Conference 2024: Tech Fair

Speaker(s): Eric Frisch, Account Relations Manager and Morgan Moody, Account Relations Specialist

Join Acceptd as they share how professional symphony orchestras such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra use their online application and audition platform to provide musicians with increased accessibility to auditions by providing a digital audition experience as a part of their process. Also come to learn how The Sphinx Organization, National Alliance for Audition Support (NAAS), EquityArc, and the League of American Orchestras utilize Acceptd for their programs.

Speaker(s): Marvin Crossnoe, CEO, AccountingWare

Ticket sales are the lifeblood of orchestra infrastructure and typically present a significant efficiency obstacle in the accounting department. Most orchestra accounting departments rely on a lot of spreadsheet manipulation to get ticket sales into the accounting system.

Each performance has revenue that must be recognized on the performance date. Expenses must be tagged for a specific performance and/or production. Revenue and expense recognition adds complexity that the accounting staff must meticulously calculate and record. AccountingWare presented on their software solution that specializes in efficiently handling revenue and expenses so each performance can be independently reported and evaluated.

AccountingWare provides ERP (accounting software) to the event industry. We specialize in efficiency and simplicity for the accounting staff. Our software is prevalent in many leading event industry accounting departments in the United States and Canada.

Speaker(s): LaMae Weber, CEO, with Dottie Hunter

Dream Warrior Group’s technical expertise, arts experience, and an abundance of client input are the building blocks for their CMS built for the arts. In addition to content management, website building, and page building, it contains ROI-enhancing tools such as integrations with ticketing systems, donor platforms, and other third-party tools; an AI-based marketing planning calendar; SEO-ready schema; and modules for classes, exhibits, and private rooms. 

This overview highlighted some of the benefits of ARTdynamix: making work quicker and easier, increasing visibility, heling focus on enhanced revenue flow. Plus, clients can use custom design and branding to stop traffic with their site’s impact.

Speaker(s): Tom Nazelli, President and CEO, ArtsVision

ArtsVision is a cloud-based enterprise management system meticulously crafted to enhance every dimension of managing an orchestra including artistic planning, contracting, production, resource management, orchestra rostering, payroll, and comprehensive venue management tools. It also features a dedicated musician’s portal. Designed, built, and maintained by a team of experts with decades of experience in arts management, ArtsVision has been developed in conjunction with major orchestras, opera houses, and performance venues.

This presentation was for orchestra administrators interested in leveraging technology to elevate the performance and management of their orchestra and maximize operational efficiency.

Speaker(s): Christina Pan, CEO and Co-Founder, CueBox

As part of the Tech Fair at the League of American Orchestras 2024 National Conference, Cuebox shared how performing arts organizations have grown their audience and donor base by more than 25% and empowered their teams to focus on high-value work by using Cuebox’s unified and intuitive ticketing, development, and marketing software solution.

CueBox is an NYC-based company creating modern and integrated software specifically for performing arts organizations. Their software has helped organizations grow their audience base and donations, significantly enhance their patron experience, and save time for staff members. In addition, CueBox offers white-glove migration and customer support to help their clients achieve their missions.

Speaker(s): Harry Tomasides, Chief Revenue Officer, Digonex

Implementing a dynamic pricing strategy can enable orchestras to achieve sustained profitability. But how can you succeed while remaining accessible to the communities you serve? Since 2016, Digonex has been providing automated dynamic pricing solutions to performing arts organizations including the Houston Symphony, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and Toronto Symphony Orchestra. In this Tech Fair session at the League of American Orchestras 2024 National Conference, Digonex explored how their clients have successfully utilized dynamic pricing to achieve higher financial, strategic, and operational outcomes.

Speaker(s): Wolfgang A. Graf, CEO & CO-Founder, easy-connect and Sophie Garzon-Lapierre / Head of Business Development & Marketing, easy-connect

easy-connect shared how leading classical music organizations in the U.S. and Europe are using NextGen Apps to digitize membership, rush ticketing, and young audience programs to lower barriers to entry, increase accessibility, and foster audience retention and diversification. They explored how digital word-of-mouth strategies are bridging the gap between arts organizations and untapped audiences, as well as how to best leverage digital innovations such as ticket lotteries, digital ID and student enrollment status verification, and social and community features to help classical music institutions grow and diversify their audiences.

easy-connect collaborates with performing arts organizations, enhancing customer loyalty and attracting new audiences through Next-Gen App solutions. easy-connect’s approach is data-driven, integrating social and community features, personalized communication, and curated content presentation.

