Winter Term Project: Arts Marketing

Project Coordinator: Alex Birnie at abirnie@oberlin.edu

OVERVIEW
Whether you are interested in politics or theater, organizing an art exhibition or starting your own business, having the knowledge and skills to promote yourself and your business effectively is an invaluable asset. This January, the Creativity and Leadership Program is pleased to introduce a new winter term project in arts marketing for Oberlin students. Under the guidance of guest lecturers, including Steven Roth ’77, arts marketing consultant, and Charlotte Landrum, Associate Director of Conservatory Communications, students participating in the project will develop strategic marketing, advertising, design, and publicity skills in a collaborative hands-on learning environment with a focus on the arts. The aim of the project is not only to provide students with the opportunity to work closely with experienced arts marketing professionals, but also to engage them in learning valuable marketing skills to take into their future workplace as well as a portfolio of materials and experiences gained through the application of these skills to real-life clients.

WHO IS THIS FOR?
This Winter Term project is for students who are interested in any of the following: Theater / Dance Art Music Design / Graphic Design Arts Management Art/Museum Curation Journalism Film/TV Producing Arts Entrepreneurship

» positions to be filled

THE PROJECT
Students will market actual arts events in Oberlin and beyond; projects may include on-campus performances as well as events in other cities. Students will form creative teams, taking on the roles of a professional advertising agency: Account Executives (Team Leaders), Media Relations, Graphic Design, and Copywriters. Students will learn marketing fundamentals by working with various guest lecturers with special expertise. In collaboration with the artistic leaders for each event they are tasked with promoting, these marketing teams will develop a strategy, creative briefs, and marketing tactics for each project. Working as a team, students will implement their strategy, using media relations, design, advertising, and other marketing tools to further their objectives. The team will identify specific marketing goals and evaluate their success at the conclusion of the project.

AREAS OF EXPLORATION:

Marketing Fundamentals:
• Identifying Target Audience
• Marketing Strategies & Implementation
• Outcome Assessment

Media and Public Relations
• Press/News Release Writing
• Community Outreach

Advertising
• Effective Approaches
• Creative Briefs
• Cost-Benefit Analysis

Creative Process
• Graphic Design
• Copy Writing
• Pitching to Clients

Ticket Sales / Audience Development
• Demographics
• Pricing
• Analysis

Arts Management
• Resource Allocation / Budgeting
• Team Leadership
• Client Relations

» positions to be filled

Several student-driven winter term projects will be chosen to receive marketing support. We are currently seeking projects that will benefit from these additional resources and whose creators are eager to participate. Projects should be arts-related and may include on-campus events, touring performances, and projects in other cities. Students interested in having their projects considered for marketing support from the team should email Alex Birnie at abirnie@oberlin.edu. Include your name and contact information, the names of others participating in your project, a brief summary of the project, and information about your other Oberlin funding, if any.

STEVEN ROTH, Arts Marketing Consultant

Steven Roth will be a guest lecturer for a couple of days during the first and third weeks of winter term as well as via e-mail / phone throughout the entire project.

Steven Roth graduated from Oberlin in 1977 with a degrees in English and Theater. After earning his MBA from Boston University in 1979 he began his career as the Marketing Director of The Shubert Organization, the largest owner of Broadway theatres. Steven was responsible for overseeing all marketing and advertising in the 23 Shubert-owned theatres nation-wide, and was a member of the team that launched Tele-Charge, the first automated sales system devoted to the theatre. For over 20 years Steven has been a management consultant specializing in marketing strategy and database marketing for commercial and not-for-profit clients, including: The Huntington Theatre Company, The American Repertory Theatre, The Britt Festivals, Fidelity, Astra Zeneca, and Oberlin College. Steven is President of The Pricing Institute, a consultancy that helps cultural organizations develop pricing strategies to maximize income and optimize occupancy. He is the Board Chair of ArtsBoston, a 165-member audience development organization and a sponsor and mentor of the Oberlin College Business Scholars program.

CHARLOTTE LANDRUM, Associate Director of Conservatory Communications

Charlotte Landrum is an arts marketing professional with a keen interest in newer media. While on staff at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Charlotte launched The Concert, a Creative Commons-licensed podcast which has garnered over a million downloads worldwide and coverage in Fast Company and the Wall Street Journal. She has spoken about the project at Canada's Banff Centre and at conferences sponsored by Chamber Music America, Technology in the Arts, and the National Arts Marketing Project. Charlotte's marketing skill set also includes experience with direct mail, media relations, and advertising. Her first winter term in Oberlin was spent marketing the world premiere webstream and performance of Harvey Pekar's opera Leave Me Alone! and video blogging from Oberlin's West Coast Tour. A graduate of New England Conservatory, Charlotte is also a soprano with Quire Cleveland.