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7/12/2011

How to win more bees
By Alicia Anstead
Editor, Inside Arts Magazine
 
A blog post by Felicia Knight, former director of communications at the National Endowment for the Arts, caught my eye this morning because it made me think the singer/songwriter Randy Newman should have called "Short People," his 1978 hit single, "Rude People." Rude people really are just like you and I (and maybe they sometime are you and I), except we've earmarked them as rude. And apparently Knight, who now runs her own media consulting firm, has had just about enough of rude people.
 
In her blog post, Knight delineates the categories of rude people including my favorite (by which I mean least favorite out in the world): the “I’m too important to be dealing with you” type. Knight examines the media -- because that's her milieu -- but I've often thought journalism and the arts have a lot in common both temperatmentally and professionally. So I think we can learn something direct from her ideas.
 
If you're anything like me, you communicate with the public all day long: colleagues, clients, clerks. I've found that the degree to which people are happy in their work -- that is, motivated, creative, stimulated and energized -- is often reflected in their manners and their productivity whether they're running a presenting organization or making the art that is presented at that organization.
 
"Do we have to get tough with each other?" Knight asks. Well, these are tough times, and our moods and habits can be adversely shaped by more work with fewer dollars and reduced staff. I'd argue we do have to be tough about productivity, efficiency and creativity -- and sometimes that looks like being tough with others. But it doesn't have to. After all, there is a polite way to make your own limitations known: "I can't meet with you now, but may I call you back in 30 minutes, please?" Or what if you step outside of your usual scope of work and try someone else's job for a morning or just an hour? I'd like to see every executive try that outfit on for size -- and I wonder how it might affect the appreciation factor in the office.
 
Knight advocates for better manners all around -- the return of the "please and thank you" culture. Hear, hear. I'd like to add better modeling, too. How can you be an example of good manners and thoughtful leadership? What expectations do you have for your staff -- at all levels -- and how do you build good manners into the ecology of your workplace, your public actions, your emails?
 
Those are real questions, and we'd like to know your answers....please.
Posted at 6:39 PM by Alicia Anstead | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

5/17/2011

Ten Tips for Tweeting to the Field

For the last several months, I've been unable to travel to conferences and other convenings in our field. But I have actively been following colleagues who have taken the extra step to tweet from far-flung gatherings. When you can't afford to attend a conference or when your schedule simply doesn't allow it, the Twitter feed from onsite attendees becomes crucially valuable. It's not a replacement for the real thing, but it does allow you to feel connected and share knowledge in real time.

 

With this in mind, here are a few tips for tweeting from live events.

 

1. Make sure you include the event's hashtag. This establishes the unique group at the event and allows all tweets to be collated on the feed. Usually an organization will announce a hashtag, but don't be shy about asking for it.

 

2. Before you attend the event, start tweeting! Tell your followers: "I'm headed to #APAP2012 & I'm psyched!" (Notice the hashtag is included in the tweet rather than at the end of the tweet. Doing this saves space and still serves the hashtag purpose.)

 

3. Describe what you see. How many people? What are they doing? Is there a buzz? Who just walked in the room? What did you overhear? Who is seated next to you? Include a picture! These types of tweets help non-attendees get a sense of the atmosphere and visualize the setting. Here's a tweet from the closing plenary at our conference in January: "#APAP closing b'fast w Azar Nafisi is packed! Her message is a wake-up call about curiosity & empathy. #APAPNYC"

 

4. Tweet the full names of speakers, their titles and something you notice about them: "Sandra Gibson, APAP's CEO, is at the mic welcoming members. She's wearing one of her fab necklaces!" 

 

5. Report on what you hear. Some tweeters find it easy to make a quick note with a pen and paper, and then transcribe it through Twitter. Others are fast typers. Know what works for you. And proofread! Be sure to spell names, locations, titles correctly. A quick surf on Google or an organization's website can assure accuracy. Printed programs can be very useful, too.

 

6. Retweet other ideas you missed and find worthy of repetition -- and be sure to comment. It's always nice to acknowledge a colleague: "Happy you're here. RT @texasfolklife: Is represented @APAP365 in nyc!"

 

7. Keep tweeting! Stay with the action to offer your followers the complete picture. When it's over, say so: "Azar Nafisi gets standing O. We're all tired but she has re-inspired & re-energized us. Thank you! #APAP #APAPNYC ."

 

8. On the other hand: Don't wear yourself down by tweeting too much. Be selective. Tweeting can enhance your experience or exhaust you. Strive for the former.

 

9. If you notice something else at the event -- a man who just walked in with a cloud of balloons -- tweet it! Not all of your tweets have to be about the main action.

 

10. If you're like me -- following virtually -- join the discussion. Let your colleagues know you're part of the conversation no matter where you are and that you appreciate their reportage and commentary: "Great live tweeting from Arts Forum at The Times Center. Keep the tweets coming! @nycarts #culturetrack"

 

A final note: You can tweet directly from your Twitter account on your computer or cell phone. We also use Hootsuite, Echofon and Tweetdeck on our phones. Do you have tips for tweeting from live events? Let us know and join our conversation @APAP365

 

Posted at 11:18 AM by Alicia Anstead | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

5/3/2011

Share, Serve, Surround: Ken Fischer's Style of Leadership
After Arts Presenters awarded Ken Fischer the 2011 Fan Taylor Award at the APAP|NYC conference in January, I began thinking: How does Ken do what he does as president of the University Musical Society of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor? What are his secrets for leadership?
 
You can't win the Fan Taylor Award without achieving an impressive body of knowledge about our industry. So I asked Ken to compile a "Top Ten" list about his principles for leadership. The list was published in this spring's issue of Inside Arts. If you're a member, you should have received this by regular USPS mail. You can also find a link at the end of this post.  
 
What struck me about Ken's list was the underlying importance of community. He basically says: Get out in your community, be friendly out there, know what's out there and who's out there (and call them by name), stay connected and contribute to the well-being of your people (internally and externally). In a way, it's a "golden rule" for building and maintaining connections.
 
And it's worth revisiting. You can read Ken's list and insights here. In the spirit of his ideas, let's take the next step: What are your principles -- your "golden rules" -- for leadership? Share them with us here at Arts Presenters, and we'll keep them circulating among our membership and beyond.  
                                                         ---Alicia Anstead, Editor, Inside Arts
 
                                               
                                                          
Posted at 1:10 PM by Alicia Anstead | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

4/25/2011

What do audiences and funders have in common?
Michael Kaiser's latest entry on HuffPo explores the changes in corporate funding habits over the years -- the journey from corporate good will toward the arts to corporate visibility through the arts. 

The change, however, is a slippery slope, he says:

How do we create visibility without bastardizing our art? Every arts organization must have clear rules on what is acceptable and what is not when it comes to providing visibility for potential corporate sponsors.

The same slippery slope applies to the trend toward empowering audiences. Performances are no longer singly focused on drawing audiences into a venue. Presenters, producers, directors and artists are looking for ways to empower audiences. In a way, we're enacting a similar "in-kind" artistic experience contribution from ticket buyers.

And the same question lingers: How do we do this without bastardizing our art? What is acceptable in presenting both an art and an art experience for patrons? What happens when patrons become co-collaborators, co-curators and co-artists?

The questions become increasing important in a digital world where participation is one click away.

We're eager to know how members are navigating and discussing funder and audience shifts. How are you adjusting to funding challenges and audience participation?

Posted at 9:06 AM by Alicia Anstead | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

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