PIVOT: Customer-first strategies to unlock growth at your arts organization

Fifteen years ago, McKinsey found that need-based segmentation was the strongest predictor of consumer behavior. But arts organizations never adopted it. This episode breaks down why that matters now—and what's finally changing.

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The biggest breakthroughs in the arts don’t come from fighting harder for the same audience—they happen when organizations redefine who they serve.

In this episode of Pivot, I break down Blue Ocean Strategy—the business framework that helped brands like Yellow Tail wine and Nintendo dominate new markets—and show how arts organizations can use it to unlock radical audience growth.

If you’re tired of fighting for the same patrons and want to create new demand for the arts, this episode is for you.

Is your audience development strategy stuck in the past? In this episode of Pivot, host Ruth Hartt explores why traditional audience strategies are failing in today’s evolving landscape—and what arts organizations can do to ignite radical growth.

Discover the power of customer-centric innovation, the untapped potential in new markets, and how a simple shift in focus can transform your messaging, attendance, and impact.

Packed with real-world insights and actionable advice, this episode is your guide to breaking free from outdated approaches and building the audience your art deserves.

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The arts sector has relied on product-centric marketing for decades. This might have worked before the internet, but our world has changed profoundly in our lifetime. In today’s digital, global, customer-controlled world, the product-centric approach has become, at best, ineffective, and, at worst, a total turnoff.

If you want the kind of change that will actually move the needle, stop driving away potential patrons with egocentric marketing that ignores them, and start centering the customer.

It’s a pivot that has allowed countless industries—for-profit and non-profit—to unlock impressive growth.

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One of the biggest hurdles arts leaders face right now is driving organizational change. And one of the most crucial elements required for successfully driving change is a shared sense of urgency around the need for change. 

The New Bedford Symphony Orchestra, led by Dave Prentiss and Terry Wolkowicz, has been on a remarkable journey powered by a profoundly customer-centric approach.

The orchestra's deep commitment to forging connections through innovative educational programming and meaningful outreach has helped them double their budget over the last 8 years—while also increasing their concert offerings by 60%.

Most notably, this approach also led to a 23% increase in attendance for their first post-pandemic season.

If you need practical strategies for increasing engagement, forging connections, fostering a sense of belonging, and expanding the reach of your arts organization, you won't want to miss this conversation.

An award-winning choreographer, professional dancer, producer, teaching artist and speaker, Dominic Moore-Dunson believes that the future of the arts sector depends on arts organizations becoming community organizations.

Juilliard-trained pianist and board-certified music therapist Renate Rohlfing is passionate about creating projects that use musical and creative resources to solve challenges, process grief, enhance connections and empower communities affected by violence.

In this episode you'll learn about how she is drawing on the power of music to help her patients heal—and how art can be a powerful vehicle for building relationships with your community.

Join me for an inspiring conversation about rebuilding audiences and growing relevance with Holly Mulcahy, arts innovator and violinist extraordinaire. We talk about embracing the Outsider's perspective, growing emotional bonds to your organization by creating community, and a signature drink called The Blue Electra.

Concertmaster, soloist, and founder of Arts Capacity—a nonprofit that brings the healing power of music to prison inmates—Holly is tirelessly building bridges into the world of classical music, and I know you'll be inspired by her thinking.

In this episode you'll hear from Emily Isaacson, founder of Portland's Classical Uprising, about how her org is rethinking what classical music concerts should be in 2022, with a tenacious focus on community and approachability. We'll be exploring these ideas through the lens of Priya Parker's The Art of Gathering.