STAGE DOOR

03 Jun 2021
Arts Marketing, Digital, Tips, Trends, TRG Arts Data Center Digital Permalink

5 Things to Know About Reopening the Arts in 2021

June 3, 2021

MogoARTS’ President Danielle Johnson recently sat down with TRG Arts’ Client Engagement Officer Eric Nelson to discuss the challenges and opportunities for arts organizations as they reopen. As a part of that discussion, there are some key trends and takeaways that arts organizations should consider when preparing for the new season ahead.  As partners with TRG Arts, we understand the challenges and opportunities arts organizations are facing. Here are the 5 things to know about reopening. We hope these tips can bring new perspectives to your organization.

1: Ask “Who can we best serve?”

As state and nationwide mandates continue to evolve and in-person events are permitted, organizations recognize there will be less seating inventory available due to social distancing policies. Therefore we must redefine our audience and ask, “Who can we best serve?” 

Although arts organizations may have had an established audience before the pandemic, reopening challenges organizations to redefine that audience. Consider which audience members may be most likely to return, potential new audiences, and who you’d like to prioritize in the coming months.

Having a target audience enables organizations to have a clear focus on budgeting, marketing, and strategy as they begin to welcome patrons back to their venues. By defining a target audience, organizations will have a better understanding of where to allocate their time, money, and resources. By focusing on the right audience, arts organizations can reach their relevant audiences more efficiently, using less resources while driving higher returns from production planning, ticket marketing, and the communication of safety strategies. 

As Nelson shared from TRG Arts’ findings, most organizations are opening up at 30-50% of their previous full capacity. With limited inventory and resources, arts organizations are being challenged to pinpoint their highest value audience and redefine an engagement strategy as they reopen. Who do you want to fill those limited seats? Decide whether your organization wants to focus on inviting in new audiences, or on welcoming back loyal or returning patrons. There may be many possibilities for growth outside of your current audience. The best way to gauge interest is to speak to your potential patrons via surveys, newsletters, and engagement on social media.

2: Engaging Online and In-Person Audiences

With the onset of COVID-19 and in-person events being put on hold, many arts organizations adopted digital offerings to continue to bring the arts to their patrons.  Digital content programming gave arts organizations an additional revenue stream and helped them stay engaged with their patrons. One of the unforeseen benefits of going digital has been increased viewership due to lowered entry barriers. Digital programming has enabled those typically restricted by in-person seating accessibility or capacity, geographical boundaries, or financial resources to engage with digital content in a way that in-person events hadn’t made available. As shows are no longer limited by in-person capacity, they can no longer be sold out. Digital programming is often offered at lowered prices as well, both of which make shows more easily accessed than ever before.

The transition to virtual programming has given new and diverse audiences an opportunity to engage with organizations in ways that weren’t possible in the past. Up to 80% of theatres are now offering paid digital events and giving organizations an opportunity to capitalize on an increase of viewership and online engagement. By providing digital offerings, organizations have increased revenue, brand awareness, and audience reach. It has helped organizations to reach previously unavailable audiences, growing and diversifying patron base.

As we begin to reopen, TRG recommends to continue to embrace your virtual audience. Consider continuing virtual offerings even after in-person events are allowed again, not only to drive accessibility, but also to keep your connection to a digital audience long after reopening. Engaging audiences with both virtual and in-person experiences, enables arts organizations to diversify their offerings, build a virtual audience, and engage that audience for in person events. These will all help organizations strengthen and diversify their loyal patron base. 

3: Make Reopening Fun

Reopening won’t be an instant return to pre-pandemic normalcy. With partial capacity seating and safety guidelines to adhere to, it is imperative to articulate safety measures your organization is taking to make patrons feel safe. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun with it. 

Think of ways to stay safe while doing things your way – add personality and flair to your safety procedures by using the same theatricality and care you have for your sets. This could mean dressing up empty seats set aside for social distancing, creating branded safety infographics, or using humorous and whimsical signage in the theatre. As you reopen, keep a pulse on audience response. Listen to feedback, see what your patrons react positively or negatively to and adjust accordingly.

Attention to detail in regards to patron journey, especially when it comes to safety, will only enhance patrons’ experiences as we return to in-person events. A careful, yet fun, patron journey strengthens audience trust and establishes a much-needed rapport after a year away from the stage. Let them know your principles, as making a return to live performances will require a careful approach that makes audiences comfortable with coming back. There is no reason why following guidelines should take away from the magic of a live performance!

4: “Christmas in July”

As the arts make a comeback, so does competition. Arts and entertainment organizations everywhere are preparing to welcome in-person audiences back this year.  Since there will be many offers and entertainment options as we get back to in-person events, it’s important to get in front of audiences as early as possible. TRG Arts recommends trying to be one of the first to market – think ‘Christmas in July!’ 

Competition will be stiff, but there’s good news: with live shows returning, people are excited. TRG Arts has observed a pent up demand for in person shows.  People are ready to get back to in-person entertainment and as a result, subscription renewal rates are higher than in previous years. We recommend meeting audiences with the same energy and sense of urgency they feel to get back to your venue. TRG Arts also found that loyal and lapsed patrons have been giving donations to arts organizations at an increased rate YOY. Nearly half of organizations (49%) saw an increase in gift revenue in 2020, and 74% saw an increase in the number of gifts from 2019. This shows that patrons are eager to support the arts.  So engaging patrons before other organizations do, will give you a chance to capture their attention & time to drive additional revenue.   

Setting a strong momentum for yourself right out of the gate will allow your organization to stand out above the rest. Additionally, early preparation in safety measures, marketing, and seasoning planning will make sure you don’t get left behind this reopening season. Keep your patrons updated on upcoming plans and be transparent with any changes and issues, so that your audiences are ready the same time you are. The race is on!

