Is your marketing driving away your potential patrons?
Traditional arts marketing doesn’t work anymore
In fact, it’s alienating your potential patrons.
At Culture for Hire, unlock the power of an innovation framework that has sparked rapid growth for countless companies across multiple sectors.
It’s the foundation for an empathetic approach that resonates deeply with today’s consumer.
The best part? It doesn’t cost a thing.
Stop wasting time + resources on marketing that falls flat. Start selling more tickets.
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"Ruth has an extraordinary vision for arts marketing, and the arts sector needs it now."
—Mark Schaefer, Author of Marketing Rebellion and Belonging to the Brand
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"For any org wanting to center their customer and community, Ruth's thinking on this topic is hands down the best I've ever seen."
—Aubrey Bergauer, Changing the Narrative
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"This may well be the salvation that audience-hungry arts marketers are searching for."
—Trevor O’Donnell, Author of Marketing the Arts to Death
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“Ruth is a champion for your patrons. She sets aside all of the expertise and just asks one simple question: What matters to your customers? It's revolutionary.”
—Sean Kelly, Founder, Vatic
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"...an incredible thought leader. Ruth's insight is what we need to hear as a sector right now. "
—Sarah Weber, Executive Director, Association of California Symphony Orchestras
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"So grateful that Ruth is not only putting the Jobs to Be Done framework out there, but also providing illustrations on how to enact it."
—Timothy Myers, Music Director, Austin Opera and Music Director, Spoleto Festival USA
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"Ruth ignited our marketing, development, programming and venue hire teams with excellent, tangible recommendations that will now play a critical role in the important work that defines Melbourne Recital Centre’s next chapter."
—Latoyah Forsyth, Head of Marketing and Visitor Experience, Melbourne Recital Centre
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“The room was vibrating during Ruth’s Chorus America plenary...lightbulbs were going off, pens were furiously writing.”
—Alex Gartner, Artistic & Executive Director, Pensacola Children’s Chorus
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"If you don't yet follow Ruth Hartt, drop everything and follow. A superhero in all things marketing and perspectives!"
—Holly Mulcahy, Concertmaster, Wichita Symphony and founder, Arts Capacty
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“Thank you for delivering two remarkable presentations. Your work is transformative!”
—Kevin Eberle-Noel, Executive Director, Redlands Symphony
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"Your presentation was truly exceptional."
—Donny Thompson, Executive director, Jazz Outreach Initiative
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“Ruth is a breath of fresh air. She cuts through traditional jargon and bias to focus on solid, practical solutions. Her commitment to a patron-first approach empowers managers across all departments to drive real results.”
—Drew McManus, CEO, UpStage Technologies
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"Ruth was an amazing speaker and was incredibly well received."
—Maggie Plaster, Director of Parks, Recreation, & Cultural Affairs, City of Las Vegas
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"You were spectacular and opened up a host of necessary questions with which we need to grapple. It was a terrific session."
—Nick Adams, Executive Director, Cantata Singers
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“This is one of the most, if not the most, important presentations in my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
—Thomas Cooke, President, Voce
Relevance Strategist. Arts Champion.
With one foot in the arts sector and the other in the world of business and innovation, Ruth Hartt is leading the charge to rebuild cultural audiences through the power of customer-centric marketing.
A former opera singer, Ruth has been immersed in business innovation frameworks at the Clayton Christensen Institute for the past seven years.
Did you know?
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Between 1982 and 2022, U.S. opera audiences plummeted 77%.
Source: National Endowment for the Arts
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Between 1982 and 2022, U.S. classical music audiences declined by 65%.
Source: National Endowment for the Arts
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Between 1982 and 2022, U.S. theater audiences dropped 62%.
Source: National Endowment for the Arts
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Between 1982 and 2022, U.S. ballet audiences dropped 52%.
Source: National Endowment for the Arts
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More than 48% of U.S. consumers don't feel welcome in the classical music world.
Source: IMPACTS Experience
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The negative substitution rate in the performance- based sector is 0.904. That’s a 9.6% annual reduction in this sector.
Source: IMPACTS Experience
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The negative substitution rate for the exhibit- based sector is 0.968. That’s a 3.2% annual reduction in this sector.
Source: IMPACTS Experience
Swipe to see 12+ high-impact, time-saving tools that boost revenue and relevance:
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Self Assessment
Is your marketing driving away potential patrons? Find out how much the outdated, egocentric approach is hampering your audience development efforts.
Price: $0
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100 Prompts
100+ plug-and-play strategies to help you craft outcome-focused, relevant marketing that speaks to a broader audience. See what customer centricity looks like here.
Price: $19
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Arts Marketing Hall of Fame
Your arts marketing think tank. Join 400+ arts leaders around the world getting a daily curation of outstanding arts marketing + monthly masterclasses.
Starts at $4.17/month
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Warning Signs: Audience Trends 1982-2022
Show your team this presentation outlining 40 years of audience declines, and spark the motivation to embrace a bold new direction.
Price: $29
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Weekly Insights
Subscribe for weekly insights on unlocking growth through customer centricity.
Plus, exclusive offers and deals for subscribers only.
Price: $0
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The Marketing Funnel Webinar
Get clear on the customer journey and how it informs effective marketing strategy.
Price: $0
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Blog
Want to catch up on previous insights? Explore the archive of articles on the audience-building power of customer centricity.
Price: $0
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Change Readiness Calculator
Is your arts organization ready for change? Get your change readiness score plus a corresponding timeline.
Price: $0
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Mini Market Analysis
How much of the market have you captured in your region?
And what's one big growth opportunity that you're probably ignoring?
Price: $99
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Audience Unlocked
Your instant-access market analysis report, Audience Unlocked is packed with data-driven insights customized for your organization. Discover seven high-potential markets, get projected revenue estimates, and more.
Price: $399
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The High-Impact Homepage
Ditch the events calendar. Create a homepage that showcases your unique value proposition using this customizable Canva template—and starting showing newcomers just how relevant you are!
Price: $39
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Customer-Centric Marketing Checklist
Explore 18 easy and actionable recommendations for a more relevant, relatable approach to arts marketing.
Price: $0
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Patron Survey Template
Standard surveys often miss the mark, asking the wrong questions and gathering surface-level data.
Use this customizable Jotform-based template to dig deeper for maximum impact.
Price: $19
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Podcast
Pivot is a podcast dedicated to growing arts audiences by bridging the worlds of business innovation and the arts.
Each episode brings arts leaders like you actionable, customer-centric strategies you can apply to your work in real time.
Price: $0
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Audience Alchemy: The Project
A guided transformation to customer centricity, equipping your organization with customized, actionable strategies to engage audiences and drive growth.
Virtual and In-Person Options Available
