Americans for the Arts, the leading organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America, today announced Arts Marketing and Audience Engagement in the 21st Century: Building the Capacity of Pennsylvania’s Cultural Sector, a new, five-year initiative to strengthen and advance the arts marketing and audience engagement skills of Pennsylvania-based arts and cultural professionals. The first cohort of participants will start in July 2017.

 

Developed by Americans for the Arts in partnership with the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the initiative is designed to tackle the issue of declining arts participation in Pennsylvania through skill-building in the areas of arts marketing and audience engagement. The training aims to assist and strengthen Pennsylvania arts and cultural organizations—particularly those within diverse communities—in attracting and retaining expanded audiences. 

 

Following an intensive three-day boot camp on July 12-14 at the Millersville University Ware Center in Lancaster, all Cohort 1 participants will be required to participate in four in-person trainings and five virtual trainings, as well a special preconference event at the annual National Arts Marketing Project (NAMP) Conference. While the bulk of training will take place in the first year, in the second year all Cohort 1 participants will shift from trainees to mentors for the next cohort. In addition, the second year will allow Cohort 1 participants to apply knowledge from the first year by executing an organization-specific practical project. 

 

The program welcomes arts professionals in various stages of their career to apply. Applicants must apply online by April 29, 2017; participants will be notified by May 26, 2017. Organizations in Pennsylvania can also be nominated for participation in Cohort 1. Program details, including the online application and nomination form, can be found through Americans for the Arts’ National Arts Marketing Project website. 

 

“The arts today are more important than ever, whether as a contributor to the development of well-rounded youth, as a partner in community development, or as an economic driver,” said Robert L. Lynch, President and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “Arts organizations thrive in today’s constant state of evolution when they have the marketing tools and skills to reach both the broad audiences—which bring purchasing power and income—or the targeted audiences that become partners in positive community change. This landmark program will prepare Pennsylvania arts organizations to compete and prosper in our 21st century.”

 

“We are thrilled to see this program taking shape,” said Pennsylvania Council on the Arts executive director Philip Horn. “Our mission, in short, is to foster the excellence, diversity and vitality of the arts in Pennsylvania. This program helps ensure that arts and cultural organizations across the commonwealth are equipped with the necessary skills to craft programming and a complimentary marketing approach necessary to engage with and meet the needs and interests of their audiences,” said Horn. “These are integral skills that will help arts and cultural organizations innovate and thrive in the years ahead.”

 

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of more than 55 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.