5: Take A Look Back

We encourage you to reflect on the lessons, tactics, and initiatives your organization has taken in the last year. Give your teams an opportunity to celebrate the wins and understand the challenges. This reflection can help you craft a strategy and inspire ideas to support reopening.   

For example, there may be messaging tactics developed to increase online engagement that can be repurposed to strengthen your reopening plan. Similarly, lessons learned the hard way, such as decrease in your audience engagement should be taken into consideration. Do you want to try retargeting them or use your budget elsewhere? Organizations can benefit by applying these lessons towards streamlining patron journeys, refining offerings, aligning internal teams, and continuing to innovate in-person and digital strategies. 

Don’t forget that during COVID-19, many organizations created a whole new digital experience. You will want to think through ways that this digital offering can compliment or support your reopening strategies. Many organizations are evaluating their longer-term digital offering.  TRG Arts recommended finding the balance between what efforts you want to continue and what new initiatives to take. This opportunity for reflection can give your organization the ability to assess what are the right strategies to re-engage your patrons. 

As we make a return to the stage, MogoARTS wants to encourage arts organizations to take informed, safe steps towards reopening. We are thankful for resources and partners like TRG Arts that can help us understand the journey and trends for reopening. Lastly, we have learned a lot from the last year and being able to apply those learnings toward our reopening strategies will help us engage with our patrons. MogoARTS is committed to helping the arts community welcome patrons back and hope these takeaways help in your reopening efforts.

01 Jun 2021
Company Updates, Trends Permalink

Injustice for One Is Injustice for All

June 1, 2021

Last year we made a commitment to educating ourselves and others on the systemic racial inequality that Black Americans face to this day. One year later, we are revisiting the resources we gathered for those who have the means to donate and be effective allies. Below you’ll find funds and resources for you to engage with to help fight this battle that has been fought for far too long. Injustice for one is injustice for all.

The arts community has long been influenced by Black culture. From jazz to theater, many of the stories and performances we know and love are rooted in, and gain their power and passion from, the Black community. At MogoARTS, our hearts break as those around us suffer from the constant injustice created by systemic oppression. 

Now is not the time for us to be silent as we fight for the equality that our Black performers, artists, and communities deserve. We hear you. We see you. We mourn for you. We commit to standing in solidarity as we continue to fight against racism.

We believe that it is our job as a company to use our platforms for good, and we intend to do just that by bringing to light resources, petitions, and funds so that the fire that America has right now to fight the systemic injustice will not die out. 

Funds

Please note: Many funds have received overwhelming support and have requested for donations to be sent to other organizations. This list is accurate of those who are still asking for donations as of 6/1/2021.

Black Lives Matter – https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019

Center for Constitutional Rights – https://ccrjustice.org/home/what-we-do

Campaign Zero – https://www.joincampaignzero.org/#vision

Columbus Freedom Fund – https://www.paypal.me/columbusfreedomfund

Equal Justice Initiative – https://eji.org/about/

My Block, My Hood, My City – https://www.formyblock.org/donate

My Brother’s Keeper – https://www.obama.org/mbka/our-work/

National Urban League – https://nul.org/donate

Race Forward – https://www.raceforward.org/about

The Loveland Foundation – https://thelovelandfoundation.org/

Unicorn Riot – https://unicornriot.ninja/donate/

George Floyd Memorial Foundation – https://justiceforgeorge-takeaction.carrd.co/ 

Black Trans Advocacy Coalition – https://blacktrans.org/donate/

And More…

Black Lives Matter Charity Index – https://blacklives.help/

168 Ways to Donate in Support of Black Lives and Communities of Color – https://nymag.com/strategist/article/where-to-donate-for-black-lives-matter.html

Books

Note: We have linked to Amazon, but we encourage you to shop Black-owned bookstores when possible, here is a helpful list

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism – White fragility is the tendency of a white person to become defensive when confronted with information on racial injustice and how that often benefits white people. This book explains the dynamics of that tendency and how white people might build their capacity of taking on that (uncomfortable) conversation in the on-going work towards racial justice.

Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism by Safiya Noble – Dives into the field of information science, machine learning to investigate how negative biases against women of color are embedded in search engine results. 

Rage Inside The Machine, Rob Smith – This book demonstrates how morals have been embedded in our technology infrastructure by diving into historical stories and investigating complex connections between institutional prejudices and new technologies.

Racial Diversity: There’s More Work to be Done in the Workplace – This article delves into the root problems causing the lack of diversity and representation in the workplace and what strategies we can use to combat this issue.


How to Manage When Things Are Not Okay (And Haven’t Been for Centuries) – Offering advice to managers and leadership on how to acknowledge the black struggle, provide support to your team, and how to make space for black voices.

Children's Books

Note: We have linked to Amazon, but we encourage you to shop Black-owned bookstores when possible, here is a helpful list

All Are Welcome – All Are Welcome Here shares the message of a school where everyone’s differences are loved and celebrated. 

Sulwe – Sulwe creates a heartwarming story to inspire children to see their own unique beauty and appreciate it. 

I Am Enough – I Am Enough focuses on loving who you are and respecting others while being kind to one another no matter the differences.

Podcasts

White People, Enough: A Look at Power and Control | Jaelyn Coates | TEDxCSU

TV Shows

When They See Us (Available on Netflix) – Dramatized account of the Central Park Five. Show follows the corrupt trial that resulted in five innocent men being convicted of a crime that they were innocent of. 

Dear White People (Available on Netflix) – A campus culture war between blacks and whites at a predominantly white school comes to a head when the staff of a humour magazine stages an offensive Halloween party.

Documentary/Movies

13th (Available on Netflix) – Documentary on the unjust imprisonment system and systemic inequalities of the prison system. 

Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975 (Available to rent) – Documentary film examining the evolution of the Black Power movement in American society from 1967-1975. 

American Son (Available on Netflix) – An American film based on the story of the Broadway play, shining light on the injustice of systemic racism that leaves a mother desperate to find out what officials have done to her missing son. 

