About PIVOT: Customer-centric marketing for arts leaders
The arts sector is in crisis—not because the art isn't excellent, but because the entire business model is misaligned with what audiences actually need. Traditional marketing tactics can't fix a broken foundation. This podcast challenges the product-centric paradigm that's killing arts organizations and shows you how to build customer intelligence, implement need-based segmentation, and create the kind of relevance that drives sustainable revenue growth.
Fifteen years ago, McKinsey found that need-based segmentation was the strongest predictor of consumer behavior. But arts organizations never adopted it. This episode breaks down why that matters now—and what's finally changing.
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Download the Value Proposition Playbook: cultureforhire.com/playbook
21 Feb 2025
Unlock New Audiences with Blue Ocean Strategy
The biggest breakthroughs in the arts don’t come from fighting harder for the same audience—they happen when organizations redefine who they serve.
In this episode of Pivot, I break down Blue Ocean Strategy—the business framework that helped brands like Yellow Tail wine and Nintendo dominate new markets—and show how arts organizations can use it to unlock radical audience growth.
You’ll hear:
Why traditional audience development keeps us stuck in a red ocean
How a church concert doubled attendance by reframing its messaging
How Ballet Austin transformed its revenue model by thinking beyond ticket sales
If you’re tired of fighting for the same patrons and want to create new demand for the arts, this episode is for you.
23 Jan 2025
Traditional Audience Strategy Is Killing Your Growth
Is your audience development strategy stuck in the past? In this episode of Pivot, host Ruth Hartt explores why traditional audience strategies are failing in today’s evolving landscape—and what arts organizations can do to ignite radical growth.
Discover the power of customer-centric innovation, the untapped potential in new markets, and how a simple shift in focus can transform your messaging, attendance, and impact.
Packed with real-world insights and actionable advice, this episode is your guide to breaking free from outdated approaches and building the audience your art deserves.
Try the ROI calculator at https://www.cultureforhire.com/roi.
2 Apr 2024
Transform your arts marketing without spending a single penny
The arts sector has relied on product-centric marketing for decades. This might have worked before the internet, but our world has changed profoundly in our lifetime. In today’s digital, global, customer-controlled world, the product-centric approach has become, at best, ineffective, and, at worst, a total turnoff.
If you want the kind of change that will actually move the needle, stop driving away potential patrons with egocentric marketing that ignores them, and start centering the customer.
It’s a pivot that has allowed countless industries—for-profit and non-profit—to unlock impressive growth.
12 Dec 2023
A Path Forward: Unpacking the NEA's 2022 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts
One of the biggest hurdles arts leaders face right now is driving organizational change. And one of the most crucial elements required for successfully driving change is a shared sense of urgency around the need for change.
In this episode I share stats from 40 years of NEA surveys that may help you in your crusade to start shifting the way you do things at your arts organization.
To download the slide deck on audience trends from 1982-2022, go to https://www.cultureforhire.com/1982
For more information on the upcoming course, go to http://www.cultureforhire.com/course
26 Oct 2023
Innovators in the Arts: New Bedford Symphony Orchestra's Dave Prentiss and Terry Wolkowicz
The New Bedford Symphony Orchestra (https://nbsymphony.org/), led by Dave Prentiss (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAJbHRABbzVuk53Zfy-UFCImR90F8SHo_f4) and Terry Wolkowicz (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAABCQIqwBVS1T1yC2llKOBnlizF63cdQfzhc), has been on a remarkable journey powered by a profoundly customer-centric approach.
The orchestra's deep commitment to forging connections through innovative educational programming and meaningful outreach has helped them double their budget over the last 8 years—while also increasing their concert offerings by 60%.
Most notably, this approach also led to a 23% increase in attendance for their first post-pandemic season.
If you need practical strategies for increasing engagement, forging connections, fostering a sense of belonging, and expanding the reach of your arts organization, you won't want to miss this conversation.
17 Jul 2023
Innovators in the Arts: Dominic Moore-Dunson
An award-winning choreographer, professional dancer, producer, teaching artist and speaker, Dominic Moore-Dunson believes that the future of the arts sector depends on arts organizations becoming community organizations.
23 Apr 2023
Innovators in the Arts: Spoleto Festival USA's Renate Rohlfing
Juilliard-trained pianist and board-certified music therapist Renate Rohlfing (https://www.renaterohlfing.com/) is passionate about creating projects that use musical and creative resources to solve challenges, process grief, enhance connections and empower communities affected by violence.
In this episode you'll learn about how she is drawing on the power of music to help her patients heal—and how art can be a powerful vehicle for building relationships with your community.
3 Feb 2023
Innovators in the Arts: Wichita Symphony's Holly Mulcahy
Join me for an inspiring conversation about rebuilding audiences and growing relevance with Holly Mulcahy, arts innovator and violinist extraordinaire. We talk about embracing the Outsider's perspective, growing emotional bonds to your organization by creating community, and a signature drink called The Blue Electra.
Concertmaster, soloist, and founder of Arts Capacity—a nonprofit that brings the healing power of music to prison inmates—Holly is tirelessly building bridges into the world of classical music, and I know you'll be inspired by her thinking.
26 Aug 2022
Innovators in the Arts: Classical Uprising's Emily Isaacson
In this episode you'll hear from Emily Isaacson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAL-g7kBimHxsEqD8p_ukxqXpU-QH2BZ2fc), founder of Portland's Classical Uprising (http://www.classicaluprising.org), about how her org is rethinking what classical music concerts should be in 2022, with a tenacious focus on community and approachability. We'll be exploring these ideas through the lens of Priya Parker (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAABCm9sB7ZL5hJpkqG7cdIKFKKrE2Txn0Dg)'s The Art of Gathering.
29 Jul 2022
Innovators in the Arts: Perth Symphony's Bourby Webster
In this episode you'll hear from Bourby Webster (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAD8A2YBy0-bUCNinIkT03mOcUrMGcoO0eI), founder of the Perth Symphony Orchestra (https://perthsymphony.com/), on how the PSO has redefined their purpose and reinvented the audience experience. The result? The PSO has rapidly become one of the largest arts organizations in Western Australia, regularly performing to capacity audiences.
Reach and audience
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YouTube views
23,692
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 35 / 100
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Quality
29
Social presence
0
YouTube
72
Engagement
27
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