Arts In Crisis

Arts in Crisis is a program designed to provide planning assistance and consulting to struggling arts organizations throughout the United States. Open to non-profit presenting and producing performing arts organizations, the program will provide counsel from approved mentors in the areas of fundraising, building more effective Boards of Trustees, budgeting, marketing, technology, and other areas pertinent to maintaining a vital performing arts organization during a troubled economy.

Useful Tips in Managing and Funding performing Arts Centres

Starting a performing arts centre is by no means an easy task, but after all the time and labour invested, it can turn out to be a very rewarding venture. Such a centre can be used for various types of performing arts such as music, dance and theatre. Certain spaces may be customized to fit a specific purpose, or it can be a multipurpose hall where any of the arts can be performed interchangeably.
Although there is plenty of talent out there, there seems to be a challenge in managing and funding performing arts centres. It is important to realize that these centres are businesses like any other. Ensure that there is a solid business plan in place. With a business plan, all the details including advertising, target market, finances and general objectives are clearly put into perspective. It then acts as a blueprint and even if the management should change, the policies remain constant.
The staff is also a vital part of a performing arts centre and it is best to go about staff recruitment with great care. It is advisable to get employees who are interested in arts so that they will easily blend into the goals of the organization. Instructors should especially be picked with precision because they determine the standard of the performances.
Even if the long term goal is to offer multiple genres of art, it is more effective to start with a single one then after perfecting it, you can move on to the next. Advertising cannot be ignored as a way of informing more people on the activities going on.
Funding is another headache for most managers. The internet should be the first place to check. Thousands of grants are offered by arts and cultural foundations every year. Since there are several categories of arts available, each centre can find its niche and apply, mostly by filling the form provided. There is also an online directory of foundations that offer such grants. Most arts pages on the Web contain useful links that lead to companies and programs that financially support the arts. Funding opportunities are also available with awards or where there are requests for proposals in certain fields of arts. The government also plays its role of promoting arts and culture through the concerned ministry. Applications for funding are called for every now and then and arts centres can benefit immensely from such funds.
Private funding also works well especially where performing arts centres have positively impacted the community. Do not shy away from approaching companies and other businesses operating around you and requesting for sponsorship of various initiatives. Point out to them that there are tax benefits involved as well as a chance to advertise their products. This way arts centers are likely to be the lucky beneficiaries of the companys’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs.
Managing and funding performing arts centres should be a collaborative effort. The alumni of these centers can also open doors for funding. Chances are they have gone on to form or work for larger arts organizations, and they are in a position to influence the chances of funding.

Ensuring a Future for Your Performing Arts Group

Determining how performing arts centres can plan for the future to cope with slow economies is quite a predicament.
The fact is that the performing arts is used to having to work with little to no funding; some groups even base theatrical work on their economic condition, modifying recycled objects to make sets and props, letting the backstage financial condition tell its own subtle story.
There’s nothing wrong with that, it is this experience with bad economy from which performing arts centres get their financial and organizational resilience. The problem is that as the economy worsens, art centres are being forced to cut down more and more on what they traditionally see as ‘non-crucial’ expenses, like marketing, or cutting minor performances and educational programs altogether. When performances are cancelled and marketing is non-existent, art centres receive less and less revenue and attention, until they eventually become too small to even matter.
This is all according to arts management expert, Michael Kaiser, who says that art centres are retreating from the shadow of a bad economy, when what they should be doing is facing the problem head on.
When you as the question of how performing arts centres can plan for the future to cope with slow economies, the answer is simple. Don’t further damage the centre’s chances for survival by eliminating its revenue-making programs. Instead, focus on ensuring that the revenue streams of performing arts centres flow constantly, because it is only through long-term financial growth can any centre sustain its own existence, independence, and development.
Kaiser goes on to say that when an arts centre keeps its head up in a recession, it will recover when the economy recovers, and those that continue to cut crucial programming will continue to suffer financial and organizational losses.
Whether the economy is struggling or not, a performing arts centre or group relies on its main reasons for existence: the many talents and skills of the people who are in it. If you want to ensure a financial future for your performing arts group, you have to put these talents and skills to good use.
There is the option of soliciting funding from the various business-owners, art lovers and connoisseurs, corporate or government entities–it never hurts to ask. When you’re soliciting for financial support, be honest and transparent about why you need the money and how you will be using the money. People are more likely to give support when they are presented with clear short-term and long-term plans for the resources that they’ll be dishing out.
Of course, unless you’re able to solicit years’ worth of funding, you still need a way to rake-in regular revenue. That means planning and executing what you do best: your performing art. To do this effectively while still maintaining a tighter budget, don’t cross out marketing, programming, or anything else that may affect the quality of your performances.
As a performing arts group or centre, your art is your product. It’s up to you to polish it to perfection with the resources you have on hand, and sell it–ensuring your financial future.

