The NonProfit Arts Boardroom Conversation About Marketing That Can Be Adjusted
- Tanesha Ford
- Mar 15
- 3 min read
In part 2 of our 14-part series called "Small Org. Big Alignment," we go into the boardroom.
I’ve spent a lot of time in boardrooms.
Some of those seats were on the staff side of the table. Some were as a board member myself. And in almost every case, the same moment eventually arrived.
Someone would ask a question that sounded perfectly reasonable on the surface.
“How many followers do we have now?” or “Did the post perform well?”
And the staff member responsible for marketing would start explaining numbers that, if we’re honest, rarely tell the real story of how an arts organization is actually doing.
Now let me say something clearly before we go any further: Most boards are not trying to be difficult. In fact, the opposite is usually true.
Smaller nonprofit arts boards are often filled with people who care deeply about the organization’s mission, vision, and values. They show up. They volunteer their time. They advocate for the work.
The tension usually isn’t about commitment.
It’s about translation.
The Opportunities for KPI Alignment
Many board members come from corporate environments where success is measured through very specific indicators like sales pipelines and quarterly growth.
Those metrics make sense in the contexts where they were built.
But when those same frameworks get dropped directly into the ecosystem of a small arts organization, things start to feel…off.
Especially if that organization:
Doesn’t own a building
Performs in rotating venues
Has a small staff juggling five roles each
Is balancing artistic mission with financial survival
A touring theatre company doesn’t operate like a regional retail chain, nor does a chamber ensemble operate like a SaaS startup.
Yet the questions that get asked in boardrooms are often framed and even assumed as if they do.
And when that happens, marketing gets reduced to something decorative.
“Make the posts.”
“Send the emails.”
"Promote the show.”
As if marketing’s primary role is simply making the organization visible.
Marketing Is Strategy - Always
Here’s the part I wish more boards understood: Marketing is one of the clearest windows into the health of your organization’s relationship with its community.
Not just who bought a ticket, but:
Who even knows you exist?
Who understands what your work stands for?
Who feels invited into the experience?
Who feels like the organization belongs to them?
If the community relationship isn’t strong, no number of clever campaigns will fix the deeper problem.
Yes, the marketing team announces programs, AND they’re interpreting the organization’s purpose in public.
That work takes time, thought, and considered listening.
Often, it takes patience that doesn’t always show up cleanly in a monthly dashboard.
The “Yes, And” Approach
I love a good Yes, And. This is where I think staff and boards can meet each other halfway. Through deep listening and thoughtful translation.
When a board member asks about social media numbers, the most productive response often isn’t shutting the question down.
It’s expanding it.
"Yes, we can talk about the numbers. And we should also talk about what those numbers actually represent."
"Yes, we can track attendance growth. And we should also discuss audience loyalty, community partnerships, and artistic reputation. "
Healthy board relationships happen because everyone already understands each other’s work and stays curious long enough to learn.
The Education Gap Is Real
There’s another piece of this tension that I think is helpful to talk about more openly.
Board members are usually experts.
Just not in nonprofit arts operations.
A board might include:
Lawyers
Corporate executives
Entrepreneurs
Finance professionals
Educators
These are people who are used to being extremely competent in their professional environments.
But running a nonprofit arts organization is its own ecosystem. Revenue streams, audiences, and the pace of growth all behave differently.
So when someone asks, “Why aren’t we doubling ticket sales?” it’s rarely coming from disrespect. It’s usually coming from misinformation or unfamiliarity.
A Quiet Truth About Small Arts Organizations
Here’s something I’ve learned after nearly fifteen years in this field.
Small arts organizations survive because of relationships.
Relationships with:
Audiences.
Artists.
Communities.
The people sitting around the board table.
When boards begin to see marketing that way, the conversation shifts. We move beyond campaign performance and into alignment, where we can measure whether our story is clear, intentional, and connecting where it matters most.
Those insights won’t fit neatly into a spreadsheet.
But they determine whether the work lasts.
And that’s the real job.
Comments