We had the pleasure of interviewing Corky LaVallee, Trustee of the Magic Theatre in San Francisco after a session we facilitated at the 2013 TCG Conference. Mr. LaVallee shared with us the challenges his organization faces that he believes data can help solve. His short but eloquent response really gets to the heart of the matter, namely is his organization asking the right question?
According to Mr. LaVallee, the easy question is “how do you get butts in seats?” However, for organizations such as the Magic Theatre that are committed to taking risks in the creation of bold new work, ticket sales are not the single largest source of revenue. Instead, mission-aligned contributed revenue may need to be the area of focus and strength.
Mr. LaVallee’s assessment that “data can help me figure out where I need to be doing better… and how I can do better” is exactly the sentiment behind NCAR’s research efforts. Our mission is to be the leading provider of evidence-based insights that enable arts and cultural leaders to overcome challenges and increase impact. This fall we will be launching a new and improved website that will be the home for our first state of the arts report. In addition, next spring the site will also host an interactive dashboard that will enable arts managers to pinpoint pressure points and highlight areas that need attention utilizing their organizations own financial information.
Art Leaders, do you find yourself in a similar predicament? Are you asking the right questions? What challenges can data help YOU solve?
As always, data geeks want to know…
