By Jessie Raynor, Akron Area Arts Alliance Director

The Akron Area Arts Alliance (AAAA), a collaborative arts and culture advocacy group representing 49 organizations and 70 artists and supporters, hosted a recent panel discussion on what motivates young people to become involved with the arts as participants and audience members.  Guest speakers included arts administrators Lisa Knapp and Bridget Mundy, professional dancer Stephanie Krise and Akron Youth Symphony conductor Levi Hammer.  All are ages 30 and under.

Some of the insights they shared were:

• As young artists, they have trouble with people recognizing that what they do is a legitimate profession.  For example Krise, who dances with Verb Ballet, said she is constantly asked when she is getting a “real” job.  People view art as a hobby, not a career.
• Kris, Hammer and Mundy were exposed to the arts at very young ages by their parents and later in their schools.  They attribute this early participation for their passion and careers in the arts.
• They feel that people in their age group actually fear art experiences.  Their peers often don’t understand enough about the arts to feel comfortable attending events.  They often feel out of place and are self-conscious that they may not appear intellectual enough to enjoy the arts.  Hammer said, “Everyone loves classical music, they just don’t know it yet.” Young people don’t know how to love arts.
• Younger people expect entertainment opportunities to come to them.  They don’t seek them out.
• A recommendation from a friend via email or Facebook is the best motivator to get a young person to attend an arts event.  Websites are good for getting answers to questions about times, prices, locations and parking, but word-of-mouth is the great motivator.
• Most entertainment decisions are made at the last minute. They are based on who else is going or if someone they know is in the performance.
• There is a “coolness” factor when young people make entertainment decisions.  They want to be among other young people.
• Knapp, who is a communications director, said a printed ad is never enough.  The promotional message must tell the story of why young people should attend, i.e. explain what they will be seeing and why is it important that they see it.  She reminded the group that it takes seven promotional hits to make an impact.
• Arts presenters must remember that WE are not our audience.  Arts presenters need to think like the people they are trying to reach.
• Cost is always a determination on whether young people attend arts events.  Discount coupons can be motivators, but as artists and arts administrators, they are concerned that devaluing ticket prices can also devalue the art they produce.

AAAA presents four meetings per year on topics relevant to the creative industries.  Its mission is to promote the value of a strong, diverse and vibrant arts and culture community to Greater Akron.  The group is celebrating its 20^th anniversary this year.

With a generous capital grant from the Knight Foundation, AAAA is currently renovating the second floor of Summit Artspace, a growing downtown Akron art center, to develop a collaborative office center and conference suite for arts organizations and a performance/rehearsal space.