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.

  • "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

  • "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

  • "This may well be the salvation that audience-hungry arts marketers are searching for."

    —Trevor O’Donnell, Author of Marketing the Arts to Death

  • “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

  • "...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

  • "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

  • "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

  • “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

  • "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

  • “Thank you for delivering two remarkable presentations. Your work is transformative!”

    —Kevin Eberle-Noel, Executive Director, Redlands Symphony

  • "Your presentation was truly exceptional."

    —Donny Thompson, Executive director, Jazz Outreach Initiative

  • “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

  • "Ruth was an amazing speaker and was incredibly well received."

    —Maggie Plaster, Director of Parks, Recreation, & Cultural Affairs, City of Las Vegas

  • "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

  • “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?

  • Between 1982 and 2022, U.S. opera audiences plummeted 77%.

    Source: National Endowment for the Arts

  • Between 1982 and 2022, U.S. classical music audiences declined by 65%.

    Source: National Endowment for the Arts

  • Between 1982 and 2022, U.S. theater audiences dropped 62%.

    Source: National Endowment for the Arts

  • Between 1982 and 2022, U.S. ballet audiences dropped 52%.

    Source: National Endowment for the Arts

  • More than 48% of U.S. consumers don't feel welcome in the classical music world.

    Source: IMPACTS Experience

  • 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

  • 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

LEARN MORE

Swipe to see 14 high-impact, time-saving tools that boost revenue and relevance

  • 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

    TAKE THE QUIZ

  • 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

    GET 100 PROMPTS

  • 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

    JOIN THE GROUP

  • 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

    GET THE SLIDE DECK

  • Weekly Insights

    Subscribe for weekly insights on unlocking growth through customer centricity.

    Plus, exclusive offers and deals for subscribers only.

    Price: $0

    SUBSCRIBE HERE

  • The Marketing Funnel Webinar

    Get clear on the customer journey and how it informs effective marketing strategy.

    Price: $0

    WATCH THE FREE WEBINAR

  • Blog

    Want to catch up on previous insights? Explore the archive of articles on the audience-building power of customer centricity.

    Price: $0

    READ THE BLOG

  • Change Readiness Calculator

    Is your arts organization ready for change? Get your change readiness score plus a corresponding timeline.

    Price: $0

    GET YOUR SCORE

  • 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

    GET YOUR ANALYSIS

  • Audience Unlocked

    Your instant-access market analysis report customized for your organization. Discover seven high-potential markets, get projected revenue estimates, and much more.

    Price: $399

    UNLOCK NEW AUDIENCES NOW

  • 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

    GET THE CANVA TEMPLATE

  • Customer-Centric Marketing Checklist

    Explore 18 easy and actionable recommendations for a more relevant, relatable approach to arts marketing.

    Price: $0

    GET YOUR CHECKLIST HERE

  • 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

    GET THE SURVEY TEMPLATE

  • 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

    LISTEN NOW