4 Concerns Performing Arts Organizations Face Today
There’s an interesting article on npENGAGE about arts and cultural organizations, and I thought I’d share it with you. According to Jonathon Leeke, a product manager at Blackbaud, these are the top four concerns in guest services.
1) Technology
“The path from start to finish has to meet the most basic of users, but advanced options have to be nearby and easily discoverable.”
2) Making it simple AND secure
“Even if you have a system that lets members login to get discounts or view special information, it can be a barrier that some patrons are not willing to go through.”
3) Data collection
“Be creative, and visitors will appreciate they were able to arrive without answering awkward questions at the front desk.”
4) Capacity
“Analyze the seasonality, day of the week, growth rates, and patron segments to understand how many visitors you expect.”
Please read the full article on npENGAGE and let us know your suggested solutions to these concerns (and any others) in the comments section.
(photo credit: BenjaminThompson via photopin cc)
Andy McWilliams on the Value of the Severe Weather Course
We’ve been talking a lot about how valuable the education is at the AVSS Severe Weather Planning and Preparedness Course (March 4-5 in Norman, Oklahoma). However, it’s one thing to hear the message from headquarters. It’s another to hear it from former course student, Andy McWilliams, director of operations at Talladega Superspeedway.
I think the most important things that I learned during the course was a combination of some of the responsibilities that the venue has to its guests that may have been a little bit cloudy before, and the explanations that were given as to the dynamics involved in storms that make them so unpredictable, which requires event managers to be very proactive in the development and implementation of severe weather plans.
I think the basic concepts that are used and discussed in the course can be applied to various situations that arise in the operation of a venue and not just limited to severe weather situations.
The conference is very professionally conducted by individuals whom are some of the best resources on the subject matter discussed in the country. The location of the classes and the course schedule and criteria also make the course very interesting and attention grabbing for those in attendance.
According to Bob C. Mayer, CFE, a member of the AVSS Severe Weather Planning faculty, the program will feature the “rock stars” in the world of meteorology.
“[They] will discuss a variety of severe weather threats, including tornadoes, strong straight-line winds, hail, and atmospheric electricity (lightning),” he said in the Region VI newsletter. “You will learn a little about how to read those radar signatures and how to interpret that information. Experts in crowd management, legal issues, and architectural design will give you information that is so vitally important to your planning process. There will be a special focus on how you can create “Trigger Charts” for each event to help in the decision-making process during each type of severe weather threat, and you will experience an interactive and challenging exercise to bring all that you learn into focus.”
Please visit the Severe Weather Planning and Preparedness website to register and to learn more about the course.
Introducing the New Amplifier Event Marketing Podcast
It seems fitting that we’re announcing a new podcast series on World Radio Day, because podcasts are essentially the new radio. Their popularity has grown over the last few years as more people rely on the Internet for news, entertainment, and social interaction. And because we want to offer you content in a variety of ways for your busy lifestyle, we’re happy to present The Amplifier podcast, a free, educational program about marketing events and venues with conversations with some of the best minds in your profession.
“The new Amplier podcast series are relevant and timely discussions on how to market your venues’ events; insights from thoughtful and creative industry leaders,” said Gina Brydson, IAVM’s director of membership. “The beauty of this on-demand radio programming is that you can listen on your smartphone, in the office, when riding in your car…whenever the time is convenient for you. Another nice feature of your IAVM membership, for free! Who can dispute that value?”
The first episode features Errol McKoy, president of the State Fair of Texas. In the interview, host Kendra Wright talks with McKoy about how the State Fair of Texas has gained national presence, what McKoy has learned in his years in the industry, and his thoughts on Big Tex burning, the reaction, and how the fair was able to turn something bad into something good.
As I mentioned, The Amplifier is a valuable addition to your membership, another opportunity for us to inform, entertain, and inspire you. There are three ways you can listen.
1) Click the orange “Play” button on the episode below (it works on mobile devices, too).
2) Subscribe on iTunes, so you’ll always have the latest episode on your device.
3) Or subscribe to The Dirt, and we’ll make sure you’re always in-the-know.
The Amplifier is brought to you by Saffire Events in cooperation with IAVM, the International Association of Fairs & Expos, the International Festivals & Events Association, and the Western Fairs Association.
