Brainstorming part 2

Touched, moved and inspired.  

I am going to pepper those works throughout the presentation at our Board Development event.

Like a refrain.   Touched, moved and inspired.

It's funny but as an artist, you kinda feel like you have a corner on being in a career that touches, moves and inspires others.

But if we want to be thought of as the New Paradigm, we need to open our minds and recognize that any career, pursued with a relentless passion, is done so because they feel that they too are Touching, Moving and Inspiring others.

That might be moving others to make money, or to invest in property, or to cure illnesses, or to win lawsuits, or to market products...you name it. You know they feel this way because you can see that they want to live their lives so greatly that they would rather move with it and "fail" than succeed in another realm.   But my point, on Sunday next week, will be that everyone in that room was selected to attend because we artists recognize a sympatico with them.  We share a mental connection or bond with them knowing that we all want to Touch, Move and Inspire others.

If, after we educate them about who we are and what we have done and are doing, they feel that synergy line up and see a way to continue, no, compound their TOUCHING, MOVING AND INSPIRING in partnership with NPT, then we will ask them to be on our board.  To add to those already on our board who buy into this mission.

Theatres should no longer be content with only artistic growth.  Thinking that we have the market corned on this limits not only us, but others who really want to make a difference, but just didn't happen to pursue the arts.   It's up to us to make that connection for them.  While we improve our board, we also improve their lives and the lives of the community.

It takes a village to raise a child, so I have heard.  Maybe it also takes a child...or one person, to raise a village or community.  Maybe it starts from individuals, partnering together for the good of the whole that turns a whole village into something powerful and civically-minded.

The internet seems to have made everything huge. But it's really made it smaller. More micro.  More niche marketing. It's so niche that you can't sling a net anymore to catch audience members, donors or board members.  You have to weed out those folks, profile the ones that seem to line up with what you want to accomplish, and then you can move forward powerfully. Yes, it takes longer.  New paradigm.

And when you weed out, you aren't leaving anyone behind that wasn't on board to begin with.  The "new" has to be ingested, not just spoken about or desired.  The "new" has to resonate pretty quickly because "convincing" is tiring.  But when that lightbulb goes off, and I have seen it happen, it is like fireworks on the 4th.

To attract the perfect board member or donor the "application" has to include:  "How willing are you to Touch, Move and Inspire" others to action in your community? And are you willing to partner your efforts with an arts group that believes they are so much more than just a "theatre".