In my work seduced me people to at get in touch with art. And then at the special with art with a big K. The art those often as 'difficult' or, at a attempt to from the negative image off to come, as 'vulnerable' is traded. Liberal politicians would maybe say art those 'not normal does'. The is the type of art that her must fight for existence, art those in addition – often to exactly those reason – difficult accessible. Because she no frame of reference, but that precisely for discussion.
Because this art is something late see what er formerly yet not was. Something strange, unfamiliar or uncomfortable.
Me hold from that kind of art.
Me hold from that kind of art, because they me touches. Dear this touch is my world just slightly larger. That latest is right now, at times of fragmentation and the life at bubbles, paramount importance. Otherwise forgotten we perhaps that er yet other opinions, perspectives and possibilities then those our through our uniform circle of acquaintances and reach personalised media, with as consequence that the other increasingly strange and the term for each other becomes increasingly difficult.
So: a hurrah for the art those our knowledge late make with the unknown.
But yes. Me have a problem: art with a large K sell anno now is as fighting windmills. In the seconds of attention those me with a advertisement, a poster or a video knows conquer, must me not only inform and enthusing – me must also indicate. Explaining. An ever-growing part from the intended public namely yet never heard of my product. The has also no only reference framework and actually no idea where me the about have. How is that coming?
That comes, so is my impression, because the overall development at Netherlands deteriorates.
Who has er today the hello yet a great knowledge of general matters, of business where writers, speakers, artists at their work to reference? Die group is ever smaller because we this knowledge hardly anymore needed have. In our own, personal, uniform bubble come we with what we know and know fine from the feet.
And even beyond these bubble we rarely faced with our lack to development and awareness. We be namely less and less challenged: politicians talk at soundbites, the media provided our via apps with fast digestible information. Complex background articles are, exactly, to the background disappeared. Even the journal holds the as close as possible at home from fear of low ratings and opts for human interest items at rather than foreign policy.
Bite-sized disclosures is the standard and moreover, suggests the never stopping information flow the urgency to everything at to have to keep. So scan we the whole hello By, without that er something sticks. Time for background and floor is er not. And besides: is a word or consistency not known, then can we information at a jiffy visit – to this just so soon again at forgotten. Something not know is no shame (more).
Little knowledge is apparently inherently to knowledge glut.
That everything makes my work as culture marketer of Arts with a large K increasingly difficult. Because those art always refers to something. To (the work of) a other artist, choreographer or director. To social issues or historical events. The opportunity that this reference point outside the perception of the intended public lies, no part part of their general development, is bigger and bigger.
How can me anyone for a new adaptation of Hamlet by Johan Simons interest, as those not knows that at this universal piece and therefore yet always topical issues wonderful be articulated? How can the major Johan Simons a 'selling-point' are, as his high-profile staging at the wide public have gone unnoticed? How can me someone for the Peanut Butter Floor by Wim T. Schippers enthuses, as those yet never from conceptual art has heard and the association with Wim T. Schippers at most the by the mass medium television broadcast Sesame Street is?
The calculation is simple: how wider developed the consumer, des too great the opportunity that me him range. 'Range' at the sentence that he my message at all wá perceives. Because that's how our brains work. Goethe knew the al, and scientific research has the confirmed:
"Der Fremde sieht nur, was er weiss."
Therefore call me the major cultural institutions of Netherlands on: search the not at the sandwich module to the public to your museum or your theatre, at the hope that the then also meet the less accessible offer. Thus undermining your where your for state. Find it, at the desperate attempt to public pull, also not at the flattening from your offer. No! Stand for the art those broadens our horizons and with which Netherlands international even great regard and admiration harvest. As the National Opera and Ballet, named the Dear opera house to world. Or Toneelgroep Amsterdam, worldwide celebrated and honoured. Lead your Dutch public at to this art to appreciate. But how visit your that?
Stop marketing! Invest at education!
Me call the cultural sector of Netherlands on: stop 80% from your marketing budget at cultural education. Wil your Art with a large K programming, take then not only yourself, but above all your public mission and your public serious. Gun them the experience those you (and me) so at value treasures and faith at their ability to concentrate and the want to deepen.
Widened not only their knowledge, but incentive especially also their inquisitiveness. Do a actual and sincere attempt a wide and miscellaneous public reach, and invest structural at innovative, interactive and wide deployed public programmes. Care that these programmes with the same resources, professionalism and attention be developed as the exhibition, the concert or the theatre play that your want show. To do so, work structural together with country, region, city and neighbourhood and Benefit from each other's knowledge. This is how programmes those at the living environment of the intended public are rooted, and said their public will naturally achieve.
80 per cent
In my dreamed world do cultural marketers such as me not more to marketing but only to publicity and use we the remaining 20% to our loyal public at inform. That can with a small budget – the fixed public is anyway already subscribed at the newsletter or checks the cultural programmes at newspapers and at websites. Moreover, that public not tempted to become, the makes its choices because of intrinsic interests and at basis of knowledge and previous experiences. Expensive commercials can me me so save money, me put at at free publicity.
Retrieved from the duration will this approach not only the gap between the Dutch population and the Art with a large K diminish. The offer will fit at the public, wide worn be and the raison d'être of art and culture are self-evident. Yes, the eternal discussion on the value of art will disappear. Just as the Spirit, the old Hamlet, eventually disappears at the eternity.
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