was organized jointly by the Tucson Pima Arts Council (Roberto Bedoya, Executive Director) and Alliance for Audience – and supported by a grant from the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona.

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I was honored to be invited to be a speaker this year – on the topic of ”technology.”  The point of my presentation (delivered this afternoon) was that there exists a WEALTH of free (and nearly free) on-line applications that arts & cultural organizations can use for a myriad of purposes including 1) pursuing fiscal strength; 2) advancing mission; 3) increasing public visibility and 4) enhancing personal connection.

My list of “Cool Web Apps for Arts & Cultural Organizations” can be found on-line here:  http://list.ly/list/G7-cool-web-apps-for-arts-cultural-organizations and you are welome (and encouraged) to add YOUR favorite tools to the list!

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Here is complete information:  http://allianceforaudience.org/Pages/membercost.html.   Please note that you’re also welcome to pay on-line.

Thanks to the MANY of you who have taken advantage of this offer already.  Your Alliance for Audience team looks forward to continuing to be of service.

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Also, please help us APPRECIATE & ANTICIPATE your organization’s priorities for the 2011-12 season by completing this confidential survey:

• http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22CFFBYB6MN/

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The Tucson Pima Arts Council and Alliance for Audience are seeking to jointly hire an Audience Development Outreach Coordinator. 

It’s a part-time position with important Tucson-focused responsibilities for BOTH organizations.  You’ll find the job description here:   http://www.tucsonpimaartscouncil.org/about/showup-job-opp.html.

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• Arizona Citizens/Action for the Arts
• Chandler Center for the Arts
• DuoWest
• Jazz in AZ
• Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Phoenix Art Museum

Having uploaded 5-years worth of audience data to the highly-secure & completely confidential community database, they join 42 other organizations listed here:  http://allianceforaudience.org/Pages/arts&culturecensus.html

In total, the Community Database now holds information on 689,680 Unique Households – THAT’S  OVER 25% OF ALL ARIZONA HOUSEHOLDS!

While each organization’s specific household data is absolutely confidential, this database represents a powerful asset for conducting research about how individual organizations – and the arts & cultural community as a whole – is serving the Arizona population at large. 

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Can you help?

It’s not a logo.  It’s not a mug-shot.  And it’s definitely NOT a Brady Bunch compilation of pictures that try to  literally represent the different types of arts & cultural experiences we represent.

We are looking for one special image that CAPTURES THE SPIRIT of the idea of connecting people, arts & culture.  (Must be color, high-resolution jpg format and you must have the rights to use it.) 

We are thinking the image will show audience members/visitors/participants (one or many) having a great time – and clearly engaged in an arts or cultural environment.  Extra credit if the image is obviously in Arizona!  (Having said that, please know that we are very much open to creative ideas – so feel free to propose something wildly different!)

If you’re willing to let us feature that image – we’ll gladly shower you with love & affection and credit you proudly on the Alliance for Audience brochure and on www.allianceforaudience.org as well!

Working quickly!  Please send images for consideration by Noon on Wednesday, April 27 to:  MLehrman@allianceforaudience.org.

Much thanks.

CLICK HERE for the Participation Agreement.

As you may recall, 42 Arizona organizations are already participating – and they’ve uploaded information on more than 604,000 households.  There is a wealth of marketing data and audience behavior information in this information.  The first statistic that jumped off the computer screen:  77% of households exist on just a single organization’s database.

IMPORTANT:  The Census/Community Database is conducted via the “eMerge” technology of TRG Arts, which enables authorized users to conduct research and compile dynamic direct mail lists in an environment that is highly secure and which carefully guards confidentiality and protects privacy concerns.

You’ll find more information here:  http://allianceforaudience.org/Pages/arts&culturecensus.html

Please be sure to reply no later than Friday, April 22 if you intend to participate by completing & returning the participation agreement.  Please also note that this is the final open-enrollment period that will be offered until the Spring of 2012.

Please call me if you’d like to discuss further.  602-971-2223 x101.

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Kerry Lengel
The Arizona Republic
Click Here to Visit Kerry Lengel on Theatre

How does the Arizona Republic define the purpose of your job?
I guess I could look up my job description, but “beat reporter” is the best label. I am charged with writing feature stories and reviews (along with the occasional breaking news and analysis) about theater in metro Phoenix. But the real value of covering a single topic is “beat development” — the knowledge and the relationships with sources that comes from focusing on that topic over time.

About how many shows did you see last year?  Do you ever attend a show just for fun?
I am on course for my third straight season of attending 70+ performances in the Valley, although I do not review every single production that I see.  Sometimes I’m “scouting” or “taking the temperature” of a company.  “Just for fun?”  Since I look at being a beat reporter as a form of continuing education, it’s never JUST for fun.  But I will say this: When my wife and I spent a week in San Francisco last year, the first thing I did was order tickets to the Berkeley Rep and the San Jose Rep.

What’s the biggest misconception that arts & cultural marketers (and possibly their organizations) have about the role of an arts journalist?
To put it bluntly, the biggest misconception is that my job is to sell tickets for them. My job is to sell newspapers and to generate clicks on azcentral.com. Sometimes our interests overlap; sometimes they don’t.

