Bloggers+ arts organizations
Written by Jodi of Everything and a Racehorse.

There’s a scene in the 80’s classic movie, Beaches, where a fledgling theater company opens a show and has a post-show party. Mid-party, someone runs into the theater with a pile of newspapers, just hot off the presses, and everyone devours the reviews. Lines from the reviews are quoted, and they include lofty philosophical posturing and big words designed to make eloquent cultural statements. The reviews are good, so everyone is happy, and the star actress goes on to a successful career on Broadway.

When I entered the arts administration world a few (ok, 11) years ago, the tradition of the theatrical review was still more common than not. The Beaches scene wasn’t actually that far from the truth. A show opened a multiple week run, and on opening night, a reviewer or critic came to the show and wrote a review that was published the next day. If it was good, sales went up, and if it was bad, the marketers buckled down and designed a plan to convince everyone that the critic/reviewer was wrong.

Much has changed since then. In most places, including Northwest Arkansas, where I live and work, reviews in the newspaper are a thing of the past. Our dogged arts reporters try to keep the tradition alive by posting online reviews and blog entries, but they certainly don’t have the influence of vaunted arts critics like Ben Brantley of the NY Times or Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times, and even those legendary reviewers are becoming less important in the average consumer’s decision to attend an arts event.

Opinions vary on if this is a good thing or not. Here’s an emotional article from someone who believes the latter, but many believe that in the age of facebook and instant (and often anonymous) comments, audience feedback is the most powerful tool marketers can harness (here’s an example of what I’d call “extreme patron reviews”).

The debate about the demise of the theatrical review will likely continue, but what does this mean for the average blogger? It actually means great things, because marketing types like me are always searching for new ways to connect to our potential customers, and popular blogs can be an excellent way to meet this goal. At Walton Arts Center, we’ve enjoyed some fun partnerships with blogs and bloggers over the past few years, to the point where creating a promotional giveaway for certain very high traffic blogs is just a regular part of our marketing efforts.

So, if you’re a blogger with a pretty good following (ie, more than just your parents and close friends), and you have a love of the arts, you might consider blogging about the art that you see and experience. Depending on the philosophy and marketing tactics of the arts organization, you might find yourself with opportunities to get free tickets or early access to shows, or have your blog featured on the social media platforms of those organizations.

Here are some tips about how to form a partnership with an arts organization:
1. Don’t be afraid to call us or email us; we’re pretty busy, and it might take a time or two for us to be convinced you’re the real deal (see #2), but if you are, we’ll definitely get back to you.
2. Know your statistics, and who’s reading your blog, and try to determine if they match the organization’s target demographic
3. Offer to blog about a show, or host a giveaway, in advance of the performance date
4. If it’s a show with multiple nights, offer to come on “press night” and post a “review” the following day
5. Put a link to the organization’s main site, and their blog site, on your blog (simple, but valuable!)

If you do decide to do a “review”, you’ll endear yourself to the arts organization if you:

1. Do your homework; know the kinds of shows you like and can talk intelligently about, and read reviews from other critics
2. Be professional in both your praise and your criticism, and don’t make it personal if you disagree or dislike something you see or experience
3. Try to say more than “I liked it,” or “I hated it.” Try to reflect on the audience and the context in which the performance happens (ie, did the audience seem to engage with the content, did it speak to larger issues in the community and society?)
4. Ask lots of questions of the marketing staff; we love to talk to you and brainstorm with you.

Most of all, have fun and be open to new ideas. Marketers are really interested in the audiences you are speaking to, especially if you’re a trusted voice in your readers/subscribers lives.

Jodi is a former actress/producer turned arts administrator who looks to blogging as a creative outlet since she’s no longer on or backstage. Originally from New England, she came to Arkansas by way of Wisconsin, collecting a master’s degree in business (and an appreciation for mild winters) along the way. She currently lives in Fayetteville with her shelter dog, Sadie. She spends her days as Vice President of the communications department at Walton Arts Center in downtown Fayetteville.  You can hear Jodi Thursdays during the noon edition of Ozarks at Large on KUAF 91.3FM and can check out her personal blog at http://carominus.blogspot.com/.