Most arts organizations operate with the belief that they have a clear understanding of their audience. Ticketing systems provide detailed reports on who purchased seats,
Collaboration is a core part of how arts organizations operate. Program books, in particular, bring together multiple perspectives—marketing, development, artistic, and leadership. In many cases,
Most arts organizations feel like they have a decent handle on their audience. There are reports to review. Campaigns to measure. Attendance to track. On
Program book season should get easier over time. You’ve done it before. The structure is familiar. The components don’t change much from year to year.
Many arts organizations hesitate when it comes to using data to guide decisions. Not because they lack information—but because they don’t fully trust what they’re
Arts organizations are not short on data. They have ticketing reports, campaign metrics, donation summaries, and attendance trends. In many cases, they have more data
Ticket sales tell you who showed up. They do not tell you what mattered. A core insight from McKinsey’s research on arts institutions is that
Arts organizations don’t suffer from a lack of passion. They don’t lack creativity. They don’t lack commitment. What many lack is confidence with data. A
For many performing arts organizations, program books have quietly become a second job. What once felt like a contained production task now spans months of
Outsourcing program books isn’t new. What is new is why organizations are doing it. This shift isn’t about cutting corners or offloading creative work. It’s