During economic recession, organizations and individuals face tough choices. People find it necessary to trim off excesses from their budgets and limit spending to the basics. Recent years have seen this scenario replicated in all sectors of the economy with the performing arts organizations struggling to remain afloat. Because of tight budgets, funding agencies have to decide between directing funds to priority areas or funding arts organizations. The latter often get less or no funding in such situations. On the other hand, individuals and families are spending less on entertainment. The results are obvious; many arts organizations have had to adjust their budgets and programming. Some have resorted to measures like reducing the number of performances, doing away with educational performances or closing down.
The situation is rather ironic, considering that more than ever, people need the arts to help them cope with the tough times. A visit to the theatre or musical for example, provides fans with a welcome break from the uncertainties and anxieties associated with the slow economy. Several reasons demonstrate the importance of the performing arts despite the economy. Perhaps one should imagine a world without the arts to appreciate the important place they have in society. Performances by arts organizations like music, theatre and dance contribute to a vibrant culture in different societies.

Studies have shown that the educational performance by art organizations enrich the learning experience in students, helps to improve performance in school and helps to develop creativity and intelligence.
Performing arts have a direct contribution to the economy. Arts organizations provide employment to thousands of artists and their work is normally exported for consumption to other countries, earning billions in income for the economy. The arts industry provides market for producers and manufacturers of materials and equipment used in the arts. The music industry supports many other sectors of the economy including retail sales, legal, the publishing industry, marketing and many more.
Socially, performing arts promote interpersonal ties, improves self-expression, creativity and self-confidence in the artists. Performing arts enhance social values like tolerance and diversity through appreciating other cultures among members of the audience. The performances bring together people who would otherwise never meet. By attending these events, people who never get opportunities to build social networks can easily do so. In addition, these events help to build a sense of belonging and collective identity among members of the community. The best part is obviously the opportunity for people to forget their troubles, at least for a moment, as they enjoy the performances.
Communities benefit from art performances in several ways. When an area becomes popular for great performances, it raises the status of the community in society and establishes its cultural heritage. Such areas become attractive to tourists who attend the events and spend money that benefits local businesses and builds the community. This in turn encourages investments in the community and growth of different types of businesses.
Arts organizations should therefore find creative ways of sustaining themselves in a slow economy instead of depending entirely on grants or closing down because of the many reasons that show the importance of the performing arts despite the economy.

Performing arts are art forms where the artists make use of their voices or bodies so as to be able to convey artistic expression to an audience. Performing art has got many advantages that make it suitable for young kids. Research has shown that performing art activities plays a central role in social and emotional development of a kid. This is why many performing arts centers have come up in many cities around the world. However the main issue that is affecting this centers monetary resources, thus the need for financial funding from the government.
The following are some of the ways a performing arts centre can apply for funding from the government.
Apply for a loan.

Financial aid from the government can normally be in form of a loan. It normally involves the writing of a project proposal pertaining the art centers and their importance. The government then reviews the loan application form and might disburse the funding if the project proposal is viable. The art center should look for a positive theme in order to increase the chances of their proposal being accepted.
Performing art centers can get tax waivers.

