In Tuesday’s (7/1) Nonprofit Times, Patrick Sullivan writes about the Colorado Symphony Orchestra’s “Classically Cannabis” concerts. “ ‘Here in Denver, the classical music audience has been flat or slightly declining for a long time,’ said [Colorado Symphony] CEO Jerome Kern. ‘That impacts contributions. It’s not simply that they’re not attending concerts, they’re not contributing to support.’ … With recreational marijuana newly legalized in Colorado (and in Washington state), ‘Here was a newly legalized industry that’s growing very rapidly that came to us and said, ‘We’d like to support you,’ said Kern.… The series kicked off in May with the first of three invitation-only fundraisers … [that] CSO officials estimate will raise some $200,000…. Classically Cannabis is just one way CSO is using unconventional audience-development methods. ‘We’ve had a Comic Con series,’ said Kern…. ‘We’ve played with rock groups and folk singers.’ … According to [League of American Orchestras President and CEO Jesse] Rosen, symphonies in cities around the country are targeting younger and more diverse audiences by modifying their programs. The most important aspect of audience development, said Rosen, is making any new programming organic to the symphony’s community and circumstances. ‘There are no real cookie-cutter solutions because every community has a different demographic, different music leadership, different artistic focus,’ he said.”
Posted July 2, 2014
Photo illustration by Slate. Photos by Shutterstock