The Hate U Give (Hulu) –  The movie follows Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg), who lives in the black neighborhood of Garden Heights. After a gun goes off at a party Starr is attending, she drives home with her best friend Khalil when they’re stopped by a police officer. Khalil has to exit the vehicle and is shot and killed by the police officer, which becomes a national news story. The movie handles a very relevant matter and reminds you of all the police violence that happens to this day.

Blindspotting (Hulu with Cinemax or available to rent) – Plot follows a parolee who only has three days left on his sentence but he witnesses a police shooting that threatens a lifelong friendship. The directors’ purpose in this movie was to combat the misrepresentation of Oakland that is commonly seen in films. 

Clemency (Available to rent on YouTube or Amazon) – The movie follows a Death Row prison warden who must confront her inner demons when she has to execute another inmate. The movie unearths social issues and has been nominated for several awards. 

Deconstructing White Privilege with Dr. Robin DiAngelo – This video deconstructs the ideas of white fragility, racial identity and implicit bias that come into play in predominantly white institutions and daily life.

12 Apr 2021
Arts Marketing, Non-profit Marketing, Trends Permalink

Arts Advocacy Week 2021 10 Noteworthy Arts Organizations to Support

April 12, 2021

This year’s Arts Advocacy Week takes place from April 12- April 16. In light of the challenges COVID-19 has brought to the creative community, MogoARTS is celebrating Arts Advocacy week by highlighting 10 organizations providing relief and support to those in the arts community. These charities, foundations, and advocacy groups are recognized for their strength, resilience, and commitment to the arts.

Americans for the Arts, National Organization

Americans for the Arts aims to increase congressional support for the arts and build networks where artists and creativity can thrive. Their annual National Arts Action Summit takes place the week before Arts Advocacy week and gathers grassroots supporters to receive advocacy training, lessons on art policy, and networking opportunities.  Following the summit, Americans for the Arts spends the week speaking with congressional leaders to advocate for arts funding, issues affecting the creative community, policies that can support the creative economy and more.    

How you can help: Donate here to support their mission or become a member to gain access to resources and benefits. Learn more on their Instagram.

Broadway Advocacy Coalition, National Organization

The Broadway Advocacy Coalition (BAC) is a space where social justice and arts advocacy intersect. By partnering with existing advocacy organizations, the BAC brings arts into the activism space, creating artivism. The BAC uses impactful storytelling to dismantle systems that perpetuate racism and police brutality. The resulting programs and exhibits bring together “high-level artists, law and policy students and experts, and directly impacted advocates to deepen connections and bridge gaps of disconnect”. 

How you can help: You can donate to the BAC’s cause or volunteer your time by joining the team. Stay updated on their initiatives on Instagram.

Be an Arts Hero, National Organization

Another organization that encourages volunteers to donate their time rather than through financial support is Be an Arts Hero. The foundation aims to create change by lobbying the U.S. Senate to allocate proportionate relief to arts and culture. This is especially important during the pandemic, as the arts community has been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Their site provides easy access to resources and open letters to contact your local senators and has resources for individuals, organizations and lobbyists.

How you can help: Send an open letter to senators, get involved on an individual or organization level or donate. Amplify their voice on Instagram.

The Actors Fund, National Organization

The Actors Fund provides relief for performing arts and entertainment professionals through assistance programs, professional development services, and accessible healthcare and living space. Resources also include workshops for arts professionals, money management tools, and a safe and supportive community. As a response to the pandemic, the fund established an  Emergency Financial Program, as a much needed safety net for individuals working in the performing arts.

How you can help: Make a donation, support The Actors Fund’s COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund, or become a contributing member. Stay updated on their Instagram.

ChaShaMa, New York, New York

ChaShaMa was founded in 1995 as a result of New York artists struggling to find space to share their art. By partnering with property owners, ChaShaMa makes event space affordable, matching unused properties with creatives to host performances, galleries, showcases, and more. The non-profit hosts 150 events a year, and has helped over 170 artists with over $9 million worth of real estate. Aside from securing event space, the non-profit provides free art workshops to New York’s underserved communities.

How you can help: You can make a monetary donation, or donate a space by contacting [email protected]. Follow their journey on Instagram.

NIVA | #saveourstages, New York, New York

Made up of 3,000 independent venues, NIVA (National Independent Venue Association) has brought together theatres and production houses across all 50 states together to lobby for change in Washington, D.C. to ask for necessary legislation for the arts. Their recent work includes passing the Save Our Stages Act as part of the COVID-19 Relief Bill. The act will provide grants administered by the Small Business Administration to provide financial support to venues in need. By continuing fundraising efforts and lobbying change at the national level, NIVA acts as a voice for America’s independent venues.

How you can help: You can help by donating to the NIVA Emergency Relief Fund, or by sending a note thanking legislators for their support on the Save Our Stages Act. For more, follow them on Instagram.

Adopt The Arts, Los Angeles, CA

Adopt The Arts is a Los Angeles based charity founded in response to budget cuts to the arts education department of LAUSD elementary schools in 2012. The public charity raises funds to provide art and music education to students from kindergarten to fifth grade. Some of their events include annual fundraisers and live performances to raise awareness for the arts. They believe that each student deserves exposure to and an education in arts in their adolescence, regardless of where they may live or go to school.

How you can help: You, too can adopt the arts by making a donation or keeping up on their Instagram.

Art and Minds, New York, NY

Taking a creative approach to healing, Arts and Minds provides art therapy through workshops and museum tours for patients of Alzheimer’s dementia and their caretakers. The New York based non-profit believes that art and well being are connected. Arts and Minds has found that viewing, appreciating, and discussing art can improve the quality of life and enrich minds of patients. Their events are currently being conducted online, and programming is offered in both English and Spanish.

How you can help: Give to Arts and Minds through a donation or fundraiser gift or by volunteering your time. For more information and event updates, follow them on Instagram.

