In the early days of my career, when thinking about what it takes to pull together a production or event, I thought about practical things such as funding, partners, performers, venues, timelines, front and back of house needs, and so on. However, one aspect I neglected to consider in detail was the marketing needs, and outside of creating flyers for postal mailouts or local distribution (think early to mid-2000s tactics), not much happened to engage potential audiences. I was once told that marketing has three key aims: firstly, to make people aware of who you are; secondly, to make them think nice things about you; and thirdly, to get them to “buy” what you are selling.
What I have learned is that marketing and communications are integral to the success of any business, project, or event that depends on consumer engagement – such as the arts. I also learned, or at least came to realise, that this fundamental aspect is often overlooked and underfunded. With many venues suffering from low ticket sales and poor audience engagement, one would think we would view our marketing and communication strategies as a priority. When starting my own business, the first thing I did was to engage a marketing manager. Georgia Gerson was recommended to me by a mutual acquaintance and has been integral to Uprise Rebel’s success. Over the past five years she has helped build the brand and has worked with all the companies and artists we support on a range of projects nationally and internationally. In this month’s column, she reflects on her own experience and shares how she sees the place of marketing in the arts:
“I didn’t find marketing; marketing found me. I was working in a growing company that had never had a marketing and communications department before. As I was fresh out of university with an art history master’s degree, I was keen to make my mark. I attended a short evening course and, with the help of an extraordinary mentor, learnt on the job as I went along.
That was eight years ago. After three years as a marketing manager with that commercial company, I met Grace Okereke when she was just starting Uprise Rebel, and my freelance marketing and communications management career in the publicly funded performing arts sector began.
I have crossed the divide between working full-time in commercial visual arts and as a freelancer in the performing arts, and I have found the approach to marketing varies across the two sectors. The main difference is that in the performing arts marketing seems to have a troubled reputation and suffers from underfunding.
I believe that to be a successful marketing and communications manager you need an in-depth understanding of a company. It requires a personal touch and a comprehensive knowledge of a company’s history, tone of voice, intended audience, and personal relationships. This is necessary to be able to effectively “speak for”, “represent” and “sell” the company to the wider public. Even if you get this right, one thing my mentor impressed upon me early on, which I have since experienced first-hand, is that the marketing person (or team) is the first to be scapegoated when something goes wrong. They are also the first to go when finances are tight.
Fundamentally, there is a misunderstanding of the importance of marketing in the arts sector. No matter one’s level of experience, there is an assumption that anyone can do it, and therefore, your advice can often fall on deaf ears. One of the challenges is that marketing and communications cover a broad array of responsibilities that range from writing copy, managing on-going comms such as social media and newsletters, to arranging events, maintaining and building relationships with patrons, partners, and press, building websites, developing campaigns for shows, to long-term strategic planning for the entire organisation. Often this is managed by one person being paid on a project-by-project basis, or (less than) part-time hours, with the level of work needed sometimes equivalent to a full-time role. This is one of the key difficulties I face, as funding is always tight, but expectations can be high.
With all the challenges noted, I still feel very privileged to work with many exceptional artists across the visual and performing arts. Marketing and communications offer unparalleled access to a company, artist or production. The work you do brings important messages, stories, and experiences to a wider public. Seeing a gallery or a theatre filled with people is a rewarding experience. An artwork or a theatre or dance production can open eyes, offer catharsis, emotion, or joy. I hope that in the future, companies will better support the vital role that marketing and communications play.”