By Briana Martin

Spectra, providers of Venue Management to the St. Charles (MO) Convention Center, has hired Mark Tenholder as Director of Sales and Marketing. Tenholder will oversee all sales and marketing operations at the award-winning facility.

Prior to joining the team he was the Corporate Director of Sales Task Force for Crescent Hotels and Resorts, building teams at hotels across the country. Tenholder is a veteran of the hospitality industry with over 27 years in hotels, most of those in the St. Louis area and was introduced to hospitality while working at the family business at Tenholder Travel.

As a St. Louis native, he looks forward to leading the winning sales team at the convention center as they continue to rebound from 2020. “Mark Tenholder has joined the team at the St. Charles Convention Center as Director of Sales,” said Kathie McAlpine, General Manager of the venue. “Mark is a talented leader in the hospitality industry and is a most excellent addition!”

Briana Martin is Marketing Manager for the St. Charles Convention Center.

By Dennis Dennehy

AEG Presents, a global leader in concert promotion, artist development and venue management, announced that Scott Holtz has joined its Global Touring and Talent division as Vice President, Ticketing Strategy. In this newly created position, Holtz will help expand ticketing strategy and revenue generation efforts across all ticketing platforms, using the latest technologies to make nimble and strategic real time pricing decisions in an effort to maximize revenue for the division’s touring artists.

“Adding Scott to the team brings us to another level in terms of super-serving our artists,” said Gary Gersh, President of Global Touring and Talent, AEG Presents. “His talents, experience and insights are going to be critical in reshaping the way musicians who work so hard to entertain their fans night after night are compensated for their efforts.”

Holtz brings over 18 years of event ticketing experience to AEG Presents, both on the venue and promoter sides. He joins the Global Touring and Talent team after spending the last nine years at Live Nation, where he was most recently Vice President of Pricing and Distribution, based out of New York. During his time in that position, he was responsible for driving tens of millions of dollars in increased revenue in markets across the northeastern United States, including Boston, Philadelphia, and New York.

“I am excited to be joining the AEG Presents team and look forward to working with all of the talented individuals that have a hand in the world class events and tours produced by this organization,” Holtz said. “As our business looks to a new future and greater opportunities post-pandemic, I hope to bring some new perspectives on ticketing strategy to help increase overall revenue.”

A pioneer in the implementation of dynamic pricing strategies and revenue growth, Holtz’s background also includes positions at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, CT, Mountain Laurel Center for the Performing Arts in Bushkill, PA, Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia, and Princeton University, where he implemented the school’s current centralized box office operation. Holtz will continue to be based out of New York.

Dennis Dennehy is Chief Communications Officer for AEG Presents.

You are invited to join your IAVM leadership on Monday, July 26th, at 5:00 PM ET for the virtual 2021 Annual Business Meeting!

The business of IAVM and your world of venue management changes with lightning speed. Keeping up is hard to do, which is just one of the reasons we invite your attendance for the online business meeting of IAVM, YOUR Association. The webinar is your opportunity to interactively participate and express your comments, questions, and ideas. It is your opportunity to be up to speed on all things IAVM.

The online meeting also frees up valuable time at VenueConnect for you to attend more education sessions or simply to have that important networking time.

Plan now to join your colleagues via this informative webinar and of course we look forward to your joining us at VenueConnect 2021 in Atlanta!

By R.V. Baugus

Heard the saying before from someone who says “this makes me uncomfortable?” Well … good.

Being uncomfortable is not necessarily a bad thing, and that will be brought to light in an interactive workshop at VenueConnect led by Jill Schinberg, MFA, Assistant Professor, Arts Administration, University of Kentucky, on the topic of Getting Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable, hosted by the IAVM Diversity and Inclusive Leadership Committee.

If we can admit that none of us happens to be perfect, we are off to a good start. That means none of us. Having discussions today about topics that make us uncomfortable should actually make us feel better if done in constructive fashion.

How do we have those conversations and how do we get there? You need to be at the session, friend!

According to the course description: You are a well-meaning venue professional. You know that unconscious bias training and diversity committees are not enough. You are trying to be conscientious about talking the talk and walking the walk. YES! But, what if you: 1) say or do the “wrong” thing, 2) get “cancelled,” 3) or are perceived as a “Karen (or Ken)?” If any of these fears resonate with you, a co-worker, someone you report to, or your staff –Getting Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable is for you.

It has been an honor to know Jill through the years through the DILC as she has served on the committee of which I am staff liaison. Before her session, and she makes clear that technically she is the only “speaker” but that this will be interactive, we caught up with her for some worthy comments.

First things first: Why is this an important session that people should attend?

It’s important to get comfortable being uncomfortable because we’re human and we are going to make mistakes and as with anything else, we need practice picking ourselves up and trying again. Further, research shows that attending the required diversity training or unconscious bias training at your workplace isn’t enough. This session, based on the work of the DILC, gives us an opportunity to slow down and grapple with our collective and individual discomfort around the constant navigation of identity and its implications on power, access, and privilege.

Now … who should attend? This is a great–and also tricky question. It depends on who you are and where you see yourself on the spectrum of power, access, and privilege. If you know me, you already know that you will be asked to actively engage with the session content and probably with each other. If reading this is your first interaction with me — or especially if it will be your first VenueConnect — I hope that you will consider joining us to check it out. Either way, it’s likely to provoke some deep thinking and rich conversation among peers. Regardless of who you are and why you decide to attend, it’s a great opportunity to try some stuff out with your industry friends and colleagues in a low-risk environment.

How about a little of your background in the area in which you will be presenting?