Intersection for the Arts, San Francisco, CA

Located in San Francisco, Intersection for the Arts is a nonprofit organization providing fiscal sponsorship, low-cost event space, and professional programs for artists in the Bay Area. They also provide resources for artists struggling from COVID-19’s impact. These resources make it possible for artists to keep doing what they love. Part of their goal is to grow artistry in the Bay Area, Intersection hosts Intersect SF, a series of public events and performances exploring the intersection of arts, culture and people. 

How you can help: Make art possible in the Bay Area and beyond with a donation. To stay up to date on arts resources and events, sign up for their newsletter. Follow them on Instagram for more.

Grants for the Arts, San Francisco, CA

Grants for the Arts is another Bay Area based organization with a focus on equitable grant support for the arts community. Their mission is to “promote the diverse and unique communities of San Francisco by supporting the arts through equitable grant making.” Their commitment to making grants and resources accessible to everyone aligns with their principle value of equity. The organization encourages arts applicants to apply for grants, as they recognize that arts organizations have commonly not received equitable compensation because of marginalizing factors such as race and geography.

How you can help: Learn about their Voluntary Arts Contribution Fund and consider donating. If you, your company, or your agency would like to donate to GFTA, you can email them at [email protected].

This Arts Advocacy week, MogoARTS is encouraging all of our readers to consider donating their time, money, or voices to an arts or creative organization. Whether or not they are on this list, arts advocacy groups are important in preserving the arts in our communities. In a time when connection is hard to come by, art is a unifying force that crosses boundaries to bring us all together.

02 Mar 2021
Arts Marketing, Digital, Digital Marketing Best Practices, Facebook, Instagram, Social Media, Tech Updates, Technical Tips, Tips, Trends Permalink

Apple iOS 14 Update and Impact to Facebook

March 2, 2021

As the conversation around data privacy has come to the forefront of digital advertising, we are seeing platforms, advertisers, and major players shifting to provide users with more control over their online activity and data sharing. The most recent player to make a move is Apple, with a new update to be released for iOS 14 that gives its users the option to opt in or out of app tracking.  

Details around when Apple’s changes will take effect are still evolving, however, Facebook has started preparing so that advertisers are in the right place when it happens. We’ve been able to nail down the big takeaways that you need to know now:

What’s Happening

As Apple has announced iOS 14 policy updates, they have made specific changes that will reduce the ability for advertisers to target and report on in-app and website conversion events. Apple will feature a prompt in mobile apps that informs users the app wants permission to use their data for tracking with two simple buttons: 

Allow Tracking or Ask App Not to Track. 

This prompt will ask for the user’s permission to track them across third-party apps and websites. Users will either opt-in or out of certain data sharing. While we know this will impact Facebook, we do expect there to be implications of these changes across many digital advertising platforms. If a user opts-in to data sharing then there will be effectively no change to the data Facebook will be able to report on that particular user. If they opt-out, Apple will limit the amount of data and user behavior information that can be shared back. 

Facebook’s Changes

In response to Apple’s new privacy updates, Facebook is implementing app-wide changes to how advertisers track, measure, and aggregate audiences. Some of these limitations only apply to iOS 14 users – while others are being implemented globally across tools and capabilities.

  • Tracking: Advertisers are now limited to 8 conversion events per domain. These events include standard events and custom conversions, and each event must be prioritized and ranked by importance to the advertiser. For example, if an iOS 14 user opts out of tracking, and they add something to their cart and also completes a purchase, only part of that data will be sent back to Facebook.
  • Optimization: While additional conversion events may be tracked and pulled in through the Facebook analytics portal, campaigns can only be optimized to the selection of the 8 conversion events. 
  • Measurement & Attribution: 
    • Going forward, 28-day click-through, 28-day view-through, and 7-day view-through attribution windows will not be supported for active campaigns. Attribution and optimization default windows will be set to 7-day click-through.
    • Aggregated Event Measurement will be implemented for a user who opts out of tracking, meaning Facebook will only receive the highest ranked event from Apple for a given user’s visit. For example, if a user performs a ViewContent, AddToCart, and Purchase event during a visit, only the Purchase would be reported.


Major Impacts

These changes will impact both how we determine tracking success of campaigns as well as affect performance of any 1st-party audiences created from pixel conversion data. Once iOS 14 updates go into place, Facebook is expecting a loss of conversion reporting.

If a user opts-out via the prompt on Facebook or Instagram, both app and web events will be impacted, resulting in potentially reduced ad effectiveness and limitations on measurement.

If users opt to send their data when using Facebook apps, nothing changes related to data sent — their data is sent as normal using mobile web tracking.

The Good News

Page View events, site visitation, and audiences aggregated based on domain/url sources will NOT be impacted by these changes. (Retargeting audiences will remain unaffected) The only impact to audience sizes comes into play for any audience that is sourced from a conversion event (for example, creating an audience of Purchasers).

All desktop activity and non-iOS 14 device activity will not be impacted the majority of the limitations being rolled out. While some changes are global (such as the 8 event limit) others such as the Aggregated Event Measurement only apply to conversions being sent back from iOS 14 devices. 

Next Steps

In preparation for this shift, Facebook has rolled out new requirements for advertisers to comply with Apple’s changes:

  1. Domain Verification – Domains must be verified for conversion tracking. Domains can only be verified by 1 Business Manager account. While domains can be shared, the verified owner is the only one that can prioritize and set up conversion events. 
  1. Setup Event Configuration – Prioritize conversion events by order of importance, assess current pixel event mapping especially for custom conversions.
  1. Historical Benchmarking – Pull aggregated reporting for historical reference to benchmark attribution windows for future reporting comparisons and campaign optimizations. 

Mogo is committed to keeping our affected partners updated on the coming changes from iOS 14 and how it affects other digital advertising channels. If you’re interested in participating in the conversation, Facebook encourages advertisers to speak up.

