This document outlines a model for effective community engagement developed by ArtsMemphis. It discusses how traditional arts outreach of bringing programs to underserved communities was not fully addressing challenges like poor attendance. The Fellows program educated arts groups, engaged communities through conversations, and equipped groups with strategies. Arts groups shifted to a community-centric approach of listening to communities and developing locally relevant programs around issues like access to resources, connecting generations, and job training. This new localized and reflective approach helped arts groups engage more audiences and develop brand advocates in underserved communities.

1. Pathways To Engagement:
A Model for Meaningful Relationships
With Underserved Communities

2. Arts
Inspires
Change
Here in the Orange Mound community, WE ARE FULL OF
PRIDE AND ARE SOULFUL PEOPLE, but sometimes life
and circumstance can get in the way of vision, and what
better way to inspire positive change, than through the
arts.
- Orange Mound Community Activist

3. The
State
of
Affairs
• Community
Engagement
is
an
important
challenge
amongst
many
arts
organiza;ons
• Specifically,
how
to
reach
out
and
connect
to
communi;es
in
a
way
that’s
relevant
and
resonant
• But
the
approach
of
“If
you
build
it
they
will
come”
may
not
necessarily
be
the
best
and
only
way
to
reach
audiences

4. What
We’ll
Cover
Today
• A
model
for
effec;ve
community
engagement
• A
Community-­‐centric
approach
• The
importance
of
branding
and
marke;ng
in
community
engagement

5. ARTSMEMPHIS

7. What Do We Mean by
Community?
Community: A
group of people
related by
geography

8. The
Challenges
Were
Obvious
• Poor
program
aNendance
• Issues
of
poverty,
equity,
and
access
in
communi;es
• Arts
organiza;ons’
lack
of
knowing
how
and
where
to
market
programs
• Minimal
communica;on
with
neighborhood
residents
• And
the
list
goes
on…

9. Arts
organiza;ons
are
just
trying
to
“Get
It
Done”
Underserved
Community
Vision
&
Mission

10. PRE-FELLOWS APPROACH: TRADITIONAL ARTS OUTREACH
NEW
BALLET
• In-­‐school
instruc;on
at
neighborhood
elementary
school,
Dunbar
Elementary.
PRIZM
ENSEMBLE
• PRIZM
in
the
schools
arts
educa;on
and
outreach
programs
• Summer
programs
that
take
the
student
out
of
his/her
neighborhood
for
music
educa;on.
THEATRE
MEMPHIS
• School
performances
and
outreach
to
youth
in-­‐school
and
aer-­‐school
programs.

11. THE
FELLOWS
PROGRAM
AT
ARTSMEMPHIS
EDUCATE
Seminars
for
arts
groups
with
thought
leaders
ENGAGE
Held
community
conversa;ons
and
listening
campaigns
EQUIP
Provided
arts
groups
with
strategies
to
increase
overall
effec;veness

12. We
Started
With
The
Idea
of
Brand
• What
do
you
think
about
when
you
see
these?

13. A
BRAND
is
a
collec.on
of
percep.ons
(which
ul.mately
creates
an
EXPERIENCE)
in
the
minds
of
your
donors/subscribers/
communi.es
based
on
every
in-­‐person
and
online
contact
they
have
with
your
organiza.on
Percep;on
is
Reality

14. Building
a
Brand
Takes
Research
Audience
What
emo;onal
experience
do
communi;es
need/want
Marketplace
What
emo;onal
experiences
don’t
exist
Organiza:on
What
emo;onal
experience
can
we
deliver
on..
new
or
beNer
Brand
Posi;oning!

15. A
Community-­‐Centric
Approach
Means
“Lecng
Go”
• Build
programs
based
on
their
interests
• Listen
à
Town
Halls,
Facebook,
Surveys,
etc.

16. POST-­‐FELLOWS
:
A
COMMUNITY-­‐CENTRIC
APPROACH
Lack
of
access
to
resources
• New
Ballet
School
and
Ensemble:
• Parent
Resource
Center
:
GED
classes,
access
to
computers
and
Internet,
etc.
Disjointed
community:
Seniors
and
youth
aren’t
talking
• Theatre
Memphis
and
Blues
City
Cultural
Center:
• Storytelling
project
partnering
youth
and
seniors
to
pass
on
the
the
community’s
legacy
Life
skills;
lack
of
job
training
• PRIZM
Ensemble
and
Visible
Community
Music
School
• Provide
life
skills
to
aid
youth
in
staying
in
school,
applying
for
college
and/or
job
applica;ons
and
employment.

17. Good
News:
The
Approach
is
Adaptable!
1.
Donors
2.
Audiences
3.
Board
Vision
&
Mission

18. Bring
&
Reflect
Arts
to
the
People
• Don’t
just
try
to
get
people
to
come
to
the
Arts,
bring
the
Arts
to
THEM
too!
– Conduct
programs
in
neighborhood
venues
familiar
to
the
people
– Show
them
Arts
that
reflects
who
they
are
(let
them
see
themselves
and
relate)
“I
don’t
travel
outside
my
neighborhood”

19. Localize
and
Relate
Your
Brand
• Align
your
brand
via
strategic
partnerships:
Community
Groups,
Schools,
Local
Businesses,
and
Universi;es
– Sponsor
a
local
youth
baseball
team
– Conduct
workshops
on
applying
to
college
– Scholarships
for
aspiring
ar;sts
in
communi;es
“I
can’t
relate
to
what
they
do”

20. Go
from
Audiences
who
don’t
engage
“Arts
is
for
old
folks”
“Why
should
we
donate?”
“How
does
Arts
benefit
my
family?”
“My
;me
is
limited.”
“I
cant
afford
to
buy
;ckets.
”
“What
is
Opera?”
“I
can’t
relate”
“I
want
to
play
sports
aerschool,
not
music.”

21. To
a
group
of
Brand
Advocates!

22. WHAT ARE ARTS GROUPS SAYING ABOUT THE
NEW APPROACH?
So many times as arts educators our first step forward is to
push the programming as we are most comfortable executing,
rather than responding to the needs of a community.
The Fellows program leveraged our time to listen and learn
- a most important stage that rarely makes our budgets.
-Visible Community School

23. WHAT
ARE
ARTS
GROUPS
SAYING
ABOUT
THE
NEW
APPROACH?
The Fellows program has helped us to take an approach that is more
inclusive as well as creative. Although we seldom look at presenting art
for art's sake, I have had to take a step back to study what the
community considers to be important and how our company can
increase its offerings to satisfy what the community seeks....
- Blues City Cultural Center

24. What have we learned?
Ø This is hard work
Ø Requires a mind shift
(for artists and funders)
Ø Time-consuming
Ø Requires ongoing financial investment
Ø Human capital

25. Thank
You
Follow
us
on
TwiNer!
Linda
Steele
@lindasteelesays
Chris
McLeod
@RightMarke;ng