When to Hold, When to Fold, When to Play a Different Game
Leading an arts organization isn’t about luck—it’s about judgment. Hold when trust matters, fold when the model’s busted, and when the casino’s rigged? Start your own game in the parking lot.
Category: Marketing
Pittsburgh’s Theater Crisis—and Some Armchair Consulting
Pittsburgh’s theaters face a potential merger as audiences and funding shrink. Here’s what the crisis reveals about nonprofit theater nationwide—and why survival depends on bold changes, right-sizing, and community support.
We don’t have to cede the culture war
Cultural influence is a means of political power. Grassroots movements shape societal beliefs and policies. We need to actively engage in promoting inclusive art and culture to challenge regressive ideologies.
More on IRL Experiences: Memorable Creativity Beats Budget Busters
Continuing my advice on how to ride the cultural swing back to IRL experiences, here are three examples of memorable experiences that just have a good idea going for them.
Broadway Isn’t Overpriced—It’s Undervalued. The Same Might Be True for You.
Young audiences crave meaningful, in-person arts experiences—but they need help seeing the value. What Broadway learned from Gen Z can help all of us reframe, not discount.
Arts and Culture IRL: Don’t Wait for the Return—Create the Moment
Culture is swinging back. People – especially young people – crave real-life experiences. But they won’t leave home for just anything. Here’s why arts organizations need more than an IRL strategy to compete—and how to meet the moment.
Bonus Post: Your Branding Is the Foundation. Don’t Build on Mud.
Branding isn’t extra — it’s the foundation for everything else. This post explains why branding matters and links back to my full step-by-step guide on how to build yours.
What Arts Orgs Need Now: #5 You’re misusing your marketing staff time
The biggest excuse I hear about content creation? “We don’t have time.” Here’s why that thinking is outdated — and how arts orgs can start creating meaningful content now.
What Arts Orgs Need Now: #4 Training needs for marketing staffs
Marketing teams are busy — but are they focused on what matters most? This post breaks down why content creation needs to become a core marketing priority, not an afterthought.
What Arts Orgs Need Now: #3 Why didn’t the “edutainment” engagement of COVID continue?
COVID offered a rare chance to reinvent. Most organizations didn’t take it. Here’s what was missed — and why the window is still open to plant something new.
Hannah Grannemann 