CI to Eye

The end of the year is a busy time for arts administrators, packed with holiday campaigns and fundraising deadlines. With so much happening, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. So today we’re taking a moment to pause, reflect, and reconnect with our “why.”  In this episode, we revisit a popular Boot Camp 2024 conversation with CI President Priya Iyer Doshi and Terri Freeman, President of The Lewis Museum, about purpose-driven leadership and the resilience of our industry. Then, we ask arts administrators to reflect on their year and what’s fueling their passion in 2025. It will leave you feeling grounded, inspired, and ready to tackle what’s ahead. CI to Eye with Terri Freeman (1:30) - Live from Boot Camp 2024, CI President Priya Iyer Doshi sits down with Terri Freeman, President of The Lewis Museum. Together they discuss purpose-driven leadership, resilience, and navigating uncertainty with clarity. It’s a timely conversation and a powerful reminder of the importance of our work. Ask The Industry (59:30) - Dan takes his microphone to the Boot Camp floor to ask arts administrators about their year in review. They share their excitements, challenges, and what’s keeping them inspired as we roll into 2025. Listen for familiar voices from Acadiana Center for the Arts, ArtOps, ArtsWave, Ballet BC, Carnegie Hall, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Charleston Gaillard Center, Cincinnati Arts Association, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Houston Ballet, Huntington Theatre Company, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Madison Symphony Orchestra, New York Theatre Workshop, Paper Mill Playhouse, Proctors Collaborative, Signature Theatre, Trinity Rep, University Musical Society, YoungArts, and ZACH Theatre.

In today’s post-pandemic world, keeping our audiences engaged and organizations financially healthy can feel like an uphill battle. Changing audience behaviors have disrupted traditional marketing strategies, and high churn rates among first-time visitors, subscribers, and donors are slowing revenue growth. But what if there’s a way forward that breaks from the traditional playbook? In this episode, CI President Priya Iyer Doshi sits down with industry leader Aubrey Bergauer to discuss her new book, Run It Like A Business. Aubrey draws inspiration from outside the arts to rethink how organizations can boost relevance, drive revenue, and better serve our communities. Discover how adapting for-profit strategies for non-profit goals can help move your organization forward. ----- CI to Eye with Aubrey Bergauer (1:30) - CI President Priya Iyer Doshi sits down with Run It Like A Business author Aubrey Bergauer to discuss some of the book’s key ideas that can make a big difference in our organizations. CI-lebrity Sightings (44:25) - Dan shares his favorite stories about CI clients in the news. ----- LINKS: Aubrey Bergauer | Run It Like A Business Book Bonuses CI to Eye | Bucking Trends with Disciplined Communication Washington Post | The 20 best art museums in America Washington Post | The best small art museums in America Boston Globe | The Top 100 Women-Led Businesses in Massachusetts in 2024 Oregon Arts Watch | City announces $4 million+ in arts grants The Guardian | Small step or a giant leap? What AI means for the dance world Art Net | Hey Besties, Gen Z Marketing Scripts Have Infiltrated Museums Around the World  

The world is full of injustice and inequity, and most arts organizations have the best of intentions to be responsive in thoughtful and meaningful ways. But it can be challenging–boards and long-time patrons can push back on programming and messaging that feels unfamiliar to them, and change can feel unbearably slow when your organization lacks the necessary connections or resources within its larger community. In this episode, we’ll share never-before-aired insights on how to hold your organization accountable to its goals around representation, access, and equity, from a conversation recorded earlier this year between CI’s VP, Managing Director Christopher Williams and Canton Symphony Orchestra’s Rachel Hagemeier. Rachel discusses the Symphony’s podcast, Orchestrating Change, and the learnings and organizational shifts that have come out of those interviews, as well as the Symphony’s evolving model for community connection. CI to Eye Interview (1:30) - CI’s Christopher Williams sits down with the Canton Symphony Orchestra’s Rachel Hagemeier to help listeners understand how to hold their organizations accountable to their mission and goals around representation, access, and equity. CI-Lebrity Sightings (16:10) - Dan shares his favorite news stories about CI clients. ----- LINKS: Institute for Composer Diversity | 2023 Orchestra Repertoire Report Cleveland.com | ‘I can’t breathe’: Ohio authorities investigating death of man in Canton police custody Know Your Own Bone | Trust Trends for Cultural Entities at Mid-Year 2024 Know Your Own Bone | The Causes Likely Visitors Care About Most as We Enter the Election Cycle Gothamist | After 19 years, a docent at the Rubin Museum says goodbye to his ‘home away from home’ Times of San Diego | San Diego Symphony Celebrates New Look Jacobs Music Center with Concert, ‘Day of Music’ BroadwayWorld | Steppenwolf, Goodman Theatre, and More Take Home Equity Jeff Awards

A solid web analytics strategy gives the insight you need to better understand your audiences, optimize your campaigns, and ultimately, drive more ticket sales or donations. But for many arts marketers, justifying a greater investment of time and money in web analytics can feel like an uphill battle—especially when making the case to senior leaders who are farther removed from the digital weeds. In this episode, we’ll help you bridge the gap between the technical side of GA4 and the high-level goals that matter to your organization’s decision-makers. With a few key tips, you’ll be able to show your boss and board members that investing in analytics is not only worthwhile, but actually critical for long-term success. CI to Eye Interview (2:30) - Dan sits down with Yosaif Cohain, CI’s VP of Analytics, to help listeners bridge the gap between the technical side of analytics and the high-level goals that matter to arts organizations’ decision-makers. CI-lebrity Sightings (23:10) - Dan shares his favorite news stories about CI clients.

