Blog Posts for arts marketing

Thank you to the many people who have been blog contributors to, and readers of ArtsBlog over the years. ArtsBlog has long been a space where we uplifted stories from the field that demonstrated how the arts strengthen our communities socially, educationally, and economically; where trends and issues and controversies were called out; and advocacy tools were provided to help you make the case for more arts funding and favorable arts policies.

As part of Americans for the Arts’ recent Strategic Realignment Process, we were asked to evaluate our storytelling communications platforms and evolve the way we share content. As a result, we launched the Designing Our Destiny portal to explore new ways of telling stories and sharing information, one that is consistent with our longtime practice of, “No numbers without a story, and no stories without a number.”

As we put our energy into developing this platform and reevaluate our communications strategies, we have put ArtsBlog on hold. That is, you can read past blog posts, but we are not posting new ones. You can look to the Designing Our Destiny portal and our news items feed on the Americans for the Arts website for stories you would have seen in ArtsBlog in the past.

ArtsBlog will remain online through this year as we determine the best way to archive this valuable resource and the knowledge you’ve shared here.

As ever, we are grateful for your participation in ArtsBlog and thank you for your work in advancing the arts. It is important, and you are important for doing it.


Ms. Ruby Lopez Harper

This is Not Your Grandmother’s Arts Scene.

Posted by Ms. Ruby Lopez Harper, Oct 16, 2017 0 comments


Ms. Ruby Lopez Harper

Or maybe it is? Or maybe it isn’t. The challenge that arts marketers face is navigating the changing landscape and being mindful of the identity and personality of the organization balancing against welcoming the whole community.

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Sarah Meredith

Why Data is Essential for Marketing Success in The Arts

Posted by Sarah Meredith, Oct 21, 2016 0 comments


Sarah Meredith

The reason gathering data is so important is because it can help your organization understand your community needs, interests and how to better target your marketing efforts. With the rise of social media, there are more ways to reach your constituents than ever before, but it also means there is more data available than ever before.

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Colleen Cook

Engaging a Mid-Size Community with Digital Content

Posted by Colleen Cook, Oct 16, 2017 0 comments


Colleen Cook

When you work for a non-profit arts organization outside of a metropolitan area, it’s easy to fall into the mindset that what works for the big organizations won’t work for you—even when you know your mission is BIG.

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Judith H. Dobrzynski

The Road to Participation: Countering Misperceptions

Posted by Judith H. Dobrzynski, Oct 16, 2018 0 comments


Judith H. Dobrzynski

Reviewing theoretical and data-driven research, along with practical experiences from arts organizations over the past 10 years, The Wallace Foundation and its partners have developed a much better understanding of the reasons people choose to go, or not to go, to an arts performance or exhibition. The decision is not a simple case of yes or no.

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Lisa Phillips

The Starving Artist Syndrome & How to Cure It

Posted by Lisa Phillips, Jan 13, 2017 1 comment


Lisa Phillips

Working in both arts and marketing/business, I've noticed a disconnect between the desire for artists to become successful and earn a living with their art and how they think about their craft as a business.

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Ms. Beth Prevor

A Perspective on Accessibility

Posted by Ms. Beth Prevor, Oct 17, 2017 0 comments


Ms. Beth Prevor

I’ve long held that audiences with disabilities, including deaf audiences, would benefit from being considered from a marketing perspective and understood from a multi-cultural standpoint, rather than a strictly legal requirement/service perspective.

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