Tax waivers can be an indirect form of government funding. Governments around the world are usually supportive of programs that can help the society in a positive way. If a government is approached by the art centers and it recognizes these centers can impact the society in a positive way, the government can decide to waive tax for the performance art center. This can be considered as another form of financial assistance.
Governments can also provide grants to the performance art centers. However, grants are not just provided automatically, it is required that the performance art center in question should write a grant proposal for the government. It is advisable that the grant should be written by a professional since these kinds of documents are very difficult to write and a poorly written grant form can be overlooked.
For financial funding from the government, performing art centers should follow the following steps to ensure that they get some form of funding from the government:
Study the different funding policies available. Many governments around the world have a variety of financial funding programmes. For performing art centers that are interested to get financial aid from a government, it is advisable to study these policies and see where you can best fit in. At times it would be necessary to readjust some few factors that pertain to the performing art center so as to be able to fit into a certain criteria and get funding.
Some funding programs require that certain criterion has to be met in order to qualify for the funding. The performing arts center can modify itself or even hold events with themes such as environmental conservation or peace to be able to meet the requirements for the financial assistance.
So, how should performing arts centers go about applying for loans? Various government funding and grants have different methods of application. Research has to be done on the methods and proper applications made.

Performing arts are a type of art where the artists express themselves using their bodies or voices. The performing arts fall into the entertainment sector which is considered a luxury and therefore during bad economic times, they are among the first to be hit because luxuries are the first things that people cut down on.
In every situation one of the ways that you can survive in a bad economy is by saving on costs. One of the costs that can be cut is that of advertising. Instead of using the traditional methods of putting up posters and printing flyers which cost money, you can use Facebook or twitter to create a buzz and advertise a production that you are doing.
Due to the bad economic times, people are unable to afford several tickets for several shows. Centers that are close to each other can choose to make a single production together. This means that people from the same area will not be torn about which center they should choose to go to because they cannot afford to go to all productions.
One of the best ways of cutting on costs is by reducing the expenses. Centers can start by reducing their own personal expenses. For example, the electricity bill can be reduced by avoiding having practice sessions in the evening and instead having them during the day where there is no need for electricity because of natural sunlight.
One way of promoting yourself is by choosing to offer your free services in selected events. This can give you the exposure that you need because the only way people will get to know how good you are is by seeing you in action. Corporate events are particularly good for marketing yourself because companies are always looking for positive activities to sponsor.
The old principle of Quid pro quo still works. If your center takes time to give back to the community by doing free community service and helping out in the community then the community will most likely give back to the center by attending their shows.
Putting on regular small productions rather than big once in a while productions can be more lucrative. This is because it doesn’t limit the audience on the times they can come see you. One production can be at a time when some people are unable to afford or have other arrangements and cannot make it but when there are several people who missed the first production can always catch the next. However this means that you get less time to practice. The standards of the shows should not go low because you might end up loosing the already existing clientele and this will defeat the purpose. Keep in mind that when it comes to performing arts, quality is always better than quantity.
Performing art centers should also take advantage of holidays and special occasions like Valentines Day and Halloween to put up productions. This is because on public holidays people feel it is ok. No matter how bad the economy is to indulge in a little bit of luxury. This will include things like paying for productions and shows.

Performing arts all over the world do an amazing job to keep us entertained. Performing arts take different forms ranging from musical theater, spoken word, opera and dance among others. To look briefly into some of these forms of performed arts, theater is mostly concerned with the making and acting stories normally in front of an audience. Theatre involves using a combination of gestures, speech, music and dance. Dance in itself is the movement of human body parts in a rhythmic manner. At times dance is used as a method of description between human beings and animals. Performing arts face a lot of challenges, the major one being seeking for financial funding. This article explores the various ways in which fundraising for performing arts activities can be achieved.

Finance is an important factor in the running of any system, institution or organization. Performing arts are not left out of this category of systems that require funding. It requires a lot of money to purchase equipments that are used in performing arts and hiring the best experts who can deliver quality work that can generate a lot of demand by their audience and lovers of performed art. One sure way of getting funding is securing the services of a sponsor. Sponsors can vary from large corporate organizations to individuals with huge financial power. Sponsors fund performing arts activities more efficiently than any other source of funding. Contracts are usually signed between the sponsors and the management of the performing arts agreeing on various issues including the period of sponsorship and other terms.
Selling their products is also a lucrative method of fundraising for performing arts activities. Most lovers of performed art are always willing to buy theater movies and other products. The funds raised from these sales can be pumped into funding performed arts activities. There are other not so advisable methods of seeking funding for performed arts. Banking and other micro financing institutions are important tools in funding performing arts activities. Securing loans from these institutions can be a risky affair when one performing arts group has no stable projections of their finances. Banking institutions are known to come hard on people or organizations default paying the loans they had secured from them. In such an event, performing arts organizations might end up losing assets used is collateral. It can be even more frustrating when the collaterals used are equipment used in production of performed arts.

