Art Start’s Post

Picture this: A bustling gallery opening, a sold-out theater performance, or a community mural that stops passersby in their tracks. These are the moments we live for in the arts world. But behind the scenes, many cultural organizations struggle to articulate their true value and secure the support they need to thrive. Are you finding it challenging to attract donors, engage audiences, or justify your organization's importance to stakeholders? You're not alone. Many arts leaders grapple with defining their mission and demonstrating their impact in concrete terms. The solution lies in clarifying your value proposition. It's time to move beyond vague statements about "enriching lives through art" and get specific about the change you're creating in the world. One common mistake I see is assuming that the inherent value of art speaks for itself. While we in the field understand its importance, we must articulate it clearly to others. Your audience, donors, and community need to understand exactly how your work addresses real needs and creates meaningful outcomes. I know you want to make a lasting difference and to see your organization not just survive but flourish. To achieve this, you need to answer four crucial questions: 1) What problem are you solving? 2) What specific outcome are you promising? 3) How do you differ from others promising similar results? 4) What evidence proves you can deliver on your promises? Here's a lesson I've learned: The most successful arts organizations don't just create art; they solve problems and transform lives in measurable ways. They understand that their true value lies not just in the art itself, but in its impact on individuals and communities. You might be thinking, "But our work is subjective and hard to quantify!" I hear you. While it's true that not everything in the arts can be reduced to numbers, there are always ways to demonstrate impact. It might be through stories of personal transformation, community health indicators, or economic impact studies. Wondering how to start this process of clarification and articulation? Begin by gathering your team and stakeholders for a deep dive into these questions. Explore the 'why' behind your work and challenge yourselves to be specific and bold in your answers. Ready to redefine your organization's mission and impact? Let's connect. I specialize in helping arts and cultural nonprofits clarify their value proposition and communicate their impact effectively through marketing and design. Together, we can ensure your organization not only survives but thrives, making a profound and lasting difference in your community and beyond. #artsleadership #nonprofitstrategy #culturalimpact #missionclarity

This time four years ago, I was geeked to partner on PR support for the upcoming Just Mercy film, based on the incredible book by Bryan Stevenson. Our work alongside the film was to support the then newly formed non-profit Represent Justice which was created by film director Scott Budnick to be a platform to help amplify the numerous stories of system-impacted individuals + their aspirations to tap into their crafts and tell their stories to help advance #criminaljustice reform. When I tell you the team I led @ BerlinRosen crushed this work, 🗣️ listen! This work remains one of the proudest projects of my professional career. A snapshot of what we accomplished: ☑️Worked with over a dozen NBA + WNBA teams (musicians, Hollywood talent + visual artists) to bring core stories to center court ☑️Created a guidebook + hosted trainings for reporters and editors on how to effectively talk about system-impacted folks ☑️Led media trainings with the first set of Represent Justice ambassadors on how to best tell their stories ☑️And so much more And now? I’m a board member for the organization! As I’m reflecting on my full circle moment, sharing this as a reminder to center yourself with work that you are passionate about. It always yields positive results. And building and fostering relationships is crucial to multiplying your impact. If #RepresentJustice isn’t already on your radar, please change that. Our work combines two of my passions - entertainment and social impact. We’re focused on using the power of stories to engage audiences in reimagining the justice system, and creating real demand for change.

Here's how to tell a great story 🙌

I am often asked why I left my performing arts studio, even though the pandemic was incredibly disruptive to our business, ability to offer performing opportunities, and lives. This gifted article link may shed some light on the subject. As it indicates, rising costs and real estate constraints are significant hurdles that are only increasing, causing theater companies to reduce programs, consolidate on season planning, and share space. This results in less work for artists as well as less art for the community they serve. We need MORE organizations to collaborate on space, co-productions, and community-building. We need more sustainable models moving forward, in order to provide meaningful arts programming. #theater #collaboration #community #sustainablemodels

Do you need help getting media coverage for your business or non-profit organization? Let me use my 30+ years of experience in media to help you get noticed!

A few thoughts from our Board Chair Chris Dunker on the impact of marrying your personal mission in life with your professional passion.

If you care about the performing arts and artists—and want both to thrive—we collectively have to do more to encourage, justify and reward corporate support of the arts. 1. Let businesses know that you value their current support of the arts whether writing a letter, telling a manager/owner, commenting on social media, and, of course, spending money with them. 2. Encourage the businesses you interact with in your day-to-day life to consider supporting your favourite performing arts organizations. Whether it’s your dentist, florist, bank, etc.—support can come in all sizes. 3. For arts organizations and artists, though we always hope support will come through due to a genuine love for the arts, we need to get real about why a business would offer support. This means creating sponsorships pathways that offer value-for-money and create genuine win-wins for all. A logo slapped in a program or a website is not going to be enough anymore. At a time when corporate support, as well as private support, are rapidly declining—we need to be creative, flexible and bold. #supportthearts #corporatesponsorship #performingarts #getcreative #valueformoney

At Northern Heart, we believe in the power of authentic #storytelling to inspire positive change and create impact for a number of purpose led brands and charities. We're driven by a genuine passion for storytelling. It's not just a sales pitch; we genuinely care about the clients we work with and the lovely people who go in front of our cameras. This passion extends to the talented people who are just coming into the industry and need help staying there. That's why we're committed to supporting emerging Northern documentary filmmakers through our Doc Fund. This unique initiative provides funding, mentorship, and a platform for emerging directors to share their stories with a wider audience. The film and television industry, despite its global reach, still faces significant challenges in terms of diversity and inclusion. Working-class voices, in particular, often struggle to gain access to the resources and opportunities they need to find a way into the industry, and make a success of their careers. Our Doc Fund aims to directly address these issues by providing emerging Northern documentary filmmakers with the essential support they need to bring their projects to life. This support includes: Financial assistance: A non-repayable grant of £1,000 to cover production costs Mentorship: Guidance and advice from experienced industry professionals Industry connections: Access to a network of filmmakers, festivals, and distributors A platform for screening: The opportunity to showcase their films at cinemas in the North and South. This is a scheme that we don’t get paid to do. It's just about investing our time, expertise, and genuine support to empower the next generation of Northern documentary filmmakers. We want to encourage others to join us in supporting underrepresented voices in the industry. Recent reports have revealed a disheartening, but terribly predictable, decline in working-class representation in the UK Film and TV industry, so it's crucial that those who have the means to provide support do so wholeheartedly. For more information on our Doc Fund please visit https://lnkd.in/euYQUwD9 and for everything else please keep an eye on our social channels! A big thank you to our partners who have helped amplify our scheme this year: Wigan Council Olympic Studios Sticks & Glass #SheffieldDocFest #CreativeLancashire #LeighFilmFactory

Success

How does continuing to act professionally and create in arts administration and philanthropy go together? As an Executive Director or Director of Development, you are not just managing, you are telling a story – bringing a creation from someone's mind into reality. In Arts' Development and Philanthropy, who better to have on your team than an actor, singer, or director? They excel as storytellers, just like arts administrators. Don't underestimate the impact of a performing artist in your organization. An invitation to all in arts development, administration, and higher education - embrace the powerful presence of a performing artist in your team. #ArtsDevelopment #ArtsAdministration #Philanthropy #PerformingArts #TeamDynamics