16 Sep 2020
Tips, Trends Permalink

5 Tips For Driving Diversity For Your Arts Organization

September 16, 2020

Since June, we have been continuously reminded of the fight for equality and the responsibility that arts organizations have to hold space for diverse representation within their venues, communities and organizations. Over the last months, we saw many organizations publicly commit themselves to diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

The challenge can be figuring out what is next. 

In order for arts organizations to authentically and effectively engage with a multicultural audience, arts leaders have an opportunity to drive diversity within their staffing and leadership, performances, storytellers, and audiences. The Association of National Advertisers’ Alliance for Inclusive Multicultural Marketing found that the top advertisers in the U.S. currently spend less than 1 percent of budgets to reach multicultural audiences. This number is surprising considering that 39.6% of the population is considered non-White according to the US Census Bureau. So, even statistically, it makes sense for companies to expand their reach to speak to a wider, more inclusive audience. 

However, it can be daunting to find the right diversity and inclusion initiatives for your organization to focus on. No matter where your organization is starting, either from scratch or with years of experience building out diversity and inclusion practices, the foundation for improvement requires an ongoing dedication to learning, listening, and consistently taking steps forward. From there, identifying opportunities to have conversations around inclusion can help build out a consistent practice. As your organization continues to develop strategies for diversity and inclusion, here are 5 areas for arts organizations to focus on.  

1. Hiring. One of the best places to start is by making sure your organization reflects your community.

Looking at the leadership and staff within your organization can help you identify areas of opportunity for hiring more diverse perspectives. It is crucial to look at every area of your organization with a multicultural lens; from recruiting to retaining and developing talent and even one step further, developing KPIs and holding the organization accountable to these diversity KPIs and initiatives. Having diverse staff, behind the scenes, can help influence more inclusive casting, programming, and help promote more visible diversity on stage.  

What do diverse hiring practices look like? It’s important to look at the root cause of the lack of diversity, and not just the symptoms of it. We encourage you to look into Implicit Bias Tests to identify any unconscious biases as you are looking for candidates for open roles. When doing an initial screening of candidates, try a blind recruitment process that removes all identification details from resumes and applications to help your hiring team evaluate candidates on skill and experience instead of extraneous factors that can cause biased decisions. In order to successfully implement other initiatives such as diverse casting and storytelling, your organizations must bring in leaders with unique perspectives and experiences to spotlight areas that could use more representation. 

Take Action: Challenge your recruiting and hiring managers to include people with different backgrounds or experiences when hiring open roles. To help engage with top talent, you may speak with community organizations that advocate for diversity for referrals or recommendations on where to get started or by speaking to your existing employees for referrals. 

2. Casting. After reaching a record high in the 2015-16 Broadway season, due in large part to Hamilton, the 2016-17 season experienced a drop in representation for BIPOC characters from 36% to 29%. Through Hamilton, we could see the power of how an inclusive casts and storytelling perspective can drive engagement with diverse audiences. If you want more diverse audiences, cast diverse actors and actresses who represent those you want to reach. However, it’s important to not only look at casting, but also other opportunities to bring diversity into your performance – for example the orchestra, the director, etc. Think beyond what is just represented on stage, but also who is representing your organization. 

The graph on the right demonstrates the inequality in representation in Broadway shows in the 2014-15 season. It’s clear that there needs to be more representation in the fine arts for many reasons, but especially as the goal of the arts is to inspire its audience. There’s “No reason you can’t have an Asian Belle or a Black Roxie Hart.” When casting your actors, consider challenging your thoughts on whether or not the race, ability, age, or sex of the actor is important to your characters. If these factors are necessary to choosing an actor, consider if it is because the character represents a specific stereotype.

The last thing you want to do is put non-white performers in roles that are one-dimensional or stereotyped. Diverse audiences will embrace more dynamic and complex character representation. It’s not enough to only include BIPOC in productions, but also to ensure that the characters are not promoting harmful or damaging caricatures or tokenism.

Image from: Quartz

Take Action: Consider engaging in “non-traditional casting”. According to the Washington Post, non-traditional casting is “the use of actors of any race, sex, ethnic background, or degree of disability in roles for which such factors are not germane to the development of stage characters or the play.” Work with organizations such as Asian-American Performers Action Coalition or the African-American Artists Alliance to partner with them to find more diverse actors or to collaborate on initiatives that will diversify your organization. Prior to calling in any actors, have a conversation with your team on the necessity for the character to be played by someone of a specific race, gender, nationality, ability, etc. The conversation itself can spur some great ideas and new perspectives.

3. Programming. One way to ensure inclusion and reach underrepresented audiences in your community is to allow them to tell their stories. Welcome BIPOC storytellers to share their stories and reach out to BIPOC directors to provide their perspective with your audiences. 

There are plenty of stories to be told that are written by Black playwrights that should be heard. Onstage blog recommends to start with productions that require minimum BIPOC casting, but still have BIPOC roles that are not just “window-dressing”, but instead lend a hand to the story at hand. This is a way to get started in introducing more BIPOC roles into your theatre without it seeming forced. With this, your organization is able to open your doors to more BIPOC actors/actresses. 

Take Action: Analyze where your organization is at. If your organization has a history of putting on diverse shows, continue to do so and also look into where you can further push BIPOC actors into larger roles and productions. If your organization historically doesn’t have the best representation, look into easing yourself in the right direction with productions that have meaningful and complex roles for BIPOC actors. 

4. Marketing and Budget: Your community may have more diverse representation within it then your patron profile and there is an opportunity to be more strategic with your marketing efforts and budget to reach audiences you previously missed. If your goal is to reach a larger audience, consider allocating a portion of your marketing budget to reach different audience types.  Having this dedicated budget will enable you to tap reach more diverse communities that previously felt the arts weren’t accessible to them.

