This session is facilitated by Tresa Radermacher of the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, Cindy Kidwell of the East Texas Symphony Orchestra, Terry White of the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra, and Beth Wise of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra.
The stakes have never been higher for America’s nonprofit orchestras to effectively convey how they are serving their communities. Today’s philanthropic and public decision-makers want to see and understand how orchestras are meeting the needs all residents of their local communities.
Originally presented on 3/14/20 to the League’s PR Constituency, this one-hour video session delves into the Seattle Symphony’s strategies for developing COVID-19 messaging for all of its constituencies, and includes a look at how communications and marketing worked together to roll out the messaging internally and externally.
The Wallace Foundation has published numerous articles and case studies on audience development through their Building Audiences for the Arts initiative, with more to come. This research embraces multiple performing arts genres, including orchestras, chamber music, dance, and more. Now that there is a wealth of audience development information available, what can orchestras learn from these case studies?
Can technology enhance the classical music experience for today’s connected audiences? Seattle Opera, which produces five operas each year for an audience of more than 100,000, began using digital and social media to engage audiences several years back, with a boost from a $750,000 Wallace Foundation Excellence Award, which provided funds for four years of experimentation between 2009 and 2012.
Founded by MacArthur Fellow and violinist Vijay Gupta, Street Symphony annually performs Handel’s Messiah in collaboration with Los Angeles’ Skid Row community. This project is an example of an authentic partnership with some of the least advantaged members of society, with participation and musical joy at its core.
Thanks to advocacy by the League and our member orchestras, in partnership with the broader nonprofit sector, the FY20 spending and tax package signed into law on December 20, 2019 retroactively repealed the UBIT on parking and commuting benefits. This means that orchestras that have paid the tax are eligible for a refund.
The League of American Orchestras is pleased to honor these member orchestras celebrating noteworthy anniversaries this season.
How does a performing arts group draw younger audiences and build loyalty? A case study in the September 2019 issue of American Theatre magazine reports how Portland Center Stage in Oregon used support from The Wallace Foundation to experiment with its marketing and engagement programs for new theatergoers—and gained insights that are relevant to orchestras seeking to strengthen their own audience-building efforts.