Research Approach
The publication details the experiences of 10 arts organizations that were 54 that received funding from The Wallace Foundation between 2006 and 2012 to develop audience-building efforts. An analysis of these efforts—each supported by evaluation data—revealed nine practices contributing to their success.
Researchers selected 10 arts organizations from a group of 54 that The Wallace Foundation funded for audience-building initiatives through the Wallace Excellence Awards. Across six cities, these 10 organizations were chosen for increasing attendance throughout multiple years and maintaining a commitment to audience-building after Wallace funding ended. Some of the 10 were also selected because they had valuable insights to impart, even if their audience-building results were mixed. Each organization had different target audiences and strategies for attracting audiences.
These 10 organizations were:
- Boston Lyric Opera
- The Clay Studio, Philadelphia
- The Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco
- Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia
- Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
- Minnesota Opera, Minneapolis,
- Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle
- San Francisco Girls Chorus
- Seattle Opera
- Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago.
Organizations had an operating budget ranging from $1.7 million to $23 million, and served annual audiences ranging from a few thousand to more than 250,000.