The Mission Paradox Blog

Passion Play

Art is "must do" sort of thing.

People donate to nonprofits arts orgs, or Kickstarter campaigns, because they feel like it is something they have to do.  If it's a "maybe" sort of thing, then there are plenty of other ways to spend that money.

People attend live art because they feel compelled.  They can get that feeling for a lot of reasons.  Maybe it's because they love the subject matter.  Maybe they love the performers.  Maybe they love the organization.  Maybe they just love the idea of a night out with friends.

My point is that they need to love something.  If they just like it, they are staying home.

So much in the arts hinges on that love . . . that passion.  If that energy doesn't exist, the whole enterprise falls apart.  So in a way, the biggest enemy the arts has isn't technology or the generation gap . . . it's cynicism.  

Cynicism kills passion.  If everything sucks, if nothing is worth getting excited about, then way not just stay home and zone out in your Netflix cue?

If we talk about our field like it's packed with only the old (and useless) and the young (and clueless) then why should anyone get involved?  Reading US Weekly is much more fun and current.

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Please understand that I'm not saying we should pretend that our world has no challenges.  But we should also remember this:

Nobody likes a loser.

If the story you tell about your arts organization is a story of constant struggle and a lack of "mainstream" appreciation then don't be surprised if the audience (and the donors) stay away.

If the story you tell about your individual artist career is how everything is "unfair" and how hard everything is then you can't be surprised if a lot of people want nothing to do with you.

Again, no one like a loser.

Again, cynicism is your enemy.

The arts are a passion business, respond accordingly.

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Alright, time for a blogging break.  New posts return on Monday, Oct. 8.  But the party isn't over.  You can still get useful stuff by following me on Twitter (@missionparadox) and I'll still be delivering a few newsletters via email.  Sign up for that here.

 

 

Red hats

There is a group of 125 people in the theatre.  The space only holds 250 so they are a significant group. 

Many of them are wearing red hats.  The red hats are a symbol of their club.  They wear them with pride. They are a sign that they belong to something that has a great deal of meaning to them.

You may see the red hats and think that they are silly.  That's fine.  That just means that you aren't in the club.

The group is having a fantastic time at the theatre.  The performance on stage is excellent but the audience is elevating it.  They are bringing the energy.  

On one level this was just a group sales transaction.  The theatre gets the cash, they get a seat.  But for these people it is a lot more than that.  It's a chance for them to see friends that they may not get to see often.  It's an excuse for them to break out those fancy red hats.

When people ask me what "art" is important, I tell them about those red hats.  I tell them that art, particularly live art, matters only to the extent that it allows people to have an experience that they can share with each other.

Live art comes and goes.  But the experience and bonding those people had will last most longer.

To me, that is what makes all the effort worthwhile. 

Strategy, tactics or fear

If you are struggling connecting art to audience it's probably because of one of the following:

1.  Your strategy is incorrect and needs to be adjusted.  You have a misunderstanding of who your target audience.  You don't have a strong enough value proposition.

2.  Your marketing tactics need work.  Your copy isn't as good as it could be.  You're not getting the most out of tools like social media, the web or direct mail.

3.  You are scared.  Scared to say something interesting because it may lead to a backlash.  Scared to reach out to a narrower target market because you want your work to be "for everybody".  Scared to reach out to a new audience because you may lose the old one.

You may say your issue is number one or two.

Maybe it is the third.

I'll be honest.  It's probably the third.

Never, ever, underestimate the power of fear.  It can destroy good ideas.  It can crush ambition.  Before you start blaming poor strategy or poor tactical execution, take a minute to see if fear is the real thing holding you back.

People don't

People don't attend live art . . . except for the millions that do, around the country, every year.

People don't purchase subscriptions to theatre, dance, classical music, etc . . . except for the hundreds of thousands that do, around the country, every year.

The question is whether we are going to look upon those people as the exception or the rule.

Here's the reality, the only thing that we really do in mass anymore is watch certain shows (the NFL, American Idol) and blockbuster movies.

Everything else, including the arts (ESPECIALLY the arts) is a niche business.  It serves a specific, smaller, audience and because of that it will never be the thing that everyone does.

The smart thing to do in this environment is learn how to maximize and leverage the audience you have.  Complaining that the audience you have isn't big enough, or is too old, or whatever not only fails to solve the problem . . . it also makes those who do participate feel like they aren't appreciated.

Embracing the audience you have, however small it may be, is the first (and most vital) step to audience growth.

The land of haters

My friend calls it the "Everything Sucks" club.

The flip side to this epic rise in the ability to communicate and spread a message is that it becomes incredibly easy to tear things down or find flaws with any person's business/life/artistic strategy.

I see this with some of my clients.  Sometimes I'll start by asking them to identify a few artists or arts organizations they admire.

They react like it's a trick question. 

The idea that we can appreciate a strong arts organization (particulary one that generates a lot of revenue) or admire the arc of an artist's career (particularly if that artists makes money) is beyond our ability to comprehend.

Let's remember that while critique can be helpful, constant negativity can be one of the most dangerous forms of self sabotage ever invented.

If all success is flawed, then why even try for success?

If making it "to the top" of a particular field is going to bring you nothing but haters, then maybe it makes more sense to stay below the radar.

These are limiting thoughts that we see all the time in the arts.

Here's the thing . . . there's nothing wrong with avoiding the mainstream spotlight and having a small but loyal following.

That's a fine way to go about your work.

But there's nothing wrong with being big either.  Nothing wrong with packed houses.  Nothing wrong with paying people, including yourself, a lot of money.

Don't let the haters pull you off a path just because it isn't the one they would choose.