make the case presentation 10 22 09 ppt 97

How Southeastern Michigan Values Arts & Culture

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The Partners

ArtServe MI and Cultural Alliance partnership

Supported by Michigan Council of Arts and Cultural Affairs 2009 Partnership Program

Regional pilot in SE Michigan to strengthen case-making and messaging for arts and culture statewide

Researcher – Paris Consulting, Ann Arbor

Purpose of the Project

Test messages about arts and culture to find out what resonates with key constituencies

Give CASM members information, messages and tools to present their work in ways that are proven to persuade key constituencies

Begin a long-term effort to convey these messages to the public in SE Michigan

Provide ArtServe Michigan with a model that can be replicated in other regions of the State

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Preaching to the CongregationMore than 7.4 million people attend arts and

culture events in southeastern Michigan each year.

Some we know well. Many only visit.

How do they perceive arts and culture?

What will motivate them to support our nonprofit organizations?

How can we change our messages to make a stronger case for our work and its impact?

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Our Subjects

Researched target audiences that are…

Not known to be supporters of the arts

Able to reflect mass public opinion

Knowledgeable about community needs

Open to dialogue and engagement

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Our Subjects

Local Government Officials

Community Leaders

Business People

Parents

Reflecting Diversity of Our Region

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Objectives and Methodology

Qualitative and Quantitative Research:

Individual In-Depth Interviews

Focus Groups

E-Surveys via Zoomerang

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First, we asked open-ended questions:

When you hear the words “arts and culture,” and “Southeast Michigan,” what comes to mind?

Do you participate in any arts activities?

What value do arts and culture have, if any?

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Then we tested statements commonly used to “sell” the arts:

Community Identity / Sense of Place

Economic Engine

Education

Quality of Life

Workforce Development

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Objective and Professional

And we listened.

Or rather, our researcher did.

Mark Paris, of Paris Planning, LLC. broad experience in matching products to markets

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What We Learned

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Top of Mind Perceptions Major cultural institutions

“When you say arts and culture, you tend to think of the larger, well-known names, like the DIA, the DSO, the Fisher Theater. I would expand culture to include the Detroit Zoo, concerts, art-house movies. Some sporting events. Like we have a world-class skating community that is almost invisible. That’s sports as culture.”

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, LIVINGSTON

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Top of Mind Perceptions

Local things to do Art fairs & festivalsConcertsHistorical museumsPublic art Performances in restaurantsSports and recreation

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The middle is invisibleScience centersMid-sized museums elsewhere in the regionArt classes and education programsPerforming arts presentersAnd more…

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Perceptions are Positive

95% parents

83 / 58% business people

Grounded in personal experience

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Art is a Personal Experience “When I was 29 years old, I got sent out West on a

work assignment. I fell in love with it and it changed my life. We are really interested in American Indian art…Our house is built around a southwestern design.”

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, OAKLAND

“My experience with art came through my grandfather who came through the Mexican Revolution and talked about art being of and for the people…Murals (Diego Rivera) were certainly something that my grandfather considered a church. We used to go there on Sundays and he would say ‘Who wants to go to Mass?’ That was our church.”

COMMUNITY LEADER, DETROIT16

Perceived Value – Diversity

Seeing your art, culture, or history. Seeing other people’s art, culture or history

“Art is about diversity of thought…[art that generates controversy and conversation] is good...”

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL WASHTENAW

“It’s seeing things through somebody else’s eyes…It’s very important…especially for kids.”

TROY BUSINESSPERSON

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Perceived Value - Enrichment

Experiencing or creating beautyStretching beyond the everydayFeeding the soul

“Art is essential for expression…There would be a lot less violence, self-hatred and conflict if there was art (in the schools)…Art feeds your soul…It is essential food…If you don’t avail yourself of art, it is a loss you can’t calculate…It is a form of spiritual bankruptcy.”

COMMUNITY LEADER, DETROIT

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Perceived Value - Children

Importance of arts exposure

“(my kids) are better people because of the arts…Part of the effect of being exposed to more things and having a more open mind…being touched, actually touched by some sort of arts experience.”

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, ST. CLAIR

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Perceived Value

Unaided self-descriptions relate closely to three of the cases:

EducationQuality of LifeCommunity Identity

These resonate.

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How our Case Statements Ranked

Business & Parents

1 Education 42 Quality of Life 33 Community Identity 14 Economic Engine 2

Government & Community

Leaders

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Messages that Don’t Work

Workforce Development came in dead last for everyone.

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How People React to These Statements

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Community Identity / Sense of Place

Arts and culture create a sense of pride and place. Arts and culture make the unique character of a community visible, for all to see.

Arts and culture create times for people and family members of all ages to gather together and share an experience. Arts and culture help us to display our heritage. And to discover other people’s heritage.

