Performing arts

Nonprofit performing arts organizations of all sizes face growing challenges; a strong brand is an asset that can help them engage the wide range of constituents necessary for their success.

Performing art organizations face a difficult operating environment. There’s increasing competition from seemingly endless sources of entertainment; competition for philanthropic dollars from other cultural organizations and causes; and, often, competition from the “brands” of those they’re presenting. Audiences are aging; prospective audiences have significantly less arts education, have not grown up exposed to performing arts, and are often reluctant to commit their time and dollars.

Ticket prices, while always on the rise, have never balanced the budget by themselves. Savvy directors of performing arts organizations know they need to secure and maintain a diversified revenue stream—balancing ticket sales, foundation support, corporate sponsorships, and individual donors and members.

A strong brand—once thought to be important only to the makers of laptops, soap, and cars—is critical to the success and sustainability of nonprofit performing arts organizations. Your brand can help to generate interest and participation; communicate the value and experience you deliver; and move prospective attendees, donors, and partners closer to you. A strong brand can help to begin and advance a dialogue, start and nurture relationships.

We’ve collaborated with many performing arts organizations: large institutions like the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Ballet, and San Francisco Symphony; mid-sized organizations like Celebrity Series of Boston; smaller organizations like the Boston Center for the Arts and Indian Hill Music. With each, we’ve collaborated to develop compelling brand identities, flexible messaging systems, a distinctive visual presence, and integrated communications programs—to sell tickets, raise annual and capital funds, connect to corporate partners, and build a corps of informed, effective volunteer ambassadors.

We evolve systems that can be taught and transferred—systems that can be really owned by an organization. We provide the tools and training that organizations need to connect internal silos, and to make communications that are tactically effective and also work hard to build an organization’s brand.