Comments on: Toward A New Funding Model for Theater http://chrisashworth.org/blog/2009/10/14/toward-a-new-funding-model-for-theater/ Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:29:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Pondering the Theater-as-Netflix Model: Intrigue Meets Reality « Clyde Fitch Report http://chrisashworth.org/blog/2009/10/14/toward-a-new-funding-model-for-theater/comment-page-1/#comment-15634 Pondering the Theater-as-Netflix Model: Intrigue Meets Reality « Clyde Fitch Report Sun, 28 Feb 2010 23:49:52 +0000 http://chrisashworth.org/blog/?p=291#comment-15634 [...] blog post, additionally pointed readers to a Scott Walters post from last October, inspired by a Chris Ashworth post. So I decided to do some additional [...]

[...] blog post, additionally pointed readers to a Scott Walters post from last October, inspired by a Chris Ashworth post. So I decided to do some additional [...]

]]> By: Ottawa Theatre Needs Groupies « UnFolding http://chrisashworth.org/blog/2009/10/14/toward-a-new-funding-model-for-theater/comment-page-1/#comment-15090 Ottawa Theatre Needs Groupies « UnFolding Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:29:48 +0000 http://chrisashworth.org/blog/?p=291#comment-15090 [...] apply easily to local theatre. Anyone in interested in the viability of theatre here should read Chris Ashworth’s thoughts and Scott Walters’ [...]

[...] apply easily to local theatre. Anyone in interested in the viability of theatre here should read Chris Ashworth’s thoughts and Scott Walters’ [...]

]]> By: Brian Newman http://chrisashworth.org/blog/2009/10/14/toward-a-new-funding-model-for-theater/comment-page-1/#comment-15040 Brian Newman Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:55:51 +0000 http://chrisashworth.org/blog/?p=291#comment-15040 Great post, great energy and I wish I had read this much earlier - just found it today from Artful Manager's blog. I really like the model, as well as some of the things others have now posted (like Scott Walters) as nuances on the model. My main point is that this might work better if several theaters collaborated so I could get a subscription to multiple places. They also then have a valuable network to offer sponsors, advertisers and fans - with proper privacy concerns taken into account. I would much more likely buy a subscription to multiple theaters in my town than to just one. I also have to say - great links. Your links are as much a comment on the topic as the text. Especially in reference to the arts participation project - god, I could give them 1 million better ideas than they are coming up with by committee - and yours would be one they should try! Great work Great post, great energy and I wish I had read this much earlier – just found it today from Artful Manager’s blog. I really like the model, as well as some of the things others have now posted (like Scott Walters) as nuances on the model. My main point is that this might work better if several theaters collaborated so I could get a subscription to multiple places. They also then have a valuable network to offer sponsors, advertisers and fans – with proper privacy concerns taken into account. I would much more likely buy a subscription to multiple theaters in my town than to just one. I also have to say – great links. Your links are as much a comment on the topic as the text. Especially in reference to the arts participation project – god, I could give them 1 million better ideas than they are coming up with by committee – and yours would be one they should try! Great work

]]> By: Christopher http://chrisashworth.org/blog/2009/10/14/toward-a-new-funding-model-for-theater/comment-page-1/#comment-12996 Christopher Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:37:39 +0000 http://chrisashworth.org/blog/?p=291#comment-12996 TValley, I think you have misread my post. I did not say that memberships are a departure from a nonprofit status. You certainly could apply all these ideas to a nonprofit organization. My discussion of non-profit vs for-profit is merely an exercise to "force" the idea of how to make more money for a theater...not a claim that making more money for a theater inherently turns it into a for-profit company. I also did not say that "low six figures" means $10,000. Six figures in a company of ten means $10,000 per employee. TValley,

I think you have misread my post. I did not say that memberships are a departure from a nonprofit status. You certainly could apply all these ideas to a nonprofit organization. My discussion of non-profit vs for-profit is merely an exercise to “force” the idea of how to make more money for a theater…not a claim that making more money for a theater inherently turns it into a for-profit company.

I also did not say that “low six figures” means $10,000. Six figures in a company of ten means $10,000 per employee.

]]> By: TValley http://chrisashworth.org/blog/2009/10/14/toward-a-new-funding-model-for-theater/comment-page-1/#comment-12989 TValley Mon, 21 Dec 2009 04:08:11 +0000 http://chrisashworth.org/blog/?p=291#comment-12989 Hi Chris, These are all interesting ideas, but don't call them something they're not. Memberships, YouTube, and audience engagement are not a departure from the nonprofit funding model. The "memberships" you envision, along with all of their "benefits", are another way of describing "donations" and their "benefits". It is closer to what museums do, and further from what most theaters do, but easily fall within the nonprofit model. In fact, most "members" will expect that their "membership" is tax deductible to an extent. YouTube, "sunlight," and using the internet are not a departure from a nonprofit funding model. They are a new communications plan. Finally, "six figures" does not refer to $10,000. It refers to $100,000. Count the digits. Hi Chris,

These are all interesting ideas, but don’t call them something they’re not. Memberships, YouTube, and audience engagement are not a departure from the nonprofit funding model.