Take Action: One area to start with can be your marketing materials.  Make sure your marketing materials are representing diverse audiences and performers. You can also plan on some specific community outreach through email or social media directed at the diverse community you want to attract. It can even extend to your paid media efforts. We work with many clients who set aside a percentage of their media budget specifically for outreach to diverse communities. When you do allocate specific budget for these kinds of efforts, take into consideration what your KPIs should be. They may not still be ROAS, but instead looking at if your representation in audience members are increasing, if your age demographic is growing wider, etc 

Also, analyzing your audience can be another impactful way to see if there is opportunity for more inclusion. Understanding your existing audience profile, can help you identify gaps in other groups you may want to reach out to. 

By addressing your marketing materials, your budget allocation strategy, and your audience profile, you will be able to develop actionable steps towards driving inclusivity.

5. Learning and Growth: This journey will not be immediate. There will always be ways to champion diversity within your organization. However, it’s important to commit to learning and staying educated in order to continue the momentum of representation in your organization. This can spark conversations within your organization on new ideas or approaches on how to drive equity, inclusion and diversity in your organization. We understand that not everything can be done at once, but it’s important to look at the small changes that can be made starting now. An easy way to start these conversations is through asking questions regarding diversity within your organization members. Starting conversations will help drive your organization in the right direction.

Take Action: Initiate set meetings biweekly or monthly to discuss with the members of your organization how you can continue to have more representation on-stage and off-stage. By having these conversations you open the floor for people in your organization to speak up on other ways to drive change.  Additionally, bringing in speakers to your organization who can bring new ideas from an outside perspective, can help keep this conversation a key priority for your organization. 

At the end of the day, the arts were created to reflect our lives and that includes representing those from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.Though these are five ways to get started in addressing diversity in your organization, it is an ongoing journey. Making small steps forward and having continued commitment is crucial to the success of these initiatives and we encourage you to continue finding new opportunities to incorporate diversity into your organization.  

21 Jul 2020
Arts Marketing, Digital, Full Funnel, Non-profit Marketing, Tips, Trends Permalink

Diversify Your Online Audience by Engaging New Patrons Offline

July 21, 2020

Arts organizations across the nation are brainstorming new ways to reach patrons given the ever changing regulations put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With an overwhelming amount of temporary closures, arts organizations have pivoted to providing digital content for their patrons to stay engaged with the arts while at home. By expanding online and building out a digital offering, arts content is becoming increasingly accessible to a broader audience. We know that in a live environment, not all people who want to engage with the arts are able to access it. Whether it’s due to location, cost, previous perception, accessibility for those needing additional support, or lack of exposure or education of the arts, moving content online opens up the audience to those previously excluded. By providing a new platform to enjoy this experience, live entertainment can extend its reach on a national scale and not just a regional one. Now, arts organizations are looking to new methods to reach these audiences, of all ages.  

For many patrons, accessing the arts online is a new concept and may require guidance for the best user experience. The average arts patron is 49 years old, which is ~30% older than the median age of the US population. In the past, older audiences have relied more heavily on traditional marketing efforts such as newspaper ads, free standing inserts (ie. flyer in the local paper), mailers, email, newsletters, tv and outdoor. Today, over 51% of older Americans now have some sort of technology handy and thus the generation gap between tech-savvy and technophobics is narrowing. With that in mind, your audience may need some additional technical support to make sure they can enjoy your content. Here are 3 ideas to get you started on how to engage this older audience and bring them a new digital arts experience.

  1. Utilize traditional marketing efforts to inform your audience
    • Send a direct mailer or email with a “how to guide” to access digital content  
    • Create a website, microsite or QR code with easy step by step instruction for easy access 
    • Include “email for more information” to offer one-on-one support
  2. Leverage your existing audience who may be more digitally savvy 
    • Promote co-viewing virtual events (can provide a sense of community/togetherness). This could include watching with your family and friends or even just getting help from your loved ones. 
    • Partner with communities in your organization to host digital viewing parties, especially retirement or activity clubs.  
  3. Show your patrons that online content can still be a great experience, similar to in-person events
    • Provide pull quotes or reviews from happy patrons
    • Share guides or examples on how to transform your home to an amazing theatre experience (props, lighting, snacks/meal recipes, etc)
    • Add in special effects into the streaming content such as dimming the lights during the start and intermission of the show, add in crowd noises such as cheering and clapping at the end of the performance, or other experiences that make people feel like they are at the theatre
    • Set up social forums so your audience can share and discuss a topic, performance, or events

These are just a few ideas of how to guide your more traditional audiences to engage with your organization virtually. To customize this experience even more, you can try surveying long-time subscribers or audiences of a certain demographic to learn exactly what kind of experiences virtual events! Bringing more of your organization’s audience online, allows for more opportunity and flexibility to speak to these patrons on short timelines and lower costs. We hope these tips help you bring your audience closer to you once again.

10 Jul 2020
Digital, Facebook, Instagram, Social Media, Tips, Trends Permalink

What You Need to Know About Facebook & Instagram Ad Spend in July

July 10, 2020

A growing number of advertisers including Ben & Jerrys, DeVry University, Honda, and Sesame Street have joined civil rights groups in a new campaign “Stop Hate for Profit” to temporarily halt advertising spend on Facebook and Instagram in the month of July, some organizations have gone as far as stopping all advertising on social through the end of 2020. The movement’s goal is to pressure Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg to address Facebook’s impact on society, and follow Twitter’s lead to draw a definitive line regarding hate speech that cannot be crossed in on-platform discussion.

