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Marketing & Audience Development Reopening Resources for Arts Organizations

Updated: Aug 20, 2021


Two ballet dancers on a stage.

Updated on 4/1/2021


Although many reopening resource pages focus on health and safety (as there should be!), we haven't seen many dedicated to marketing and rebuilding audiences post-pandemic and beyond. This one serves that purpose and will be updated as we find more resources.


If you're looking for resources that focuses more on health and safety, click here.


Our current favorites

"Rethinking Arts Marketing For 2021 and Beyond" is an article by Culture Track based on the national Culture + Community in a Time of Crisis study. They provide advice on rebuilding a diverse audience.

This article by VICE is a good overview of the latest social media golden child that's audio only. There's potential here for

artists and arts organizations, if you can nab an invite.

"You're New Here, Aren't You? Digital Theater's Unexpected Upside" The New York Times highlights 14 arts organizations and how their digital programming has attracted big, new, and younger audiences but not much revenue.


Data

Advisory Board for the Arts released key benchmarks on donations and fundraising in 2020 and priorities for 2021. Click here to read them.


American Theatre discusses some of the latest data on how people are feeling about returning to theater and live events.


The Art of Re-Opening by the National Endowment for the Arts is a 42-page document packed with best practices on all areas of reopening with many case studies about service communities and audience development.


Audience Outlook Monitor is an international collaboration between top researchers, funders, service organizations, and hundreds of cultural organizations. There's a lot of data on how people's feelings have changed throughout the pandemic, returning to the performing arts, and more based on rigorous research.


"Culture + Community in a Time of Crisis" is a national study by Culture Track designed to deepen our understanding of how arts and culture organizations can help their communities during these times and how communities can support their local arts and cultural organizations.

  • The study by Culture Track also concentrates on providing a deeper analysis and understanding of "how" BIPOC audiences define cultural experiences, so organizations can do a better job of welcoming them to their venue and mission. Read it here.

  • Do you only have time for a quick take on this study right now? Read our 10 insights from the first wave of this study here.

Trends & Strategy

Case study on cracking the Millennial code. The Wallace Foundation covers how the Denver Center Theatre Company is attracting younger audiences by offering immersive programming.

"Rethinking Arts Marketing For 2021 and Beyond" is another article by Culture Track based on the national Culture + Community in a Time of Crisis study. They provide advice on rebuilding a diverse audience. "Shifts for Arts Marketers in 2021" discusses three emerging trends for the role arts markers play in their organizations, resources, and collaborations.

This article by VICE is a good overview of the latest social media golden child that's audio only. There's potential here for

artists and arts organizations, if you can nab an invite.

"You're New Here, Aren't You? Digital Theater's Unexpected Upside" The New York Times highlights 14 arts organizations and how their digital programming has attracted big, new, and younger audiences but not much revenue.


Maxwell Anderson, a former director of Newfield's Museum of Art in Indianapolis, writes an op-ed on Artnet about the museum returning to a business model that allows them to generate some income while welcoming (back) people from diverse communities to the museum. If you're unfamiliar with the events that led to this op-ed, click here to read more.

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