Interested in a quick and highly informed insight into the world of online ad campaigns?
Technology in the Arts is a US based organisation which, in its own words, “explores the intersection of arts management and online technology“. As well as blogging, twittering and, eh, facebooking, they also podcast, and have an archive of over 60 podcasts looking at a broad range of ideas and initiatives and developments.
In a really informative interview, Erik Gensler e-marketing consultant talks about how he helps his clients (such as New York City Opera, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Carnegie Hall) to use google ads and facebook ads to target audiences successfully.
I found this interview really informative, particularly when Gensler explained just how good a match a facebook ad campaign can be for the arts (all to do with segmentation). I’ve paid into new media seminars, and learnt less. For this lesson, I downloaded the podcast for free, and listened to it while sitting in traffic… the joys of the podcast.
To access the interview click here
http://www.technologyinthearts.org/?p=1052
A recent survey of 18,000 adults in the US by the National Endowment for the Arts points to the fact that while audiences for traditional live performance is slipping in some quarters, an estimated 47 million Americans choose to watch or listen to music, theater or dance performances online at least once a week (ref Washington Post). This is perhaps a sad reflection of the fact that we spend an ever-increasing amount of time in front of our computers! However, arising out of this trend it is heartening to see artists using new media to engage and inspire audiences in imaginative ways.
Eliot Feld, New York based modern ballet choreographer, has for some months been posting a series of imaginative dance pieces to his facebook page. These poetic posts, all of which begin with the words “One dances” can transport the reader momentarily, reminding us all that dance, should we wish to engage with it, is never too far away.
Here we see some of his posts from August & September;
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(thanks to my office neighbour, Laurie Uprichard, Artistic Director of Dublin Dance Festival, for passing this on. If any visitors to the site have anything they think may be of interest, please let me know, I would be delighted to hear).
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Are you looking to bring your organisation’s online performance to a new level?
Looking to harness the power applications such as Facebook, YouTube, Google Analytics, WordPress & Twitter to better engage with your audiences?
Would you like expert guidance to assist you along the way?
Arts Audiences is pleased to announce details of the New Media Mentoring Scheme, in which experts from a variety of organisations offer their time, for free, to mentor arts organisations seeking to build relationships with new and existing audiences online.
Individuals from 6 organisations will be mentored in this scheme (RTÉ Publishing kindly offering to provide mentoring to three), and participating organisations will produce case studies at the end of the mentoring, to share lessons learnt with the wider arts community.
For more information about the mentors, suitable projects, the workings of the scheme, how to apply etc., please click here!
In their own words, Dilletante is an online classical music hub that connects organisations and musicians with audiences, listeners with recorded and live music, and members of the worldwide classical community with each other.
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David T.Little – Virtual Composer in Residence
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Earlier this month, after an open competition worldwide, they announced that U.S. composer David T.Little would be their Digital Composer-In-Residence for the 2009/10.
Little wins a modest cash prize of £1000, but more interestingly, a year-long residency on the website. This allows him to engage with web-site members through a Composer’s Corner blog, a podcast series, online forums, and masterclasses. His residency culminates in 2010 a live event with a performance of a new work.
Here is a video of the winning piece.
Sinead Mac Manus, originally from Dublin, is a London based creative business consultant and trainer.
A regular contributor to the London Theatre Blog, she’s worked in management in a number of art organisations, including Frantic Assembly.
Of interest to Arts Audiences readers will be posts she has written outlining how to get going with a wordpress website. It’s actually very easy, and in these posts, she lays it all out very clearly;
How to start a wordpress site – part 1
How to start a wordpress site – part 2
In another post, Sinead gives a simple introductory explanation of how Theatre companies can use social media.
If people want to be kept up to date with the rest of the series – blogging is next – they can subscribe by RSS and email.
Finally worth mentioning that she has also set up a website called startatheatrecompany.com which provide a series of training modules for those looking to set up a theatre company, giving practical advice on business plans, budgeting, strategy as well as on audience development, marketing, and all that jazz!
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