The “memberships” you envision, along with all of their “benefits”, are another way of describing “donations” and their “benefits”. It is closer to what museums do, and further from what most theaters do, but easily fall within the nonprofit model. In fact, most “members” will expect that their “membership” is tax deductible to an extent.

YouTube, “sunlight,” and using the internet are not a departure from a nonprofit funding model. They are a new communications plan.

Finally, “six figures” does not refer to $10,000. It refers to $100,000. Count the digits.

]]> By: New Leaf launches a new financial plan | Theater For The Future http://chrisashworth.org/blog/2009/10/14/toward-a-new-funding-model-for-theater/comment-page-1/#comment-12935 New Leaf launches a new financial plan | Theater For The Future Sat, 19 Dec 2009 08:15:46 +0000 http://chrisashworth.org/blog/?p=291#comment-12935 [...] the moment we saw this post from Chris Ashworth in October, New Leaf buckled down to create a vision of what sustainable theater could look like in [...]

[...] the moment we saw this post from Chris Ashworth in October, New Leaf buckled down to create a vision of what sustainable theater could look like in [...]

]]> By: A New Funding Model for New Leaf | New Leaf Theatre http://chrisashworth.org/blog/2009/10/14/toward-a-new-funding-model-for-theater/comment-page-1/#comment-12933 A New Funding Model for New Leaf | New Leaf Theatre Sat, 19 Dec 2009 07:03:02 +0000 http://chrisashworth.org/blog/?p=291#comment-12933 [...] a play, taking in a recital, or browsing paintings at a museum. If what we offer is an experience, our product is not the result, it is the entire experience from concept to creation to completion. And audiences routinely miss or are restricted from the meat of what that experience has to [...]

[...] a play, taking in a recital, or browsing paintings at a museum. If what we offer is an experience, our product is not the result, it is the entire experience from concept to creation to completion. And audiences routinely miss or are restricted from the meat of what that experience has to [...]

]]> By: Du Caked Hare http://chrisashworth.org/blog/2009/10/14/toward-a-new-funding-model-for-theater/comment-page-1/#comment-12302 Du Caked Hare Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:03:51 +0000 http://chrisashworth.org/blog/?p=291#comment-12302 This is indeed a very interesting analysis; I have myself been trying to "design"/"think up" a new funding model that takes the Internet age into account... Your take on the matter is highly "inspiring" (for lack of a better word at present) What you described is in line with what I had originally termed "the experience" (one of three or four types of products that are monetizable), but I hadn't thought about the idea on the "relationship" level (shame on me for omitting such an important factor!) I return to my note pad with ideas afresh, to try and find the generalized versino of a business model which would allow all art forms (and other digitizable-hence-shareable) to monetize and sustain their creators, without keeping the aged industrial ball-and-chain business model... Many thanks, bravo, and best of wishes, hoping you will succeed in revolutionizing your industry! This is indeed a very interesting analysis; I have myself been trying to “design”/”think up” a new funding model that takes the Internet age into account… Your take on the matter is highly “inspiring” (for lack of a better word at present)

What you described is in line with what I had originally termed “the experience” (one of three or four types of products that are monetizable), but I hadn’t thought about the idea on the “relationship” level (shame on me for omitting such an important factor!)

I return to my note pad with ideas afresh, to try and find the generalized versino of a business model which would allow all art forms (and other digitizable-hence-shareable) to monetize and sustain their creators, without keeping the aged industrial ball-and-chain business model…

Many thanks, bravo, and best of wishes, hoping you will succeed in revolutionizing your industry!

]]> By: Theaterfinanzierung: geht es auch ohne Förderungen? « Das Kulturmanagement Blog http://chrisashworth.org/blog/2009/10/14/toward-a-new-funding-model-for-theater/comment-page-1/#comment-11843 Theaterfinanzierung: geht es auch ohne Förderungen? « Das Kulturmanagement Blog Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:13:45 +0000 http://chrisashworth.org/blog/?p=291#comment-11843 [...] Einen sehr interessanten Ansatz hat Chris Ashworth entwickelt. In seinem Beitrag „Toward A New Funding Model for Theater" stellt er die Frage, „How far away is the current theatrical model from representing a [...]

[...] Einen sehr interessanten Ansatz hat Chris Ashworth entwickelt. In seinem Beitrag „Toward A New Funding Model for Theater” stellt er die Frage, „How far away is the current theatrical model from representing a [...]

]]> By: Stretching during the Home Stretch | New Leaf Theatre http://chrisashworth.org/blog/2009/10/14/toward-a-new-funding-model-for-theater/comment-page-1/#comment-11681 Stretching during the Home Stretch | New Leaf Theatre Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:57:34 +0000 http://chrisashworth.org/blog/?p=291#comment-11681 [...] them to you).  We’re talking about how to let the inspiration bubbling out from folks like this and this influence our next steps into fundraising and sustainable business practices (and I [...]

[...] them to you).  We’re talking about how to let the inspiration bubbling out from folks like this and this influence our next steps into fundraising and sustainable business practices (and I [...]

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