There are millions of possible ways on how performing arts centers can promote themselves. Many arts organization that are healthy are focusing on new acquisitions and retention of their customers. But it is still wise to use your resources to reduce attrition before initiating acquisition campaigns that could cost you a fortune. This could be one way of destroying your organization.
If you are trying to attract new audiences, you could focus more on trying to improve your services. If you realize that within your core programming untapped audiences remain, you should continue digging deeper in your current well, but if you note that your programming has tapped out its audience, then it is advisable to start afresh by digging a new well with an expanded programming altogether. This could result to new audiences after all.
Starting afresh requires focusing on an unmet need within you neighborhood by developing a mission driven programming. These kinds of initiatives are costly and if they fail to reach the set net revenue goal within a short period of time, they ultimately abandoned prematurely. These organizations need to have a habit of viewing these new programming initiatives as an investment as in future audiences will pay over years in the place of months. While doing this it is advisable to maintain and keep cultivating the well that you are currently using. You shouldn’t abandon the old one as it can come in handy in providing capital for the new well.
Direct marketing is also a way through which artists can use when wondering how performing arts centers can promote themselves. Recently most companies are abandoning their acquisition efforts due to the budget costs because they think that investing completely in retention campaigns would result to higher results. Not unless you seriously can’t afford it, I would advice against killing your acquisition efforts entirely. This is because for every 80% member’s renewal rate, a 20% base is lost. But due to changes in lifestyle you are still bound to losing 10% every year, and to replace them you will need to invest in acquisition. If you completely forget it, you will have lost half your entire base within three years. You should however try working on having a flawless campaign for your center.
With this economy most people have resulted to being cunning in order to get what they need. Marketers are responding by monitoring the cost for individual campaigns by looking for places to cut by. This has although resulted to gains and losses among a number of theaters. Soliciting patrons from other theaters has proved the most effective way of acquiring new audience. However, satisfaction actually comes from converting none theatergoers to goers in your center.
The kind of performances given in your center also affects greatly the number of audience you will get. You should choose only the good stuff which should be interesting and unique to all your audiences so you can satisfy the needs of everyone.
As is evident above, there is still hope for performing arts even with the economic crisis. Follow the above listed tips on how performing arts centers can promote themselves.

Primarily, performing art schools are places where future singers and dancers are usually created. Ideally, such institutions usually play important roles of ensuring that young people get both knowledge and skills on how to use their minds and bodies to not only create wealth but also to relax and have fun through singing and dancing. With that said, the following are some of the many benefits of performing art schools.

According to research, young people who normally participate in activities such as singing and dancing usually have good emotional development and behavior. On the other hand, individuals who normally shun away from such activities usually end up having low self esteem at times negative attitude towards the other people. in essence, performing arts schools usually play important roles of ensuring young people develop good behavior and at the same time good emotional control. To add on, dancing has always been considered as a good way of improving ones muscle strength, balance and co-ordination. According to analysts, young people who love dancing usually face lower risks of becoming obese as compared to those who rarely participate in this kind of activity. On the same note, dancing usually plays an important role of ensuring that one becomes fit psychologically.

On another note, performing arts schools usually play an important role of identifying and developing talents when still young. It is a fact that a good number of famous actors and singers around the world did identify their talents in different performing arts schools. Such institutions usually have well trained instructors who normally work hard in assessing the young people and in the process identify different talents that the individuals have when still young. Once this is done, the institutions usually take the next step which normally involves helping the young individuals understand the gifts that they have and in the process know how to use them to better their livelihoods.

In essence, performing arts schools are usually important to the lives of many young people. However, it is important to note that not all performing schools usually offer the same kinds of services in terms of quality. Basically, there are only a few institutions which normally work hard in ensuring that the young individuals who are enrolled in them get total value for their money. Such institutions usually have the following features:First, they usually have well trained staff. Many reputable institutions usually have professional workers who normally know how to work with young people in developing different talents. Some of the skills that such workers usually have include good communication skills, good analytical skills and most importantly, good teaching skills.Secondly, such institutions usually have good service reputation. Many performing arts schools that usually offer high quality services are normally recognized by many people including famous stars and singers. Ideally, such institutions usually use good reputation to market themselves and in the process attract more clients.Lastly, some of the best performing arts schools usually have good training facilities in place. Ideally, many of such institutions understand the importance of having good equipments in place and for this reason; they normally work hard to acquire some of the latest training gadgets whenever they can.