Volunteerism in arts and culture increases community pride.

Community Identity Feedback

This case was the most focused and concise.

“I like this because it goes directly to what it does.”

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, WASHTENAW

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Pride, Gathering, Volunteering resonated quickly and powerfully with Leaders.

“…our Historic Village, or when we open a park. These are our points of pride. I talk about volunteers in our community all the time…I do a show called Caring Community….”

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, MACOMB

“Arts and culture create a sense of pride and place. I think that is absolutely correct.”


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“…the arts (help) to make the unique character of a community tangible, something we can touch… It allows us to create occasions to gather together and share an experience. That’s important to people.”


“I think we have to say why it is important to gather together. When we get together and are with each other we become less belligerent. We are more peaceful. We don’t want to pull a gun and shoot somebody...It’s a way to build a community.”


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Economic EngineArts and culture attract patrons, tourists, residents and their dollars.

Arts and cultural organizations are often at the center of developing or revitalizing cities, villages and townships. (Think The Purple Rose Theater and Chelsea.) That’s because other businesses build up around performing arts centers, community theaters, arts centers and museums.

Arts and cultural organizations employ people, spend dollars and generate local business activity. Non-profit arts organizations employ more than 6,000 in Southeastern Michigan. They have annual budgets totaling over $300 million, most of which is spent locally.

Economic Engine Feedback

Leaders and Businesspeople want this case to work.

But they want evidence.

“We like things quantified.”LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, LIVINGSTON

“If you are not tying the arts to dollars and cents, you’re not making the case.”


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“(an artist friend) did public art… It was amazing to see how many people actually came down there to see those pieces, ate lunch, shopped…My attitude towards the arts changed.”

YPSILANTI BUSINESS PERSON

“Henry Ford. That attracts huge amounts of people. Theater. I can see people coming into town for theater.”


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Employment numbers for arts and cultural organizations

are not impressive.

“6,000 in Southeastern Michigan. You would think with a budget of $300 million that would be more.”

YPSILANTI BUSINESSPERSON

“I don’t think it’s very compelling to say it employs 6,000 or 100,000 related careers…What’s the context?...What’s the R.O.I…What’s the strategy. Not a bad angle. Needs more heft.”



SE Michigan is not perceived as a tourist destination.

“I need more data because I am not feeling the presence of tourists or their dollars.”

TROY BUSINESSPERSON

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Economic Engine FeedbackBusiness people do not see arts as a catalyst:

“I don’t think the arts attract other businesses. It’s the other way around.”

“You couldn’t put up a museum or a theater in Milan and attract business...”

STATEMENTS BY TROY BUSINESSPEOPLE

“I refuse to believe that Google came to Ann Arbor because of the art …Google came to Ann Arbor because of a business relationship with the U of M.”


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Economic Engine FeedbackCommunity Leaders think differently:

“ …I think that it can be seen in the Governor’s initiative to bring more movie makers to Michigan. I think people can see money being made.”


“I think it is critically important for our entire region to have an arts and culture strategy… It has to be indigenous…We’re trying to use Neighborhood Stabilization funds to create spaces and places artists want to be.”

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, OAKLAND34


“If you are talking about a community identity that’s part of a growing movement, I’d give it a high score…I’m more encouraged by grass roots arts, culture and the creative class starting to emerge…the urban arts collective led by some funky creative class type people…almost an underground community…I don’t mean people volunteering at the DIA to stand at the door and be greeters.”


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Quality of Life

The arts teach us what it means to be fully human. The arts help us to create beauty. The arts help us to create something new. The arts help us to see the world as others see it. The arts help us to stretch beyond the everyday.

In the age of the internet, arts and cultural activities are needed to bring people together for a real experience in a real time and place. As an audience, we get to share a positive feeling about the same thing at the same time. This builds bonds between people and within families.

Arts and culture help us to understand the past. To experience the present. And to explore possibilities for the future.

Quality of life is personal

“Art is essential for expression…there would be a lot less violence, self-hatred and conflict if there was art [in schools]….Art feeds your soul…It is essential food…If you don’t avail yourself of art, it is a loss you can’t calculate…It is a form of spiritual bankruptcy.”


“Okay, well I agree with this because (my kids) are better people because of the arts…Part of the effect of being exposed to more things and having a more open mind…being touched, actually touched by some sort of arts experience.”

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, ST. CLAIR37

Quality of Life Feedback

The arts and individual talent

“… Arts are timeless…and within every single human being.”


“… It’s something somebody can do better than everybody else. Everybody has that kind of talent. What can we do to bring it out?”


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“[Art] gives a lot of people an outlet for wanting to do something with their hands and their minds…They may not make money, but they still want to create.”


