Engaging Audiences
In April, the Wallace Foundation hosted a conference for fifty of its arts grantees. A new report based on that conference, Engaging Audiences (21 pages, PDF), offers suggestions for arts organizations and their leaders on how to navigate tough economic times. While it is difficult, for example, to devote time and effort to building new audiences during a recession, the report argues that audience research is crucial to attracting new patrons and visitors and learning about their preferences. The report also argues that the long-term viability of most arts organizations is tied to the health of the local arts community, and that arts organizations should not sacrifice quality or risk-taking when deciding how to invest their resources.