In 2016 I made an epic career transition from venue manager to university professor. In addition to teaching (which I love), I research nonprofit arts management consulting, programming as an artistic practice, and workplace gender equity in arts and entertainment venues. In particular, my work pertaining to equity extends across intersecting categories including gender, race, ability, age, and then some. Since 2017, I have organized interactive sessions at VenueConnect including The Gender Gap, The Gender Gap Continued, and Exploring Privilege (in collaboration with Jennifer Norris, CVE). I have presented my research in the U.S. and internationally including a recent publication based on the results of the IAVM 2017 Diversity Survey.

On a more personal note, I am very aware of how, when, and where I do and don’t belong. And when I forget, someone will always remind me. Take, for example, the male stagehand who comments on my appearance when I’m the only woman onsite working at an outdoor venue for the first part of a show day. I recognize that his comment may well be intended as a compliment — but, is he also commenting on the appearance of his male colleagues? I am socialized to accept the discomfort that I sometimes feel in a situation like this one. That sense of discomfort signals that I don’t belong — despite the intent. (If as you read this you are thinking to yourself, “I don’t get it.”, ask me to explain in greater depth in Atlanta.) My experiences compel me to try to better understand my friends and colleagues who are different from me due to race, gender identity, ability, and so on when I can, and empathize when I can’t.

Is it better to say or do the “wrong” thing than nothing at all? In other words, can it be a teaching/learning/educating tool?

It depends. Can you handle the outcome either way? I believe that we are all experts of our own bodies and lived experiences. So ask yourself: “If I say the wrong thing to someone I care about, it turns out to be the wrong thing, and they let me know. . . can I take it?” If the answer is yes, simply let people around you know that you’re open to feedback and do your best. When you stumble (and you will), the feedback will help you with future interactions. But, keep in mind that everyone is different, which means one size doesn’t always fit all.

We hear a lot these days about unconscious bias. How would you describe and define it?

I would actually quote Mahzarin Banaji and Anthony Greenwald, the psychologists who coined the term “implicit bias” back in 1995, to provide an answer. Hidden or unconscious biases are:

“. . . bits of knowledge about social groups . . . stored in our brains because we encounter them so frequently in our cultural environments. Once lodged in our minds, hidden biases can influence our behavior toward members of particular social groups, but we remain oblivious to their influence (Banaji and Greenwald 2016, xii).”

How about a major takeaway or two that you would like your audience to go back home with?

I would like for anyone who decides to attend to be clear that they are not my audience at all, but the actors. Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable requires a willingness to get a little vulnerable, take a little risk, and to pick yourself up and give it another go when it doesn’t go quite as you had hoped. Progress is not a one and done kind of learning experience; it’s ongoing and takes commitment.

My hope is that when you go home, you can say to your friends and colleagues who are different from you:

I see you. And for the times when I don’t. . . tell me. I can take it.

And mean it.

By Diane Johnson

More definitive guidelines on social gatherings are enabling U.S. arts and culture leaders’ comeback plans, with 55% of U.S. performing arts organizations planning live, in-person performances before October 2021, according to a new study released by international arts management consultants TRG Arts. The study, “Arts and Culture Comeback Planning: June 2021,” also reveals two-thirds of U.S. programming will be the same mix of traditional and contemporary works as before the pandemic, while an additional 14% will have a heavier emphasis on traditional or known works, which may indicate the desire for a semblance of “normalcy.” This is the fifth in a series of studies on the plans of arts and culture organizations since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Among the study highlights compiled from a survey of organizations in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom:
• 2021 in-person performance – 94% of U.S. organizations plan to host live in-person performances by year end 2021.

• Programming – The minimal level of investment in new works at U.S. venues indicates that most organizations are not changing their approach post-pandemic, even with financial support such as Shuttered Venues Operator Grants and PPP loans.

• Ticket sales and demand – As of June 2021, 52% of U.S. organizations have not yet put multi-performance subscriptions on sale. Where subscriptions are on sale, demand is largely the same as pre-COVID. Where single event tickets are on sale, demand compared to pre-pandemic sales volume is weak.

• Openings by region – By region, more than half of U.S. organizations plan in-person performances by the end of Q3, except for the South (40%).

• Openings by genre – After an overall slow return to in-person performances across genres except opera in Q2 2021, organizations’ plans to return improve in Q3. Presenter (74%), multi-disciplinary (59%), and theatre (48%) show the greatest optimism.

• Safety – COVID safety protocols will vary widely based on country and region. 13% of U.S. organizations expect the audience experience to remain unchanged from pre-pandemic, not requiring or requesting masking or other safety measures.

• Pricing – 71% of arts and culture leaders in all three nations have committed to keeping pre-pandemic ticket prices the same for their COVID comeback season. Of those who are anticipating a price increase, a majority are increasing prices by 10% or less. 13% of organizations are lowering prices compared to pre-pandemic, and 4% are offering “Pay What You Wish” for the coming 2021-22 season.

“The June Comeback Study finally brings news that we’ve all been eager to hear after more than a year of COVID ravaging our sector,” said TRG Chief Executive Officer Jill S. Robinson. “The challenge for performing arts organization leaders is to create experiences that their audiences will find exciting and new, yet at the time somewhat familiar to reinforce the sense that we’re back to ‘normal.’ As always, they must listen to their customers deeply and be prepared to take action.”

Survey responses were collected from 226 organizations across all disciplines of performing arts in the U.S. (163), Canada (15), and the U.K. (48).

The full study of “Arts and Culture Comeback Planning: June 2021” is available at https://go.trgarts.com/ComebackStudyJune2021.