Governor Ron DeSantis’ recent veto of over $30 million in arts and culture funding is more than just a financial blow to Florida arts organizations—it undermines the social and economic contributions our industry provides. How can we clearly communicate the vital role our organizations play to stakeholders and policymakers? In this episode, CI’s VP, Managing Director Christopher Williams speaks with Chris Brown, Executive Director of Orlando Family Stage, about how advocates can make a stronger case for arts funding by highlighting the industry’s vital role in boosting local economies, fostering community well-being, and enriching society.  LINKS: NPR | Hundreds of Florida arts groups scramble for funding after DeSantis vetoes grants Orlando Sentinel | Budget Cuts Spotlight The Vital Role of Arts in Florida Orlando Family Stage | Press Release: Budget cuts spotlight the vital role of arts in Florida New York Times | A Bargain at the Opera: Philadelphia Offers All Seats for as Low as $11 The Architect's Newspaper | In Harlem, Apollo Theater’s first ever full-scale renovation is underway by Beyer Blinder Belle

Social media is more than just a content dumping ground. It's where your organization makes its first impression on potential audiences and fosters relationships with existing fans. Press refresh on your paid and organic social strategies to tap new audiences, drive ticket sales, and cultivate brand loyalty in the season ahead. Digital Download (2:10) - Dan sits down with CI Consultant Natalie Martinez to talk about advertising on TikTok: when it makes sense, how to get started, and the kind of results you can expect to see. CI to Eye with Rachel Karten (17:20) - Dan catches up with Rachel Karten, a social media consultant and author of the popular newsletter Link In Bio. They discuss the evolving role of social media in the digital marketing landscape, and what most arts and culture organizations get wrong about organic content. CI-lebrity Sightings (37:40) - Dan runs through our favorite stories about CI clients in the news. --- LINKS: TikTok | Successfully Advertise on the World's Hottest Content Platform Search Engine Land: 51% of Gen Z women prefer TikTok, not Google, for search TikTok | Advertising Policies About Advertising to People Under the Age of 18 Taproot News | How arts organizations are working to attract younger audiences Observer | Nicholas Baume On the Power of Public Art and What It’s Accomplishing in New York New City Stage | Let There Be Luminance: How Lighting Designers Show Us the Show The Kennedy Center | The 47th Kennedy Center Honors

A new cohort of inspiring and determined individuals has moved into leadership positions at cultural organizations—and they’re challenging traditional notions about what arts management should look like. In this episode, CI’s VP, Managing Director Christopher Williams sits down with three young leaders to discuss generational shifts in leadership styles, navigating the complexities of people management, and the changes they hope to see in their respective arts communities and the industry at large. 2:20 - Canton Symphony Orchestra’s Rachel Hagemeier reflects on her promotion to CEO at just 25 years old. She shares hard-won lessons in people management, self-advocacy, and listening to your gut. 21:05 - Monica Holt chats about her career advancement at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the vulnerability of leadership, and the power of learning new skills. 41:40 - CI’s Priya Iyer Doshi pulls back the curtain on what it’s like to be a young president. She talks about bringing your authentic self to work, managing people with more years of experience, and listening deeply to your colleagues. 1:02:30 - CI’s Dan Titmuss shares his favorite stories about clients in the news. 

What sets successful diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and access (DEIBA) initiatives apart? It's not about checking boxes; it's about prioritizing authenticity and thoughtfulness.  Some of the most impactful DEIBA work in our industry begins with arts organizations fostering genuine community partnerships and engaging audiences in meaningful ways. In this episode, we discuss inspiring examples of how embracing these principles can lead to profound, positive changes in our organizations. Digital Download (2:15) - Dan sits down with Consultant Selia Aponte to talk about reaching new audiences with bilingual ads: how to use them, when they work best, and how to ensure a smooth audience journey for ESL attendees. CI to Eye with John Orr (15:15) - CI President Priya Iyer Doshi chats with John Orr, Executive Director of Art-Reach in Philadelphia. They discuss how we can make the arts a more inclusive space for disabled and chronically ill audiences, and ensure the full spectrum of society is served through our programming. CI-lebrity Sightings (42:00) - Dan highlights some of CI’s favorite arts stories in the news. LINKS: Art-Reach New York Times |  At Museums, a Revolution Gains Momentum American Theatre Magazine | They Will Survive: Theatres That Are Beating the Odds Associated Press | At 75, NYC Ballet is getting older. Its audience is skewing younger, and that’s the plan

Audience behavior has changed significantly over the past few years, and pre-pandemic benchmarks are all but obsolete. If we want to adjust to the demands of today’s market, we need updated markers for success. Enter: CI’s brand-new Cultural Compass study. We pulled from our own bank of campaign data that spans  over 150 client organizations to uncover the latest digital marketing benchmarks and emerging trends for our industry. In this episode, lead researcher and Senior Consultant Ali Blount discusses the biggest surprises in her analysis of more than 7,000 digital campaigns, and previews key findings to inform your FY25 media planning.

Audience engagement is critical for attracting and retaining new attendees. But what exactly does it look like in practice?  For Holly Mulcahy,  “audience engagement” isn’t just a marketing platitude—it’s a promise. In this episode, the Wichita Symphony Orchestra’s Concertmaster and Partner for Audience Engagement shares what wine-tasting and birdwatching have to do with orchestral music, and why deepening audience relationships now will pay dividends for our organizations in the long run.