Speaker(s): Tony Edwards, Founder and Creator, Ensemble Manager

Ensemble Manager presented on their orchestra management tool, which is designed to streamline organizational tasks to save both time and money. With Ensemble Manager, orchestras can organize their concert series within a season framework and establish rosters to track player availability seamlessly. Easily create email lists tailored to individual series and sections for efficient communication.

Musicians benefit from their personalized portal, with access to schedules, repertoire details, and practice parts, and the ability to synchronize their calendars. Furthermore, Ensemble Manager offers online contract management tools, as well as assistance with payroll processing and budget projections.

Speaker(s): Brittany Cliffton, Senior Account Director, Feathr

Learn digital marketing strategies to maximize your concert and event success, while also cultivating lasting donor support. This presentation during the Tech Fair at the League of American Orchestras 2024 National Conference went beyond the basics of traditional ticket sales tactics, unveiling how audience segmentation and targeted digital ads can help orchestra marketers achieve their goals. Feathr explored successful omni-channel marketing strategies that have helped symphony orchestras captivate a new audience, deepen attendee engagement, and foster lasting relationships within their community.

Learning objectives were:

• Know how to utilize audience segmentation and targeted digital advertising to effectively increase ticket sales and community support.
• Unpack omni-channel marketing and how to find, captivate, and engage your audience across the digital frontier in 2024.
• Be equipped with actionable insights from case studies of similar organizations, like Quad City Symphony Orchestra, to strengthen engagement and personalized digital messages to concert attendees and donors.

Speaker(s): David Dombrosky, Chief Marketing Officer, InstantEncore

Digital program books cut costs, generate revenue, and eliminate waste while providing an interactive, engaging patron experience. What are the benefits and challenges of going digital? How can the transition be accomplished most efficiently? What impact does this have on the patron experience?

InstantEncore’s David Dombrosky provided a closer look at this growing practice. He explored recent examples from the field, shared three years of industry data on the relationship between printed and digital program books, and highlighted emerging best practices.

InstantEncore is a U.S.-based technology company helping arts and culture organizations eliminate barriers to attendance and keep audiences coming back for more. With the touchless conveniences patrons expect and the interactive engagement they deserve, InstantEncore makes innovative technology cost-effective for the arts and culture industry.

Speaker(s): Maurii Davenport, Senior Account Executive, Ludus

Designed to simplify the complex aspects of work beyond ticketing, Ludus offers integrated solutions where managing season and flex passes, memberships, and class registrations is a breeze. Ludus shared how their technology boosts ticket sales and transforms volunteer management, enabling a seamless orchestration of an ensemble’s resources and talents.

Ludus also provides tools that help in fundraising campaigns and collections so that all areas of operation are well covered. Clients can brand their site with full customization, including same-seat pass renewals for simple renewal of yearly subscriptions for loyal audience members. The platform also integrates marketing tools that help improve visibility and provide effective audience engagements. Targeted communications focused on orchestras make it easy to find music-loving groups to enhance patron experience with the product.

Speaker(s): Michaela Drapes, Head of Strategy, Made Media

An orchestra’s website is the workhorse of marketing strategy and the centerpiece of digital content marketing efforts. But often it can be the most troublesome and expensive one as well. During the Tech Fair at the League of American Orchestras 2024 National Conference, Made Media shared three ways to improve the firepower of this critical digital asset.

Made Media has worked with some of the leading performing arts organizations around the world — including the LA Phil, New York City Ballet, Royal Albert Hall, and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center — on major website redesign projects centered around showcasing the depth of their digital content offerings and leveraging that content to drive conversions and engagement.

Speaker(s): Jules Levy, Co-Founder, Rhapsody

During the Tech Fair at the League of American Orchestras 2024 National Conference, Rhapsody shared the wide array of functions and features that they offer to help streamline day-to-day operations and save time and money.

Rhapsody is the premiere ensemble management platform built by musicians, for musicians. They cater to both musicians and administrators with a common goal: streamlined communication on easy-to-use software.

Speaker(s): Tom Nolan, Head of Global Ecosystem, Spektrix and Janie Dickerson, Account Executive, Spektrix

Spektrix provided an introduction to their ticketing, marketing, and fundraising CRM system, available in the US and Canada. They shared how orchestras can leverage their user-friendly platform and open API to unlock the ability to inclusively recruit talent and leverage best-in-breed technology partners.

Drawing examples from orchestras and arts organizations, they explored the customer journey, demonstrating the power of their integrated marketing platform, personalized customer interactions, purchase pathway enhancements, seamless payment integration, and centralized data accessible by every member of the team.