Smart Arts - Creative New Zealand

want it? How do you let them know about it? Marketing begins with the first spark ofinterest in creating a product for an audience – even if that audience is just one otherperson. Your job as arts marketer is to take that person or those people through the stepby-stepprocess of connecting with the work.People need a reason to do anything. With marketing, you find out the reasons that willmotivate people to attend your event and then communicate those reasons effectively tothem. There will always be barriers preventing people from attending your event and soyou develop strategies to break down those barriers.People don’t just turn up to your show out of the blue. They’ve been involved in aprocess and the more you understand that process, the more people you can encouragealong to your show.Why market?Realistically, artists need to earn a living from their work. Sponsorship and grants are notguaranteed income and although valuable, they cannot be counted on. The public,whether through box-office sales or by purchasing artworks or books, provides artistswith the revenue they need to create and present their work.That’s why sound marketing is vital to the success of an arts event. At its simplest,marketing provides “bums on seats”. To be more specific, it’s about getting the numberof bums on seats necessary to support the artistic endeavour financially. Firstly, you needto ensure people know your arts event is happening and then you need to ensure theybecome a part of the audience.People often confuse promotion (or publicity) with marketing but promotion is simply amarketing tool. Marketing is about strategy; promotion is about action.Your role as arts marketerYou plan, strategise and produce promotional material but most of all, you connectpeople. Whether you’re connecting an actor with a photographer, a composer with ajournalist, a designer with a printer or an audience member with your event, you arefacilitating every step of the way and controlling all details.One essential piece of advice: inspire the public with your passion for the work. Youknow how much they’ll enjoy it so get out there and tell them about it.Finally, I’d like to thank all those people who worked with me on this project along theway, including several Creative New Zealand staff – in particular, Iona McNaughton, whoedited and managed this publication.Nicky NicolaouAssociate DirectorDownstage TheatreSmart arts | Toi huatau6