Please let us know in the comments section if you’d like to be on a future podcast episode or your thoughts about the podcast. Thank you for listening!
Interdepartmental Collaboration is Critical During Challenges
Boot camps are a great way to learn new skills or beef up the ones you already have, and at this year’s Performing Arts Managers Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, Feb. 22-25, attendees will learn about crisis communication. Here’s the teaser description:
Tickets have been sold, the reception is planned, artist contracts are in hand. Suddenly, you and your staff are faced with significant changes to the original plan – the artist is no longer available, the menu requires a complete overhaul AND an unexpected guest is creating all sorts of challenges. Everything is turning upside down!
Through a series of table-top strategy sessions and active hands-on activities, participants will explore how various departments interact when major challenges come down the road. Assisted by industry professionals and experts, participants will explore the interdepartmental collaboration critical to the success of a performing arts venue.
Millie Dixon, principal at Theatre Projects Consultants Inc., and Don Fassinger, manager of the Tempe Center for the Arts, are leading the boot camp this year.
“The initial conference theme was ‘crossroads,” Dixon and Fassinger said. “As the Boot Camp team began the planning process, we discussed how projects often involve multiple departments within a facility operation and how a decision in one department impacts all others. For example, a last minute artist change ripples through all departments with necessary changes resulting in marketing, ticketing, hospitality, production, concessions, etc.”
Dixon and Fassinger said that effective and complete communication is probably the greatest challenge in getting different departments to work together in times of crisis. To supplement how to manage that, attendees will participate in several hands-on activities.
“The Boot Camp focus is all about hands-on activities throughout the afternoon—that’s what makes the Boot Camp exciting,” they said. “Participants will be involved in change overs with lighting and audiovisual equipment, front of house logistics, technology, etc.”
It sounds like it will be a great camp, and there’s still time to register for the conference if you haven’t already.
(Image: Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts | Tim Hursley)
Inspiring Greatness – It’s Never Too Late to Learn How
Being exposed to, and influenced by, a great leader is one of the most important tools we can provide to young managers in our industry. To see first-hand an individual who demonstrates compassion and inspiration, leads with strength, grace, seemingly boundless energy, and a clear vision is a valuable experience for those looking to lead the next generation.
Sometimes leadership seems like an elusive trait, and the concept of a “born leader” versus a “learned leader” is highly debated. Emotional intelligence (EI) is just part of the recipe that makes a great leader. EI is the ability to express and control our own emotions, and it includes our ability to understand, interpret, and respond to the emotions of others. You can learn more about EI with a story recently posted on our blog, “Making Better Decisions Through Emotional Intelligence”.
I wanted to find out a bit more about leadership, so I reached out to Kate Walsh, PhD, an associate professor of organizational management at the School of Hotel Administration, Cornell University. Dr. Walsh is also an instructor for IAVM’s Senior Executive Symposium (SES), the association’s four-day, deep dive into leadership training held each year at Cornell University.
“Really good managers control, direct, and manipulate,” Walsh said. “Outstanding leaders do the opposite. They create a shared vision, and through how they share their power and ideas, as well as rewards, inspire others to work toward that vision.
“Lots of individuals make wonderful managers, and as they are promoted to more senior positions, still act as managers! They fail to understand that their role is to gradually let go and stop managing. Instead, they need to guide their organizations through how they connect with others. Their emotional intelligence is key to their ability to do so.
“EI is comprised of four components: Self-awareness, self-control, an understanding of one’s environment, and mostly importantly, relationship management skills,” she continued. “All these skills can be learned. And it’s exactly what we discuss in the Senior Executive Symposium. As these executives progress in their careers, they need to let go of some of the behaviors that got them to their success today. Instead, we focus on how these leaders can use their unique skill set to authentically lead in many of the ways discussed in the Forbes article. The class I facilitate is completely focused on the participants and through surveys, experiential exercises, applied discussions, and action plans, we have a lot of fun, developing meaningful takeaways that participants can immediately apply to their own venues.”
Senior Executive Symposium curriculum covers leadership culture, ethics, diversity and conflict management, and loyalty and brand management. It’s ranked as one of IAVM’s most valuable tools for leadership training. There is still time to apply for the Senior Executive Symposium taking place May 12-15 at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Apply today.
(photo credit: Brian Warren via photopin cc)