PND (11/16/99) -- Arts & Business Council and American Express Announces Arts Marketing Grants

The Arts & Business Council has joined with American Express to announce $300,000 in grants to 32 arts organizations in eight U.S. cities for new audience development initiatives as part of the National Arts Marketing Project.

The National Arts Marketing Project is a $1.5 million program devoted to helping small and moderate-sized arts organizations increase their earned income by learning and adapting the successful marketing techniques used by small businesses. Through the program, the Arts & Business Council hopes to help solve the problems these groups have historically faced in their marketing efforts — lack of upfront capital and the risk aversion that accompanies it.

Sixteen of the grant recipients will receive between $7,500 and $25,000 to implement marketing plans they submitted last April and May after participating in a training retreat. The remaining sixteen groups will each receive a grant for $1,500 to underwrite their participation in the training program.

"These organizations have the opportunity to break new ground in audience development for themselves, as well as for others working in their art form," said Gary Steur, president and CEO of the Arts & Business Council. "The grants allow them to explore new ways to increase earned income that they would be unable to try otherwise."

FCnote: The American Express Company Contributions Program (NY) made grants totaling $8,720,155 in the year ending 12/31/98.

FCnote: The American Express Foundation (NY) had assets of $46,952,445 and made grants totaling $14,259,007 in the year ending 12/31/97.

"The Arts & Business Council and American Express Announce $300,000 in Grants for New Audience Development." Arts & Business Council Press Release 11/10/99.

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