What kind of feedback do you receive from the readers of your feature stories and reviews?  Is generating reader feedback even a measured-part of your job performance?
The single piece of writing that has generated more feedback in my entire career was a column for my college newspaper suggesting that Kurt Cobain wasn’t worthy to be mentioned in the same breath with John Lennon.  Nirvana fans were cyberstalking me for YEARS.  Readers tend to respond when they’re riled up, so the subject matter of my stories is the biggest predictor of e-mails (any mention of “Mexican” or “immigrant” is SURE to get a response).  Another measure of reader engagement is Facebook recommendations and other links and comments on social media; I can tell you that in this regard, a rave is a much more marketable commodity than a pan.

According to your bio, you won first place in the Arizona Press Club competition for Features Headline Writing in 1998, and second place in 1999.  So what headline would you write to appear over the story of your career?
Man, have I got to update that bio. Honest answer re: the story of my career: “Smart-ass lucks out.”

Did your Mom & Dad ever tell you that if you didn’t have anything nice to say, to not say anything at all?
No, Thumper’s mom told me that in “Bambi,” hence my “Thumper rule”: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.” It’s a joke, of course. Sometimes it’s my job to be mean — or, as I put it, it’s my job to say in public the things polite people reserve for the car ride home from the theater. However, I don’t think it’s my job to call out child actors or community theaters for failing to meet Broadway’s standards. As a critic, I want to be as constructive as possible. Even at the expense of clicks.

If a marketing/PR person is new to town (or just new to their organization) is there a value to them calling you up and introducing themselves (perhaps invite you to a cup of coffee; dutch treat, of course) – or is such “relationship-building” really not necessary or even possible given the large number of story solicitations you must receive?
Relationship-building is definitely valuable. I try to be accessible and candid and give PR folks the benefit of my best advice on how to work the system at the newspaper.  I have never turned down an invitation for coffee or a request to come check out a theater company that I haven’t reviewed before.

In any given week, how do you (and your editors) decide how much time, attention & space should be directed to reporting on known, large or popular performances versus seeking out small or new efforts?
That is a tricky question.  See above where I noted my job is to sell newspapers and generate clicks.  The short answer is that “seeking out small or new efforts” is part of the job description in theory and, in practice, it’s kind of the extra mile.  I’d like to think I make a genuine effort — and I can provide the references.

Now that Channel 12 broadcasts directly from the Arizona Republic building, what is the chance that we’ll be seeing Kerry Lengel taking some aspect of his reporting/reviewing responsibilities on-air?
I have no idea. My focus currently is on bridging the gap between arts coverage in the newspaper, which has many satisfied readers, and on azcentral.com, where it’s a bit harder to compete with the pop-culture noise. But if someone were to convince the broadcast gurus that there was demand for an overweight, undergroomed reporter waxing poetical about “Hairspray” the musical on-air, I’m your huckleberry.

In an unguarded moment, if we were to catch you whistling a tune from a Broadway show, what song would that most likely be?
“The Internet Is for Porn.”

EDITORS NOTE:  I e-mailed these questions to Kerry at 10:35 pm on 2/22 and he replied at 3:10 am on 2/23.  The man is a writing MACHINE – for which we are all very grateful. – Matt

The Arts Commission lost one engine last year when the legislature “swept” the final bit of what had once been a $20 million endowment into the State’s general operating fund.

The Arts Commission is about to lose its second one, as the Governor’s proposed budget (released January 14) eliminates the state general fund appropriation for the Arizona Commission on the Arts – $663,000.

And the Arts Commission is losing power to its third engine.  The Governor’s budget proposes to take $116,000 (8%) from a fee-derived source in the state budget called the Arts Trust Fund.

Today, I joined my arts & cultural colleagues at the State Capitol for the annual “Arts Congress” – sponsored by our advocates at Arizona Citizens for the Arts.  I’ve been to many of these events over the years – but never before have we had to deliver a message so timely and so critically important. 

We must be clear:

• The Arizona Commission on the Arts is an important service to Arizona citizens and the State’s arts & cultural community. 
• We understand the State’s enormous budget challenges and (reluctantly) accept the need for even further reductions – even while recognizing that more than 60% has already been cut in recent years.
• So this is it:  the very survival of the Arizona Commission on the Arts depends on sustaining the “Arts Trust Fund” as its sole source of funding (which also still qualifies for Federal matching $’s from the National Endowment for the Arts).   

While a 747 may be able fly on just one engine, I have to imagine that the experience would be – uh - unnerving.

We should be no less un-nerved right now.  It is essential that we, as leaders, supporters and audiences of Arizona’s arts & cultural community, take this opportunity to communicate to our legislators our support of the Arizona Commission on the Arts.  Even as we ask the question diplomatically, we must be clear to convey that we (and more of their constituents) EXPECT them to do the same.

Today I met with my State Senator and one of my two State Representatives and I had this discussion with them personally.  It’s not easy and it’s not fun.

But it is so very important.

If you haven’t yet called or sent an e-mail to your legislators, please let me URGE you to do so RIGHT NOW.  

Finally, if you haven’t yet become a member of Arizona Citizens for the Arts, please let me encourage you again to do that at:  Arizona Citizens for the Arts.

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