Performing arts can grow to heights that were seen during Shakespearean times. With the advent of movies and technology; it is sad to see that performing arts have not gotten the kind of attention that they deserve. Most people have chosen to watch movies and forgotten about the magic of a live play and the like. The good news is that technology can undo all the damage caused. You could be asking yourself how technology can promote interest in the performing arts; this is how.
As moving pictures became the preferred option as opposed to the performing arts; the latter has been slowly relegated to a lower preference. Only certain people maintained their love for the arts. Most of the young people have decided that movies are the most beautiful thing to ever happen.
The sad thing however is that these people are missing out on the magic that can be experienced during a live play or something similar. The thing with movies is that they do not offer the audience the personal touch. Even with three dimensional technologies the feel and the presence of a live performance has not yet been achieved in movies. Performing arts are the only ones that have been able to do this.
Technology can however be used to bring back a spark in interest in performing arts. Instead of viewing technology as the root of all evil as far as performing arts are concerned; players in the industry should make use of it to gain audience. Social media is by far the biggest invention of this century in the technology industry. The rate of its uptake has been phenomenal over the short period of time that it has been around.
Both the young and mature alike have accounts with the various social media platforms available. Stakeholders in the performing arts industry would be very wise to make the most use of this phenomenon. This can be done advertising shows and hyping them on the web for all to see. There are hundreds of millions of people on social media making known any shows and performances here is the cheapest and most effective way of advertising.
The reality is that people no longer want to go out and do anything. This is basically because of the proliferation of the internet all over the world. With a few clicks; a person can have almost anything that they desire without moving a muscle. This can be made use of by streaming performances live on the internet. After sufficient advertising and hyping; a user should be allowed to go online and view such a performance. By paying a reasonable fee the user should be allowed access to performing arts shows without moving from the house.
If you wanted to know how technology can promote interest in the performing arts now you know. The answer lies in utilizing the major achievements of technology. Making good use of social media and the internet could be one of the most effective ways of getting people interested once again in the arts.

If you are a parent and your child is interested in performing arts, then there is every reason to help them succeed in this area. There are many benefits that can be achieved through these arts and therefore every parent with an interested child should take a keen interest in the arts. As the beginning point, every parent needs to understand the many benefits that are associated with performing arts as this could work as an eye opener as to why their support is required. Below are some of these benefits: The participation of a child in various performing arts can help greatly in the development of your child’s creativity. Through the mind challenging games, the child’s brain tends to grow the more and this is something very important for the development of your child’s whole being.

It also helps in the improvement of your child’s learning skills and especially as they are faced with some challenges such as memorizing for plays or music. It also helps in building some important skills in your children such as team work, problem solving and social interaction among other things.
These are some of the main benefits that your child is bound to get when they are actively involved in performing arts. As a parent therefore, you should seek to be involved in what they are doing and this will work as a good way of encouraging them to continue. As a parent, you should consider your involvement in your child’s performing arts activities through the following strategies:One of the best ways to encourage your children and help them to be interested in the performing arts is by making it a part of your life too. Showing interest in most of the things that they are interested in could work magic in helping them love the activities and also looking at them positively.

Mostly, many parents fail in this area by not realizing the role they play in encouraging their children in different areas of their interest. It is however easy to change the attitude of your child by making what they are interested in a part of your life and family as well. The next thing that will work wonders is by visiting the performing theaters a number of times with the kinds. Let them be exposed to the performing industry for a close range and this will help them to learn. In fact it is advisable to make such visits a part of the family life especially if you have a child who is interested in performing arts. As a parent, you should also be willing to contribute towards the child’s field of interest by buying the costumes and other tools that might be needed in their performance. This will help in boosting their morale and making them feel supported in performing arts.
It will in fact be necessary to look at performing arts industry as a great career opportunity for your child and encourage them in taking the necessary steps towards that direction. Performing arts have become a great source of livelihood for many people in the past and this could turn out to be a great opportunity for your child as well. Remember that holding your child’s hand could help boost their confidence as they walk towards their future.