I am starting to see the responses from our arts industry in regard to Covid-19. I bet your inbox is as full as mine with cancellations of performances and other events through May. With the latest news to limit gatherings to under 50 people, there isn’t very many live events that can continue.

I am also seeing requests by both the League of American Orchestras and the Theatre Unions along with the IATSE for calling on advocacy support to write our representatives for relief support.

The Americans for the Arts has issued a resource page for us to use to keep us in the know. They are also asking you to take an Impact Survey, so they can assess the numbers of how the arts are being affected. This will help in proposals to Congress to include the arts for relief support.

I personally am researching and collecting ideas for organizations to find alternative methods to keep our audiences connected to us.

There have been many examples of virtual performances and museum tours. Here are a few I have seen:

• The Met: Virtually visit our galleries through our award-winning Met 360 project: met.org/TheMet360
• NY Times: In a Pandemic, Musicians Play in Empty Halls for Audiences Online
• Alley Theatre to Fight Coronavirus by Showing Highly-Anticipated New Play Online

In our world of new online technology, many of us can stream live performances as an alternative. They don’t always have to be free, but it is a nice gesture if you can swing it.

Here are some other ideas so you can take action during these surreal times:

• Make sure you cancel any expensive marketing for shows that you have canceled. You don’t want to accidentally pay for something and burden your budget.
• Continue to ask patrons if they will donate their ticket order instead of receiving a refund to help out during this time.
• Create Facebook watch parties of old video recordings.
• Implement a lecture series for people to learn more about your art form.
• Have fun, shorter, online programs for kids. Families are asking around how to keep their children entertained. We can do something!
• Host a virtual gala or non-event online to compensate for canceling any spring fundraiser events.
• Find sponsors for your new online alternative events.
• Create informative email information guides for your eList subscribers and include links to online entertainment. You can include arts and crafts and other arts activities for kids of all ages!
• Collaborate with other groups or the arts alliances in your area to implement a website portal for online events.
• Email eCards to your top donors and audience members (if not everyone) to show you care during these times of quarantine.
• Put time and energy into your podcast if you have one.
• Use this time to properly thank people. Give them a call!
• You can create thank you videos at this time and send to everyone on your lists.
• What other audience development programs have you been putting on the back burner? Which ones can you convert to online magic?
• Find out if you can livestream at your local hospitals to provide some entertainment relief.
• Insert your other do good/arts solution here!

We shall see how long the precautionary methods need to be in place, but there is now time to switch to keeping your audiences happy during a time of need for more cheer.

Let me know if you come up with other ideas and action oriented solutions for these Covid-19 times. At least sharing is caring for this consideration.

Cheers to happy and loyal audiences,
Shoshana

Shoshana Fanizza
Chief Audience Builder, Audience Development Specialists