Walker International Communications Group

Art Is About The Business Of Making Money

Investing in developing new audiences for the arts can create profit in a non-profit world.

© Copyright Donna Walker-Kuhne

This begins a three part series discussing, exploring and challenging the business of art. This article will explore the issue of access to the arts and who enjoys the opportunity to profit and manage them. The second article will examine the effect of historical exclusionary practices on communities of color. The final installment will focus on the financially successful Broadway production of Bring in 'da noise, Bring in 'da Funk.

Lately, there has been an increased demand for artists, presenters, producers and educators to understand how to develop audiences of color for art and culture. This awareness includes the fact that presenters and producers have been missing a very important component in America. The reasons are immersed in our history and social development but primarily they are economic. With the aging of today's art and culture audiences, there is a need to examine new audiences for tomorrow. We know that the Latino population is expanding at a tremendous growth rate and African Americans are not far behind. By the year 2056 the majority of Americans will be of color. Therefore there is a sense of urgency to re-examine who embraces cultural product and who enjoys the profits.

Generally, producers present an ethnic product, play, exhibit, music or spoken word event and we may support it for that one time, but there is no relationship, no sense of loyalty that will ensure repeat attendance. Why? For the past twenty years, I have been engaged in educating presenters and audiences about the importance of crossing the bridge, making the arts accessible in a holistic way that is integrated into the fabric of an institution. This is what I call audience development - cultivating long term relationships that are firmly rooted in a philosophical foundation that recognizes distinctions and embraces race, age, geography and class. It allows us to bridge the gap. This means that the commercial entertainment industry and anyone else involved in the art of marketing a cultural product must have the wisdom to understand the world is changing, hire appropriate staff, position the product and develop strategies that recognize this fact.

My experience has taught me that today's producers, especially in the performing and visual arts are not experienced in how to build these bridges nor do they have the appropriate staff to make it happen. When we talk about attracting diverse audiences or audience development, I think we should look at it from a global perspective. The point is not to figure out how to get these different audiences into our theaters. What we are talking about is laying a foundation where the decision to embrace cultural product is the result of an organic natural process. That the result is a reflection of an institutional philosophy and structure.

What are the steps? First research - find out what people need and what they want. Then educate your audiences about the product and why it is important. The next step is to educate the artists about the importance and process of engaging new audiences. Lastly what I believe to be most effective is creating partnerships between communities and the work. The most important component is a spirit of collaboration. It is incredibly empowering. It's about connecting to people on a fundamental level.

Why is this important? Who gets invited to the party is very much dependent upon who profits, who decides the product, price and access. It is time for diverse communities to stand up and be counted. To participate in the process of producing, managing and promoting art and culture.

Secondly, audience development is an investment in the future. The income/profit ultimately will be reflected in sales, but initially it's in relationship building. This investment is creating a partnership with the community and the producer. It requires an understanding of the art form you work in so that you can be as creative as possible in its implementation. The financial profit materializes when the community feels engaged, when the effort to engage and excite manifests in a context that is real to the consumer.

The effectiveness of this effort is largely dependent upon who is conveying the message. I constantly hear cultural organizations state that they cannot find art administrators of color to employ. I say keep looking, they are out there, go to law schools, business schools, artists in transition. We must have take a curatorial role in preserving and advancing our art and culture correctly and in a long-term manner.