Since writing my post on The Value of Bloggers back in January, I have become more consciously aware (yes, I realize that phrasing is a tad repetitively redundant…) of arts companies that make special effort to connect with bloggers in the community.
Last year the Ottawa Fringe Festival had a special wine and cheese event just for bloggers. These writers – many of whom weren’t ‘theatre people’ – published posts about the Fringe for their readers, thereby connecting a new audience with this incredible festival. Lately the Great Canadian Theatre Company – thanks to GCTC Marketing Associate Nancy Kenny – has been paying more attention to bloggers, offering them complimentary tickets to opening nights and encouraging them to write Twitter updates about their experiences. The Ottawa International Writers Festival – that just completed its spring edition a few days ago – invited local bloggers to attend events and write for the festival blog.
National Arts Centre Associate Marketing Officer Jennifer Covert, it seems, has always been a major advocate of the blogging community. For the current NAC dance production (see video below) she took the initiative to invite a handful of bloggers from the community to enjoy a tour of the NAC backstage, to meet with Dance Producer Cathy Levy (an articulate, intelligent, passionate person — and with a real knack for programming consistently good work), and see the show right afterward. The whole evening was very informative and friendly.
When I first starting writing online, I resisted calling my writing outlet a ‘blog’ because it seemed unprofessional. In fact, to me, ‘blogger’ was a dirty word, suggesting a lesser writer than a journalist. These days I’m quite happy to tell people: Why yes, I am a blogger!
Do you know of any other blogger-friendly arts organizations? If you are an arts marketing professional, what do you think are the benefits of getting bloggers involved in your arts organization? All thoughts and name-dropping are encouraged!
I definitely appreciate how the Fringe Festival has given me drinks, cheese, and tickets for the last two years – even though neither of my sites talks much about art or local issues.
Oh yes, free drinks. That’s the real reason I got into the arts. But shh, don’t tell anyone.
I truly love that the organizations that you refer to are so supportive of the bloggers in this community.
They are interested in the perspective and enthusiasm that patrons of the arts bring to events!
I find Don Monet, curator of the CUBE Gallery to be quite open to the ‘press’ coverage provided by website bloggers taking notes and photos that describe the atmosphere and popularity of vernissage and other theatrical events at their very popular Cube Salon series.
Welcoming bloggers means a chance to hear the thoughts of the audience…or read them at the very least.
Cg
Thanks for your perspective, Cheryl. I agree: the Cube Salon is a wonderful event and great for the Hintonburg community. I’m glad they’re forming such strong ties with bloggers. Here’s a link: http://cubesalon.ca/
Thanks for the mention, Jess! I’d just like to use this forum to say if any bloggers out there want to be added to the GCTC list, please email me: assistant at gctc dot ca
We’ve got an opening night coming up in June, so please get in on that!
Take advantage, bloggers! The GCTC has a great season lined up for 2010/11. See the website (listed above) for more details.