Arts Midwest

“I’m constantly trying to remain cognizant of our audience demographics, and continuously trying to develop and implement new strategies to broaden the audience of Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company. While I’m aware that there are ways for utilizing technology to reach new audience members and further engage our current audiences, I know very little about the possibilities. My hope is to learn about the potential for using technology and gain some skills that I can apply.”

Barbara Brooks
Producing Artistic Director
Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company

“As a member of the first Arts Lab consortium, I saw the tremendous value of facilitated peer learning. This is my first arts learning Xchange and I’m looking forward to hearing about how other organizations are implementing digital strategies that don’t exist as mere add-on components, but are truly integral to programming. At The Soap Factory, we serve a very connected, technologically engaged constituency, thus we see our efforts in this arena as key to our continued growth.”

Debra deNoyelles
Development Director
The Soap Factory

“I’ve followed the expanding role of social networking as a tool for engagement from a distance, feeling that the immediate digital connectivity and interaction has both positive and unforeseen, less positive results. In this country we tend to adopt technology without too much thoughtful consideration of consequences. That being said, I’m interested in learning more about what works and how this technology can be harnessed in service of mission.”

Paula Justich, Program Director
Master of Arts in Arts and Cultural Management
St. Mary’s University of Minnesota

“The First Nations Composer Initiative was born as a virtual chapter. Web presence, as the critical component bridging our indigenous artist community, is integral to our programming delivery. We are currently reassessing our technology systems to identify key elements for making our technology and communications programs truly integrative. Definitely, social networking is going to be one focus. This is my first arts learning Xchange event so I’m open without expectations, eager to hear other experiences and to learn from those experiences! I’m always interested in learning from my peers, which is both time and cost effective.”

Kristopher Kohl Miner (Ho-Chunk Nation)
Program Director
First Nations Composer Initiative
American Composers Forum

“As a social networking junky of less than a year, I continue to marvel at the way my peers exchange information. Where we once called and connected in-person, we have substituted Facebook invites and virtual coffee dates. (I believe I spent a good portion of my winter nights IM’ing friends…) Having attended the Wallace gathering session last April presented by the Brooklyn Museum of Art, I’ve become fascinated with the endless ways in which we can interface with our constituents via technology. As Northern Clay Center is only in the infant stages of employing such methods, I am very excited to see where we can go with it.”

Sarah Millfelt
Deputy Director for Programs
Education and Artist Grants Director
Northern Clay Center

“Recently James Sewell Ballet participated in the Arts Midwest Conference. We noted that a fairly dramatic change is occurring in networking structures as arts entities seek to introduce ourselves to each other and to market our programs to the general public. We look forward to the opportunity through the arts learning Xchange event to get a look at the bigger picture and understand what kinds of initiatives and standards for best practices are evolving.”

George Sutton
Executive Director
James Sewell Ballet

“I moved from Pittsburgh after graduating from Carnegie Mellon in July 2009. I’m interested in attending to network with peers in the field and to get a better grasp of the NPO environment, including how organizations are implementing new technologies. While at Carnegie Mellon, I briefly worked for the Center for Arts Management and Technology blogging about arts and new technology for audience engagement, education and outreach, database maintenance, etc. Some organizations I wrote about, such as the Mattress Factory and the Brooklyn Museum of Art, used social networking sites to increase audience engagement and, in the case of the Brooklyn museum, as a significant source of revenue generation. The Mattress Factory’s use of “QR Tags” on the installation information cards is also quite fascinating.”

Thomas Vannatter
Development Associate
Franconia Sculpture Park