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One Route, Two Guides — Part 2: Marc van Bree’s “Orchestras and New Media”
By L. Corwin Christie | August 4, 2009
Marc van Bree has published an impressive and free forty-five page (plus bibliography and succinct glossary) ebook called “Orchestras and New Media: A Complete Guide”. I emphatically encourage anyone working with arts and non-profits to read his ebook.
Though van Bree’s experience is specifically with classical music and orchestras, his ebook is not for that audience alone. Rather, is the most comprehensive and interesting social media guide that I have read. Van Bree does not claim to be a social media expert, despite his long-time successful use of it, and his recommendations and guidelines for social media are supported by research and commentary from others in the field. He does not merely tell you what to do, he writes things like “How has social networking changed our communication?” and then answers this question with evidence from independent studies.
“Although the number and variety of arts organizations has increased, the percentage of adults participating in the arts has remained flat,” writes van Bree. The first 11 pages of this guide are a fascinating and well-researched analysis of the arts and the arts’ representation in printed media, and the struggle that the arts face in generating new audiences. With excerpts from a variety of studies, publications, others in the field, and projects, he establishes a context in which to place non-profit social media. “If blogs are an alternative to print media, podcasts are the alternative to radio and television.”
Van Bree not only discusses the various forms that social media can take, his guide is part history lesson, part handbook, and completely engaging. He examines all of the major American players, from Facebook to Flickr, and suggests others that might be of use on an international platform. Van Bree also illustrates their use with true anecdotes that are at times cautionary, encouraging, amusing, and most of all show what is possible by NPO arts organizations using social media.
If you are new to social media, you may want a very basic, “Step One: Do This” approach–but I strongly recommend you take the time to read van Bree’s guide. He does not neglect to explain the principles and common practices that users of the social media tools follow, and even discusses how you can measure the results of your efforts.
This guide has it all, is a pleasure to read, and paints a broader picture of what it is, exactly, that NPOs may accomplish with social media.
Topics: Art Meets Tech, Marketing, Philosophizing, Product & Service Info | 4 Comments »
August 6th, 2009 at 9:20 am
I just read the E-book last night and I really enjoyed it. Thanks for making it known to me. A lot of it was info I already was aware, i.e., the explanations of the different sites, etc. However, the sections containing the statistics I found particularly interesting.
August 9th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
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August 11th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Thank you very much for such a glowing review! I would love to elaborate on some sections, get more case studies in there and give more information on strategic planning. Hope to find time to do this all.
I’m currently working on another, closely related, project that I think could help the conversation about social media and orchestras further along. But again, finding time is the issue.
But that’s why it was such a pleasure to read your review. Seems like my effort is appreciated!
September 9th, 2009 at 12:18 am
[...] In The Arts blogs of The Center for Arts Management and Technology at Carnegie Mellon. Find the post here. Zack Hayhurst reviewed the e-book in two parts on his blog Artistic Discourse. Find the posts here [...]