Health of the Arts

The National Arts Index was released this week. And the news isn't good. The index for 2009 is the lowest in the 12 years of collecting this data. The declines in attendance of visual and performance arts continue, and equally troubling, is a marked decline in commercial arts including Broadway shows, movies and more. See the link for full details.

It's in this context that it's exciting to see the resilience and perseverance of artists. The newspaper headlines have recently been filled with traditional performing arts creating innovative work and collaborating in new and dynamic ways: the English National Opera hires film director Mike Figgis, Calgary Opera premieres The Inventor this week - a new Canadian work, Alberta Ballet creates works based on the music of Elton John and Sarah McLachlan, NAC English Theatre remounts a national Acting Company, England's National Theatre and Russia's Bolshoi Ballet partner with Cineplex to broadcast their productions in HD.

This is an exciting time to work in the arts - the level of creativity and collaboration have never been higher. Will attendance support this level of innovation and accessibility? I've got my tickets. I hope you do too.

Ontarians value the arts

According to a poll conducted for the Ontario Arts Council, 81% of Ontarians believe the arts are important to their quality of life.

So, in the thick of the performing arts season, think about how you can add to your quality of life. For those in Ottawa, check out Romeo and Juliet or the National Ballet at the NAC. For families, Opera Lyra Ottawa performs Hansel and Gretel at the 4th Stage this weekend and next.

Attend, enjoy, discuss and share.

While Inga's away the cat will play?

So, Inga's off trekking in South America for three months and has left me minding the Strategic Moves shop, or at least, answering the odd email and following up with current clients.

Hmmm... what mischief can I get into?? quite frankly, work is too busy (and rewarding!) to be playing right now...

Whereas Inga did fine work wrapping up client projects before her departure, she neglected to post something here on the Strategic Moves blog before she jetted off to Peru. So, in case you're looking for Inga, check out her travel blog: talkingtrails.blogspot.com

And, while Inga's away, I'll endeavour to blog a little more often about my work - strategy and business development for arts and culture organizations, and maybe a little about play too.

What do you want from the web?

I'm preparing training material for a client: "How your Web Presence Can Help You Build a Stronger Profile".
The point of view I am taking is what it really means when your audience can do everything your organization can do online. Think about it: individuals possess the power of the printing press without the cost of printing and distribution. All they need to figure out is how to create content and attract audiences. That of course, is the hard part.


And yet, much of what goes online leaves me with a back to the future sort of feeling.

• Facebook: Social (Connecting and sharing with your friends)
• Youtube: TV (Broadcast yourself)
• Flickr: Photo journalism (The eyes of the world)
• Twitter: News (What’s happening?)
• Podcasting: Radio (video) by everyone

That's why the training program will focus on providing an understandable thought framework, and then demystify some of the voodoo - like SEO, UXD (yes, that means user experience design) - to empower my client to think smart and make good decisions as they strengthen their web presence, purposefully and without running off in all directions.

My basic message is that online marketing is about connecting with the right people where they are in ways that are meaningful to them. The enabling aspects are tried and true concepts:

Online channels are about dialogue and conversation; they work because of relevance to the audience and timeliness; and, most difficult of all in this engineered world they demand authenticity.

Who is the audience?

My friend Richard recently posted this on his Facebook page with a link to the You Tube video of a Snickers commercial: I'm a twix man myself, but full marks to the creative team behind this one. However, watching it again, I'm not entirely sure who the target demographic is. Is it college aged men (who likely have no idea who Aretha and Liza are), or is it boomers (who know who the Divas are and are nolstalgic for their carefree road trip undergraduate years note that the car is a late '80s era Volvo)... or is it Gen Xers like me who fall in between, repost the ad, ponder its significance online and... oh shit the bastards nailed me again!!! Just when I thought I was impervious to even their best efforts, those sneaky marketers co-opt me again and make me an accomplice.

So, who exactly is the audience? And, is it the pinnacle of marketing when people tweet, retweet, blog and otherwise post about your commercial or product? Not if the reason people are talking about it because they have no idea who it is for. If the intention of the marketers was to throw in so many different cultural references that people talk about it because they are confused, the exercise has failed. Do we relate to the references? Does the commercial inspire us to buy the product or interact with the brand?

I'm one of those people who "isn't myself when I'm hungry" - I get it. But the next time I'm bordering on a diva moment because of hunger, am I going to reach for a Snickers? Not likely.