Raising the Curtain

Introduction

In the performing arts, our goal is to create great art and programs that connect with audiences and communities. Getting to opening night requires managing people, money, and materials. In other words, great art requires a great business model that includes the smart use of technology, from artistic creation to administration to community connection to reaching donors.

Digital transformation is continually changing how we make art, run businesses, and even live our lives. In this book, you'll find stories about nonprofit organizations, artists, and the technology they use to achieve success.

The performing arts are struggling to emerge from the COVID‐19 pandemic in the United States and other countries around the globe. Audiences have yet to return to pre‐pandemic numbers, subscriptions are faltering, and donors are receding. Bluntly, if you look at the numbers over time, the performing arts have been losing audiences and relying on long‐term, big‐money donors for more than a decade. Recent headlines in the media too frequently highlight organizations canceling shows, shrinking seasons, or ceasing operations altogether, striking fear in the hearts of many. There is a path forward. Lessons can be learned from the many organizations running efficient and effective operations—they pay their bills, run full seasons, and operate robust enterprises. These are the stories you will read in this book.

In our post‐pandemic, AI‐infused world, arts success stories are fueled ...