ArtsMemphis is leading a community-wide Audience Development Initiative that began in the latter part of 2006 and included some forty local cultural organizations.  The starting point of our Initiative was completing geo-demographic research to understand cultural participation and the opportunity for broadening, deepening, and diversifying cultural audiences. Today, we have more than ninety organizations participating in an Initiative that includes workshops and seminars, a cultural website (www.artsmemphis.org ), collective promotion of the cultural sector, and a series of collective and individual organization efforts geared to increase participation.

The broader Audience Development Initiative has the following goals: 

•           Building greater awareness and access to arts/culture

•           Increasing the economic development potential of these organizations

•           Preserving cultural integrity

•           Expanding educational outreach through the arts

•           Contributing to and enriching the arts and cultural sector

Audience Development Initiative Focus Areas for 2009:

•           Enhance ArtsMemphis TV v2.0 with a primary focus on artists who work within our community and organizations. We will seek nominations for the artists from which we will select 10 to spotlight. The webisodes will begin running in April. A secondary part of this will be to create a video that more broadly showcases the cultural amenities in our community and can be used as a promotional tool. Artist nominations may be submitted at http://media.livefrommemphis.com/projects/artsmemphistv . Any person or organization can submit a nomination.

•           Offer a series of workshops including creating real collaborations, creating and marketing effective sponsorships, and social networking tools. The first of these will be "Viral Marketing Tools for Non-Profit Arts Organizations" led by Live from Memphis. The workshop will be held March 21 from 3 - 5 pm at the Brooks Museum auditorium. the workshop is free to all Audience Development Initiative Participants. The second will be a Sponsorship Bootcamp lef by Alice Zimet, a known expert in this area. The workshop will be on June 3 from 9 - 5 at the Buckman Performing Arts Centre. 

•           Continue support for the purchase of approved ticketing systems that support online ticket sales and a customer database for tracking ticket purchasing information.

•           Promote the arts outside Memphis with primary focus being on building and leveraging our relationship with the Convention and Visitors Bureau. We would like to create a group that will work with ArtsMemphis on this. Please email Karen Spacek at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it if you are interested in participating.

•           Identify the top 5 expenses (ex. printing, office supplies, accounting fees) across all arts groups and negotiate preferred vendor rates for participating groups. Groups to provide benefits for participating vendors such as recognition, tickets, etc. 

The Audience Development Initiative was largely funded by generous support from the Assisi Foundation of Memphis.  Additionally funds were contributed by the Jeniam Foundation, Tennessee Arts Commission, and The Community Foundation of Memphis. 

If you are interested in participating in the Audience Development Initiative, contact Karen Spacek at 901-578-2787; This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

ADI Participants Phase II