“Young professionals are a sought-after demographic among arts institutions,” writes Jeremy Reynolds in Monday’s (7/30) San Francisco Classical Voice. “Musical institutions around the nation are … creating individual ‘young professionals clubs’ to attract and retain a younger demographic…. Some organizations, like the San Francisco Symphony and Houston Grand Opera, have long-established clubs…. Others, like the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra or the Cleveland Orchestra, have initiated their clubs within the past few years and are still experimenting with different formats and benefits…. Most clubs’ age ranges are 25-40 years old.” The “six more or less universal components among different organizations’ clubs” are volunteers, frequency, exclusivity, education, networking, and audience-building rather than fundraising. “To the last point, The Cleveland Orchestra’s club … is literally a part of their Center for Future Audiences, established in 2010 with a $20 million grant to help fund efforts to draw younger listeners…. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s BRAVO club is growing rapidly.… Brett Tarver, an attorney and the volunteer chair of BRAVO … said she thinks the focus of these clubs should be on highlighting the idea that attending the symphony is not just pleasant listening, but also a chance to become further educated culturally and involved in local arts.”
Posted August 2, 2018
