#TBT The Value Of Creative Design
Thu, May 5, 2022
by Drew McManus
A perennial problem that is particularly vexing for opera and theatre groups is how to approach event graphics when production photography for most events won’t be ready when season announcements roll out. One of the best options is to invest in quality graphic design to provide visuals until principal photography is available. Recently, one of
Creating A Good User Experience Doesn’t Have To Include A Fight
Tue, May 5, 2022
by Drew McManus
When it comes to the concert experience, it’s impossible for anyone inside the business to go through the process with new patron empathy. Everything from buying tickets online to the in-person event are designed by people with varying degrees of experience with the process. Granted, I’ve been focusing on these questions as they apply to
Scarcity Is The New Black (no one wants to wear)
Mon, May 5, 2022
by Drew McManus
I don’t usually recommend books but every now and then there’s an exception to that rule and in today’s case, it’s Scarcity: Why Having Too Little Means So Much by Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir. Drawing on cutting-edge research from behavioral science and economics, Mullainathan and Shafir show that scarcity creates a similar psychology for
Not All Data From The Pandemic Was Negative
Thu, May 5, 2022
by Drew McManus
There’s a fascinating report from SMU Data Arts on the Fundraising Performance over the first half of the pandemic. Spoiler: the arts sector saw a sizeable increase in their Return on Fundraising. For the purposes of the report, Return on Fundraising is determined by dividing Total Contributed Revenue but total Fundraising Expenses. Based on the
Five Questions With Black Orchestral Network Founding Board Member Alex Laing
Tue, May 5, 2022
by Drew McManus
Perhaps the one thing that sets the Black Orchestral Network (BON) apart from similar efforts is how much importance they place on accountability as a key to measuring success. In their open letter to American Orchestras, words are rarely minced. Systemic issues are clearly identified and after reading through their material several times it seems
Black Orchestral Network Lays Out Plan For Meaningful Progress On Orchestral Inclusivity And Equity
Mon, May 5, 2022
by Drew McManus
The Black Orchestral Network (BON), a newly formed organization comprised of Black members from more than forty orchestras, announced Monday, May 9, 2022, as a Day of Solidarity. The campaign has received early support from Gateways Music Festival and Working IDEAL along with community support from the Black Music Action Coalition. BON lays out their
Words Matter
Wed, May 5, 2022
by Drew McManus
Joe Patti published a fantastic article on 5/3/22 that examines labels attached to common nonprofit circumstances, like using “give” when communicating with patrons about donations. We’ve all encountered this at one point or another; retail stores frequently call customers “guests” and to a large degree, those changes are driven by expectations. Patti presents a few
Arts And Culture Employers Prefer Arts Admin Jobs
Tue, May 5, 2022
by Drew McManus
Recently, I distributed a survey to all the arts and culture employers that have posted job listings at Arts Admin Jobs (AAJ). The survey asked them to rate their user experience and return on investment compared to four other well known jobs boards that specialize in the arts and culture sector+. Out of 896 employer
It’s Time To Change up The Conversation On Concert Attire
Mon, May 5, 2022
by Drew McManus
Over the weekend, I ran across a Facebook discussion about what patrons wear to the orchestra. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it followed all of the well-worn paths about what everyone thought was acceptable or not and it stuck me just how much those talking points are out of touch. Artistic excellence is inconsequential if you aren’t selling
Alex Ross Could Not Be More Right