As of 2019, nearly 99% of Facebook’s $70 billion revenue comes directly from advertising, and many say the social media giant should do more to protect Black users and call out hate speech. The groups are asking Facebook to take clear and actionable steps as outlined on the Stop Hate for Profit website which include accountability, decency and support. Mark Zuckerberg posted an update in response to the movement on June 26th, “Many of the changes we’re announcing today come directly from feedback from the civil rights community and reflect months of work with our civil rights auditors…Facebook stands for giving people a voice — especially people who have previously not had as much voice or power to share their experiences.” The Facebook post goes into detail on 4 major initiatives the company is implementing: 

  1. Providing Authoritative Information on Voting
  2. Steps to Fight Voter suppression
  3. Establishing higher standards for hateful content in ads
  4. Proactively labeling newsworthy content

While word is spreading among advertisers, a recent Google Consumer Survey highlighted that 70% of Facebook/Instagram users were either unaware of the boycott, or unsure how they felt about it. The highest rates of approval for the boycott came from 18-24 year olds, followed closely by users over 65. 

We understand that not all organizations, especially non-profits, have the ability to stop advertising. What is important is to evaluate if pausing Facebook or Instagram spend makes sense for your organization:

  • Who is your audience, are they active Facebook users?  
  • What are your organization’s marketing goals?
  • Does Facebook’s policy violate/conflict with your company’s values and/or mission statement?

After reviewing these questions your organization may be consider joining the #StopHateforProfit movement. If so, your Mogo team can discuss your opportunities to re-allocate any planned Facebook or Instagram spend to alternative channels, tailored to your audience and campaign goals. We are here to support our partners to align their media investment, goals, and needs.

07 Jul 2020
Arts Marketing, Digital, Non-profit Marketing, Subscriptions, Tips, Trends Permalink

How Arts Subscriptions are Evolving in 2020

July 7, 2020

In the arts community, summertime means subscription sales. However, in 2020, it’s different. Non-profit Performing Arts organizations generate a majority of revenue solely on ticket sales, loyal subscribers, and generous donors; which sometimes makes up 75% or more of annual budgets. Organizations are planning ahead to maximize subscription sales in the midst of uncertain times.

As arts organizations await guidance from local or state governments on moving forward with live events, it will be critical to have subscription options in place. Packages now require added flexibility to support refunds and exchanges, or the option to move your seats. Here are a few examples of how some of our partners are using seat maps, flexible pricing, and new packages to help drive sales this summer:

DEVELOP GATED DIGITAL CONTENT: Virtual events create the opportunity to reach new and untapped audiences that may not have been willing to try something new, hire a babysitter for the night, or even drive a distance to the theater. It’s more convenient, makes content accessible, and creates a new revenue stream. Recently, SFJAZZ has debuted its very own Digital Membership starting at as little as $5/month. By signing up members gain access to an exclusive members-only virtual concert series.

OFFER INCENTIVES: Outside of “buy more and save” there are many perks that will entice patrons to subscribe. Last week, we shared the top incentives which drive charitable giving to arts organizations. Most of these donor incentives can also apply as subscriber benefits: 

  • Gifts such as access to raffle tickets, auction items, giveaways, concession vouchers, etc.
  • Recognition in the form of a subscriber spotlight in a newsletter or social media
  • Exclusive access to subscriber-only content and events like meet ‘n greets (via Zoom or in-person) with cast and directors

While some “traditional” subscriber benefits such as discounted concessions, front of line access and secured seats may be on hold – many organizations are finding ways to digitize these perks or create unique online experiences for their subscribers. 

OFFER FLEXIBLE PACKAGES: Even with all the precautions in place, patrons may not feel comfortable yet committing to a full season of programming. Some organizations are offering a “Choose-Your-Own” mini-subscription package. Patrons can choose the shows or events they want to attend and customize their own packages. Offering partial subscriptions with flexible options to swap productions or dates might ease the fear of commitment to return to the theater again.

30 Jun 2020
Arts Marketing, Data, Non-profit Marketing, Tips Permalink

4 Ways to Drive Donations with Incentives

June 30, 2020

As organizations build their strategy, donations are going to be a big factor for those in the Arts. Earlier this month, we discussed the value of the arts donation audiences, messaging best practices, and maximizing your efforts. However, we know a large component of donation campaigns this year will have a focus on incentives to engage donor audiences. By combining a compelling offer and the right strategy, arts organizations can reach new donors, attract larger gifts, and build a relationship with your core donor audiences. In talking with arts organizations across the US and Canada, here are the top 4 strategies nonprofits are using to engage with their donor audiences:

1. Gifts
2. Donor-Only Access
3. Direct recognition
4. Going Digital

GIFTS
In working with our arts partners, we are seeing more donation campaigns offering gifts as a way to encourage engagement. These incentives are often awarded if patrons donate a certain amount, which can increase the average donation value and draw in first-time and loyal donors. Our arts partners are experimenting, now more than ever, with different gifting strategies. Here are some examples of incentives to help drive donations:

  • Raffle Tickets
  • Auction Items
  • Matching Donation Gifts
  • Ticket or Subscription Giveaways
  • Concession Vouchers
  • Gift Cards

Raffle or auction item gifts can include memorabilia, stage props, or even autographed items from directors and actors. These gifts can range in value to both the audience and the venue, but the goal is to encourage and incentivize donors to give at various levels to ensure organizations are achieving their donation goals.

Pro Tip: Build a tiered strategy for your incentives so donors are encouraged to give at the level that makes sense for them and for the organization. Higher value gifts should require an increased donation. These gifts help motivate people to give more if there is an incentive to do so.

DONOR-ONLY ACCESS PERKS
Another way to incentivize donations and increase engagement is to provide donor-only access perks. By creating special offers just for donors, it helps to drive a feeling of priority and exclusivity for those willing to give. Creating perks will help establish and build stronger relationships with your donor community. Organizations are developing different strategies to reward donors through exclusive access and experiences, including:

  • Priority Access – If you provide donors with priority access to performances, workshops, events, classes, etc. this can capture donors’ interest, encourage them to give at higher levels, and provide them additional ways to experience your organization now and in the future. This can also include giving them priority access to will-call or concession lines as a way to reward your donors.
  • Donor-Only Events – Organizations can host appreciation events or performances where donors have exclusive access. In our current climate, we are seeing organizations hosting donor-only virtual events, while others are going to host a donor-specific in-venue event once they are able to. Either way, it’s a great way to reward those willing to give.
  • Exclusive Content – Other organizations have been talking about offering streaming or interactive content including interviews with the set or costume designers, sneak peek of dress rehearsals, etc. Many are creating a library of on-demand content that only donors will have access to. Meet and Greets – Organizations are offering virtual meetings, happy hours, or Q&A sessions with directors, composers, actors, dancers, etc. so that donors will have a one of a kind experience. Through this intimate unique experience, the organization is able to build a stronger loyalty with these donors.

