American Express Aids Arts Groups

American Express has awarded a $1.5-million grant to the Arts & Business Council, a national group that supports the arts, to help small and mid-sized theaters, dance troupes, and other arts organizations improve their marketing.

“Many in the arts are suspicious of marketing, viewing it as a necessary evil,” says Gary P. Steuer, president of the Arts & Business Council. “This project will fill a serious gap in the education of arts professionals.”

Over the next three years, an Arts & Business Council affiliate in each of eight cities will run from four to six workshops per year to teach small or start-up arts groups the basics of marketing.

Arts organizations in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, New York, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco can pay a small fee to attend the workshops.

In addition, the Arts & Business Council affiliate in Chicago will sponsor an advanced training session in 1999 for mid-sized arts groups to help them develop sophisticated marketing plans. Four arts organizations in each of the eight cities will be chosen to send two of their senior administrators to the session. Each chosen organization will also be eligible for a grant of up to $25,000 to carry out its plan.

For more information, contact Jodi White, Arts & Business Council, 121 West 27th Street, Suite 702, New York 10001-6207; (212) 727-7146, ext. 30; World-Wide Web http://www.artsandbusiness.org.