Community Engagement

Panels And Post Show Discussions

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Conversations around performances and events really can enhance the experience for people, but making it an effective and enjoyable experience can take some preparation and discipline. One of my favorite pieces on the practice was written for HowlRound by Brant Russell reflecting on his experience leading the discussions at Steppenwolf Theatre. He presented 11-ish rules that were basically aimed at having the moderator employ the lightest touch while also keeping the discussion away from questions like “how did you memorize all those lines?” He counsels directors to stay away because they are … Read more

Leveraging The Growing Influence & Inclusion Of Giving Circles

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I wrote about Giving Circles on my personal blog last June, noting that the number of Giving Circles in the U.S. is growing. The appeal of this form of philanthropy is that it that the structure, criteria, participation, mission, etc are adaptable to the needs of your particular group. Inside Philanthropy has noted that the composition of Giving Circles are also more diverse than institutional funding organizations. As giving circles grow, they engage more people often left out of institutional philanthropy—especially women and people of color. Of the giving circles surveyed, 60 … Read more

Audience Diversity Is Not A Fad

Audience Diversity Is Not A Fad

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Over the course of the year, I will be creating a series of posts on the topic of audience diversity. This incredibly important topic has become more and more important to me over the past few years. With the US population becoming more and more diverse and our “traditional” audiences dwindling, arts organizations simply must make a concerted effort to engage with multicultural populations in the communities they serve. We know from multiple national data sets as well as our own internal data (anecdotal and scientific) that the patrons of most arts … Read more

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