In the arts, we need to turn this mentality around:

Ask not what you can do for the arts, ask what the arts can do for you.

The good news is, we are seeing more examples of how the arts are helping our communities.  In the past week alone, there have been articles highlighting the arts for health, the arts in our prisons, the arts for inner city kids, the arts for the homeless, the arts for veterans, the arts for business, the arts for better education…

I feel this is the right direction to take.  We have been asking for support for many years without showing the benefits.  Now we live in a world full of competition for support, and the investors of today (yes, investors) want to see their money in action with documented results.

After many surveys in our industry, one of the number one relatable reasons that people would want to support the arts is that the arts benefits their communities.   It is fabulous that more artists and arts organizations are seeing this fact as an opportunity to start developing programs for their communities.

Once we are a part of our communities again, instead of attempting to have the community come to us, I feel we will see some progress for the support of the arts.  We have been asking for the “handouts” for so long that we have forgotten that being a part of the community is what really would wake people up to seeing the benefits of the arts.

I still feel that figuring out a way to get to the very core of a person, so each individual realizes that the arts are a part of and benefiting directly their daily lives, is worth pursuing. Until we can format a campaign of this nature, ask what the arts can do for our communities, and then implement arts programs that will make a huge difference for all to see. What you will see in return is the building of community in support for the arts.

Cheers to happy and loyal audiences,
Shoshana

Shoshana Fanizza
Founder and Chief Audience Builder, Audience Development Specialists

PS  I am looking for guest bloggers for 2014.  If you have an audience development thought or idea to share with us, please contact me.