Speaker(s): Ruth Hartt, Chief of Staff, Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation

Customer-centricity is a key organizational quality for understanding the needs of your orchestra’s stakeholders and increasing ticket sales and community relevance. Join us for a 4-hour Pre-Conference Seminar that will help you build alignment at your orchestra around a more customer-centric audience experience and transform your approach to audience development and engagement.

Ruth Hartt distills insights from visionaries like Priya Parker (The Art of Gathering) and Nina Simon (The Art of Relevance), providing powerful frameworks to help you navigate the challenges you face in a rapidly changing world. You will explore questions like: is 'art for art’s sake' a meaningful purpose? Does tradition stifle diversity? Does relevant mean immersive? You will see real-world examples from arts leaders and organizations who have successfully applied these principles, alongside actionable ideas that you can implement right away.

Cost: $295 / $365 not-yet-member

Speaker(s): Susan Nelson, Executive Vice President, TDC

As the benefits of government funding dissipate and the new realities of donor and audience behaviors emerge, it has become ever more important for orchestras to think about how they do multi-year budgeting. In this four-hour workshop, building upon her related League webinar from October, Susan Nelson will guide participants on what and who to include in a successful process. The Pre-Conference Seminar will use the case study method to demonstrate the principles of multi-year budgeting in the first half of the session. In the second half, participants will bring their specific questions and concerns to discuss.

Cost: $295 / $365 not-yet-member

Education and Community Engagement personnel, please join us early for a fun and insightful pre-Conference session that will delve into the joint endeavors of school district staff and orchestras to strengthen the quality and effectiveness of music education through collaboration, while maintaining the district’s role in facilitating access to music education for all students. The discussion will revolve around key school programming categories: field trip opportunities, in-school one- or two-time program offerings (performances or musician visits/coachings/workshops), and in-school multi-visit residencies.

Following insights from school representatives, we’ll discuss examples of orchestra programs from around the country, and participants will engage in breakout groups to delve into refining partnership strategies, addressing school needs, and overcoming challenges.

Please note, the Education and Community Engagement (EdCE) Half-Day meeting is designed for professionals from member orchestras who specialize in this work. If you have any questions, please contact nlee@americanorchestras.org. Space may be limited and therefore priority will be given to EdCE registrants.

Cost: $80 Early Bird (by May 2); $100 Regular

Join us for a half-day event showcasing technology offerings in the areas of marketing, data management and CRM, ticketing, online program notes, audience engagement apps, in-hall concert technologies, and more. Get to know the companies behind these offerings, learn how your peers are innovating with technology, and pick up tips and tricks for creative ways to take better advantage of the tools you have.

The Tech Fair will take place in the Exhibit Hall, with presentations in adjoining rooms. See the schedule of presentations.

No additional cost. The Tech Fair is included in your Conference registration!

Speaker(s): Kay Sprinkel Grace, Principal and Founder, Transforming Philanthropy

As orchestras pivot to find new ways to restore our audiences and our donors, boards and executive directors are quickly learning that pivoting is essential for them, too. From orchestra governance to community engagement to involvement in fundraising, our job as board members and how we partner with staff has changed. The art we present, how we reflect our community through our board membership, and the culture of our organization—as well as our need for new philanthropic investors—all shape our future. 

This exciting time is rich with opportunity and fraught with change. As we grapple immediately with renewal of donors and subscribers, we are also addressing renewal of a different kind: a commitment to imagine and navigate towards new horizons in board service while adhering to governance principles that are both our anchor and our sail.

Join Kay Sprinkel Grace for a lively 4-hour Pre-Conference Seminar that will give us new tools for governance during times of considerable change. Kay is a board member and past President of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale and is a widely known writer and speaker on boards and board governance.

Cost: $295 / $365 not-yet-member