These offers have tangible value both to the arts organizations and donors, so it’s important to set a minimum donation requirement for people to access these donor-only perks.

Pro Tip: There is an investment in time and resources to develop some of these ideas. Look for ways the content or events can be documented and repurposed for press or promotional purposes, that way you will be able to further maximize your efforts.

DIRECT RECOGNITION
Showing appreciation to donors directly is a great way to make them feel valued and to show how important their ongoing support is for your organization. Here are some ways organizations are able to recognize their donors:

  • Digitally through newsletters, emails, website, or social media
  • Printing a donors name in a playbill or performance materials
  • Write hand-written thank you letters
  • Create plaques, certifications, or awards
  • Adding names to a donation wall or theater seats where budget and donation amount allow

Pro Tip: Using social media to thank your donors has the added benefit of extending your reach and amplifying your efforts. Thank donors on social will allow you to reach donors, your followers, and reach new audiences through shares and hashtags. All of which could draw in other donations.


GOING DIGITAL
While you build out your donation strategy one thing to keep in mind is how digital efforts are able to amplify your message, reach your audience efficiently, and drive donations. While most of the ideas and donor strategies were discussed above, going digital can amplify those strategies and help you reach your donation goals. Here are some ideas on how you can embrace digital efforts to drive donations:

  • Digital campaigns can help promote gifts and perk programs so that your target audience understands the value and benefits of supporting the arts
  • Promote your streaming or on-demand content. If donor-only shows or behind-the-scenes content is possible, target audiences that are most likely to donate.
  • On social, run digital campaigns to amplify the recognition and appreciation of your donors. It can become its own mini-campaign of thanks which can help keep your brand top-of -mind while encouraging people to give


No matter if you are using incentives like gifts, donor-access, recognition, finding the right ways to incentivize and appreciate your patrons will help you build a connection and continue to drive donations. In this time, arts organizations can find innovative ways to keep their audience connected and motivated to give while rewarding them for their generosity.

23 Jun 2020
Arts Marketing, Data, Digital, Digital Marketing Best Practices, Display, Non-profit Marketing, Social Media, Technical Tips, Tips Permalink

5 Tips on How to Engage Your Donor Audience

June 23, 2020

As arts organizations navigate the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, donor support is more important than ever in keeping our arts community alive. As in-person events and the economic health of the country are deeply affected by this pandemic, arts organizations are challenged to come up with strategies to connect with their audience and drive support, especially from their donors. Knowing arts patrons are also facing challenging times, targeting the donors who are still able to give becomes even more important.  So reaching the right audience and striking the appropriate tone is critical in driving a successful donation campaign.

We analyzed 800+ donation efforts to understand what makes a campaign successful. One thing is clear:

Audience matters: Mogo has done extensive audience testing and found that arts organizations are more loyal and generous compared to non-arts donors, such as humanitarian or other charitable causes. Arts audiences are more compelled to give, which is a huge opportunity for you. Here are the numbers:

When comparing art-specific donors to non-arts donors (humanitarian, charitable, or social causes), we have seen: 

  • -10% Decrease in CPA
  • +33% Growth in Conversion
  • +36% Grown in ROAS

What this means is that arts audiences tend to donate more often and give more. Armed with this data, we’ve compiled 5 tips to improve your donation strategy: 

  1. People give from their hearts, not their heads. Have your content tie back to the value your arts organization brings to your community. Share how you foster expression, learning, exploring, educating, and growth for your community. Your audience will resonate with your message and inspire them to give. 
  2. Make it personal. Help your audience understand why they should care and what their gift will mean to the arts and their community. Personalize your message, share what and how specifically a contribution will benefit the community, organization, or effort.  If you have a success story share it. Donors want to connect to the value and benefit their gift will support. It’s also important to keep in mind that during this time, organizations need to be thoughtful about the messages they are sharing. It is important to stay on top of local and national conversations to align messaging with the community’s needs. Focus on your positive, mission-based messaging and be flexible with your efforts. It might mean at times the donation efforts are active and other times paused, depending on the needs of your community. The key is to customize the donation efforts to your donor audience.   
  3. Incentivize donors.  Find ways to create benefits that encourage people to give. Incentives can be anything from giveaways, priority access, and direct recognition that will help reward those who most generously give. Mogo has a blog post all about donation incentives coming out next week.
  4. Let donors support your cause long-term. Can you offer recurring donations? If not, it’s a great avenue to explore. Allow your donors to invest in your future with recurring contributions, enabling loyal patrons to continue to give.
  5. Find the right audience. Test different audiences to see which methods and strategies drive the highest success rates for your organization. While targeting is often customized for each arts organization, here are some examples of audiences that have driven success in the past: prior donors or subscribers, fans and followers, frequent travelers, home and garden enthusiasts, and music lovers just to name a few. Each organization has their own unique audiences, so testing against the top-performing audiences can help deliver results. 

For many organizations, engaging donors means becoming more strategic in their messaging and how to reach their audience. The best place to start is working through mission-based messages to align value with why donors should give. As well as what donation incentives could work for your organization to show donors they are valued. As you work through your strategy, there will need to be further planning and considerations for your long-term donation support as well as how to reach and target the audience most likely to give.  Balancing these 5 tips when you build out your donation efforts, can help align the organization with the right donor audience.