“If you watched somebody pitch a no-hitter, you would say that was a real form of art…It’s something somebody can do better than everybody else. Everybody has that kind of talent. What can we do to bring it out?”


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Quality of Life Feedback

Elected leaders valued social connection

“Bring people together. Social bonds which we don’t have enough of.”

Local Government Official, Macomb

“I think it brings out more emotion in people…A sporting event would be the same thing.”

Local Government Official, Oakland

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Quality of Life

One aspect of the case statement proved to be a major distraction:

In the age of the internet, arts and cultural activities are needed to bring people together for a real experience in a real time and place.

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Quality of Life Feedback“I do know that [the arts] are an important component to quality of life. Whether or not you can get an audience to believe that might be a challenge.”


“… kind of… highfalutin’ and a little distant for the average Joe…”


“Good thoughts…Higher order…I don’t think you can build critical mass around this idea…It’s too reflective…We don’t think…We’re a hammer and nail region, right?”


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Education

The arts are essential for children to grow into well-rounded adults. The arts strengthen moral and spiritual growth. The arts help children to understand themselves and their world. Arts and culture are a balance to the shallowness of some of today’s pop culture.

Participation in the arts teaches kids how to think creatively, an essential 21st century work skill. Children involved in the arts are more successful in school. They learn to work well together in teams. They get more involved in their communities.

Of course, the arts also provide lifelong leaning for adults too.

Education Feedback

Education picks up the Diversity theme:

“I think when you incorporate arts and culture in education…You expand the horizons of any child…They learn different ways to help with problem solving or to interpret things…It gives people from different parts of the community (an occasion, an ability) to relate to one another…and to build communication.”


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Education Feedback

But Education is not exciting:“I know this is a good argument. This one doesn’t float my boat for some reason…That’s what I expected to read here.”


“I agree with it…Nothing says ‘Wow, I never thought about this before’…It sounds like what you would expect to come from somebody who is an advocate for the arts.”


“This one is kind of empty. It makes sense…It’s too comfortable an assumption.”


Education FeedbackThe 21st Century work skills idea doesn’t work:

“I don’t think there should be any differentiation between 20th century work skills and 21st century work skills. Work ethic. Reading. Writing. Math. The arts. These things have been around for hundreds of years.”

“Art is not going to teach you how to use a computer..”

“I have never thought listening to Mozart was going to make me smarter. No. I listen to Mozart because Mozart is just damned good.”

COMMENTS FROM TROY BUSINESSPEOPLE46

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Building a Better Educated Workforce

Arts and culture help to build a better educated workforce. Surveys show that there is a link between participating in arts and culture and overall success in school.

That’s why businesspeople, looking for a 21st century workforce, want to locate in communities with a rich cultural life: Google in Ann Arbor, Compuware in downtown Detroit, Motown Motion Picture Studios in Pontiac.

Arts programs also make cultural diversity visible. This sends an important message that Southeastern Michigan welcomes people of all kinds to our region.

Arts and culture help to attract and to retain the business and talent Southeastern Michigan needs.

Workforce Feedback

“We are an unemployed workforce. I am smart enough. Developing a smart workforce to me has kind of a slant to clean them up…We are going to give them some culture and, Detroit businesses will want to be around them more.”


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Workforce Feedback

“I don’t believe there is as much correlation between arts and culture and business workforce development as people put out there…What attracts people to an area is the ability to work and a safe environment for their families.”


“When Granholm or somebody talks solely about folks with college degrees that are working in an office environment, it kind of leaves out a whole slice of the population who works on farms or in factories…Make it more inclusive.”

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, LIVINGSTON49

Recommendations and Next Steps

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Making the Case Implementation

GOALS

To create broad appreciation of arts and culture in southeastern Michigan

To improve the climate of opinion that is a foundation for attendance, fundraising and public policy for arts and culture

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WORK FROM TWO DIRECTIONS

Increase the capacity of individual organizations to tell their story and to convey it effectively to the broad public

Work sector-wide to coordinate our efforts for greater impact and success for all

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Key Issues:Lack of VisibilityLack of Data

To make it compelling…make it…

Visible. Visual. Personal. Local.

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Collecting Data

MI Cultural Data Project – will provide reliable data on impact and vitality of arts and culture statewide – launching May 2010 – organizations need to participate!

Find good examples and share stories that prove key points

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Make it Personal and Compelling

Focus on the people we affect

Say why it matters

Train ourselves to present well

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Make it Visual and Emotional

Stay focused on key messages

Think visually

Use sound and music

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Make it Personal and Local

Relate arts and culture to daily life

Make people participants

Go to where people are

Maximize event impact in local communities

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Sign up for the Making the Case Task Force

make the case presentation 10 22 09 ppt 97

Documents

arts able

arts presenters

words arts

arts activities

michigan council of

sort of arts experience

culture events

history art