The arts landscape is changing, and the outlook is distinctly business-like. With that in mind organisations dedicated to arts are looking to specialist marketers to help get their work in front of audiences. Handling everything from press enquiries to ticketing, marketing specialists are helping shape the evolution of the arts industry, and the motive is surprisingly simple.
‘It’s the heart and passion of increased engagement,’ said Michael McCallum from Arts Marketing Australia. ‘We have an incredibly vibrant cultural life here in Australia, and it deserves to be celebrated.’
According to McCallum, practitioners are often loathe to engage with the marketing process, believing their work should speak for itself – ‘and it does! But not if nobody is around to hear it. Think about the average audience member. How will they find out about your show? Talk to them, feel for their needs.’
‘There are so many disengaged potential attendees: they don’t know what’s out there and how it might benefit them. We’re essentially trying to develop new markets for the arts industry by getting these people in venues and experiencing art.’
With revenue concerns always pressing, Arts Marketing Australia focuses on finding cost-effective solutions. By creating a forward-thinking marketing plan, they help arts organisations looks beyond the next season and formulate a long-term plan. Often the solutions are surprisingly simple, such as ensuring websites are mobile friendly. ‘We have the digital marketing tools that arts organisations are unlikely to have readily at their disposal: in the end, it’s all about telling the right people about great art when they want to listen.’
Arts Marketing Australia is a proud sponsor of the ArtsHub Conference 2015.
