Pathways To Engagement: A Model for Meaningful Relationships

With Underserved Communities

Arts  Inspires  Change  

Here in the Orange Mound community, WE ARE FULL OF PRIDE AND ARE SOULFUL PEOPLE, but sometimes life and circumstance can get in the way of vision, and what better way to inspire positive change, than through the arts.

- Orange Mound Community Activist

 

The  State  of  Affairs  

•  Community  Engagement  is  an  important  challenge  amongst  many  arts  organiza;ons  

•  Specifically,  how  to  reach  out  and  connect  to  communi;es  in  a  way  that’s  relevant  and  resonant  

•  But  the  approach  of  “If  you  build  it  they  will  come”  may  not  necessarily  be  the  best  and  only  way  to  reach  audiences    

What  We’ll  Cover  Today  

•  A  model  for  effec;ve  community  engagement  •  A  Community-­‐centric  approach  •  The  importance  of  branding  and  marke;ng  in  community  engagement  

ARTSMEMPHIS  

What Do We Mean by Community?

Community: A group of people related by geography

The  Challenges  Were  Obvious  

•  Poor  program  aNendance  •  Issues  of  poverty,  equity,  and  access  in  communi;es  

•  Arts  organiza;ons’  lack  of  knowing  how  and  where  to  market  programs  

•  Minimal  communica;on  with  neighborhood  residents  

•  And  the  list  goes  on…  

Arts  organiza;ons  are  just  trying  to    “Get  It  Done”  

Underserved  Community  

Vision  &  Mission  

PRE-FELLOWS APPROACH: TRADITIONAL ARTS OUTREACH

NEW  BALLET  

•  In-­‐school  instruc;on  at  neighborhood  elementary  school,  Dunbar  Elementary.  

PRIZM  ENSEMBLE  

• PRIZM  in  the  schools  arts  educa;on  and  outreach  programs  

• Summer  programs  that  take  the  student  out  of  his/her  neighborhood  for  music  educa;on.  

THEATREMEMPHIS  

• School  performances  and  outreach  to  youth  in-­‐school  and  a\er-­‐school  programs.  

THE  FELLOWS  PROGRAM  AT  ARTSMEMPHIS  

EDUCATE  Seminars  for  arts  groups  with  thought  leaders    

ENGAGE  Held  community  conversa;ons  and    listening  campaigns  

EQUIP  Provided  arts  groups  with  strategies  to  increase  overall  effec;veness  

We  Started  With  The  Idea  of  Brand  

•  What  do  you  think  about  when  you  see  these?  

A  BRAND  is  a  collec.on  of  percep.ons  (which  ul.mately  creates  an  EXPERIENCE)  in  the  

minds  of  your  donors/subscribers/communi.es  based  on  every  in-­‐person  and  

online  contact  they  have  with  your  organiza.on    

Percep;on  is  Reality  

Building  a  Brand  Takes  Research      

Audience  What  emo;onal  experience  do  communi;es  need/want  

         

Marketplace  What  emo;onal  experiences  don’t  exist  

     

 Organiza:on  What  emo;onal  experience  can  we  deliver  on..  new  or  beNer  

 

Brand  Posi;oning!  

A  Community-­‐Centric  Approach  Means  “Lecng  Go”  •  Build  programs  based  on  their  interests  •  Listen  à  Town  Halls,  Facebook,  Surveys,  etc.    

POST-­‐FELLOWS  :  A  COMMUNITY-­‐CENTRIC  APPROACH  

Lack  of  access  to  resources  

• New  Ballet  School  and  Ensemble:  

• Parent  Resource  Center  :  GED  classes,  access  to  computers  and  Internet,  etc.  

Disjointed  community:  Seniors  and  youth  aren’t  

talking  

• Theatre  Memphis  and  Blues  City  Cultural  Center:  

• Storytelling  project  partnering  youth  and  seniors  to    pass  on  the  the  community’s  legacy  

Life  skills;  lack  of  job  training  

• PRIZM  Ensemble  and  Visible  Community  Music  School  

• Provide  life  skills  to  aid  youth  in  staying  in  school,  applying  for  college  and/or  job  applica;ons  and  employment.  

Good  News:  The  Approach  is  Adaptable!  

1.  Donors  2.  Audiences  3.  Board  

Vision  &  Mission  

Bring  &  Reflect  Arts  to  the  People    

•  Don’t  just  try  to  get  people  to  come  to  the  Arts,  bring  the  Arts  to  THEM  too!  – Conduct  programs  in  neighborhood  venues  familiar  to  the  people  

– Show  them  Arts  that  reflects  who  they  are  (let  them  see  themselves  and  relate)  

“I  don’t  travel  outside  my  neighborhood”  

Localize  and  Relate  Your  Brand  •  Align  your  brand  via  

strategic  partnerships:  Community  Groups,  Schools,  Local  Businesses,  and  Universi;es    –  Sponsor  a  local  youth  baseball  team    

–  Conduct  workshops  on  applying  to  college  

–  Scholarships  for  aspiring  ar;sts  in  communi;es  

“I  can’t  relate  to  what  they  do”  

Go  from  Audiences  who  don’t  engage  

“Arts  is  for  old  folks”  “Why  should  we  

donate?”  

“How  does  Arts  benefit  my  family?”   “I  cant  afford  to  buy  

;ckets.  ”  

“My  ;me  is  limited.”  

“I  can’t  relate”  

“What  is  Opera?”  

“I  want  to  play  sports  a\erschool,  

not  music.”  

To  a  group  of  Brand  Advocates!  

WHAT ARE ARTS GROUPS SAYING ABOUT THE NEW APPROACH?

So many times as arts educators our first step forward is to push the programming as we are most comfortable executing, rather than responding to the needs of a community. The Fellows program leveraged our time to listen and learn - a most important stage that rarely makes our budgets.

-Visible Community School

     

WHAT  ARE  ARTS  GROUPS  SAYING  ABOUT  THE  NEW  APPROACH?  

The Fellows program has helped us to take an approach that is more inclusive as well as creative. Although we seldom look at presenting art for art's sake, I have had to take a step back to study what the community considers to be important and how our company can increase its offerings to satisfy what the community seeks....

- Blues City Cultural Center    

What have we learned?  

Ø  This is hard work Ø  Requires a mind shift

(for artists and funders) Ø  Time-consuming Ø  Requires ongoing financial investment

Ø  Human capital

Thank  You  

Follow  us  on  TwiNer!  

Linda  Steele  @lindasteelesays  

 

Chris  McLeod  @RightMarke;ng