PROGRAM
CANADIAN ARTS MARKETING, DEVELOPMENT & TICKETING CONFERENCE, TORONTO
06.24.25 - 06.25.25
PLENARIES & KEYNOTES
Politics, Funding and Technology: A Roadmap Through Epochal ChangeChange is a given. Systemic collapse is change on a whole different level. The systems, structures and institutions that have supported the making and consumption of culture and that we have all depended on for generations are undergoing historic attack and wrenching transformation. The Trump government's menacing threats to Canada call for consideration of emphatic cultural response to America. The digital revolution of 20 years ago taught us that those who insist on fighting the battles of the past get crushed in the maw of new technologies driving new systems and rules that we all ultimately have to play by.How do we survive and adapt to precarious political turmoil, collapse of funding infrastructure, and rising costs that are making sustainability ever more difficult? Artificial intelligence, potentially a game-changer for how arts institutions are run, how art is made, and how we connect with audiences, is certainly part of the answer. This session will give an overview of where technology (particularly AI) is right now from artistic, business, and policy perspectives. We’ll look at how you can capitalize on a technology landscape that is rapidly evolving from platform-based social media into something quite new. And we’ll outline strategies for determining how technologies like AI can work best for your organization. |
Douglas McLennan
Editor ArtsJournal
BREAKOUTS AND PANELS
The Board's Role in FundraisingIt’s human nature to dislike asking for money so it’s not surprising most individuals aren’t comfortable fundraisers! One of the responsibilities of board members is the fiscal health of the organization. Even if they’ve got enough money to hire a fundraiser, believing they can “just delegate that nasty task” is naive, and sets everyone up for failure.Effective fund development is a team effort that relies on a charity’s board of directors serving as a link to the broader community. Unfortunately, we have done a very poor job of championing our board ambassadors and providing the necessary training and tools for their success. Only 5% of the fund development process requires asking for a gift. This workshop will help you understand the variety of roles board members can play. We’ll also examine how recruitment strategies and orientation make or break this team effort. Join governance and fundraising veteran Cynthia Armour (CFRE) for a lively presentation and conversation that will strengthen communication, expectations and results. |
Cynthia J. Armour, CFRE
Principal Strategist Elderstone Resource Development
Building Bonds Through Strategic Donor RelationsThe costliest part of fund development is acquiring a donor…so it makes sense to foster investor relationships! Sadly, too often this ongoing pursuit is overlooked, particularly when staff and volunteers don’t realize the ramifications.With nearly four decades working with nonprofit leaders across Canada, Cynthia (CFRE since 1995) will relay best practices in Donor Relations and encourage participants to share success stories and lessons learned. Join us for a whirlwind session that will provide practical tools to strengthen the bond with your donors. |
Cynthia J. Armour, CFRE
Principal Strategist Elderstone Resource Development
Digital Presence 101 & 102: Make Your Event Data Work For YouAs an event organizer, you spend a lot of time entering event information on your website and on events listings. But is this information fully optimized for discovery via search engines? Can it be reused across digital platforms? In the age of AI, could a machine “recommend” your events to arts-goers? In this session, you will learn how structured data, entity SEO and other discoverability tools can boost your digital presence. You will also learn how sector-owned infrastructures such as the Artsdata knowledge graph may have already lent your organization a helping hand. By putting a few key recommendations into practice, you can harness the power of these technologies to reach new audiences! While this session builds upon previous “digital presence” sessions delivered by CAPACOA, there will be useful advice both for participants who are brand new to the topic and those with more advanced digital literacy. Because this session will include some "hands-on" activities, it is recommended to bring a laptop. |
Dessa Hayes
Digital Transformation Agent CAPACOA
Evolve Your Emails: High-Performing Campaigns for Overloaded InboxesHave your email campaigns plateaued? Not getting the opens and clicks you once did? Are your messages buried in busy inboxes? Get actionable email tips from Amy Karlin, Digital Marketing Strategist at the National Arts Centre. Part of the NAC team since 2016, Amy has long worked with its robust and engaged email community. But recent technology shifts within the organization meant it was time to evolve and refocus: Amy guided the NAC through procurement and implementation of a new email platform, and a refreshed approach to email design and content. These efforts contributed to a 35% jump email list growth year-over-year and a 50% open rate, the highest global email KPIs the NAC has ever attained. In this session Amy will share actionable tips for high-performing email campaigns, including:
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Amy Karlin
Digital Marketing Strategist National Arts Centre
Engaging Indigenous AudiencesExplore the nuances of marketing the arts to Indigenous communities and promoting Indigenous content. This panel delves into the importance of fostering trust, creating meaningful connections, and understanding cultural contexts to genuinely engage Indigenous audiences. What does it mean to cultivate community-driven marketing approaches that welcome and honor Indigenous perspectives, ensuring inclusive and authentic engagement in your spaces. |
Cultural Advocate, Indigenous Theatre National Arts Centre
Beyond the Scroll: Use Boosted Posts, Dark Social, and Paid Sponsorships for Exponential AdvantageAs you know, in today’s digital landscape, social media is a compelling tool for event promotion—but it’s not without its challenges and pitfalls. Join BroadwayWorld's Regional Sales Director Alex Freeman to explore how you can exponentially leverage your social media audience and those of your partners through boosted posts, dark social, and paid sponsorships. Discover strategies to maximize your campaigns’ impact and at the same time mitigate the risks of over-relying on social media and your own efforts. Learn to balance short-term gains with long-term opportunities to promote winning events in the ever-changing online environment. |
Alex Freeman
Regional Sales Director BroadwayWorld
Behind the Buy: Secrets to Creating Superfans of Your Arts OrganizationBefore your audience clicks “Order Tickets,” their decision is already being shaped. The words, images, and experiences they encounter before, during, and after the show make the difference between never coming back and becoming enthusiastic advocates.In this session, we’ll explore why people buy and how you can use that intel to grow your audience and build deeper bonds with them. You’ll learn:
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Nicole Wetzell
Chief Strategist NEW Marketing Solutions
The Major Gifts Machine: Building the Business Processes for Your Major Gifts PipelineStaying on course with major gifts is mission critical for every not-for-profit. To be effective, you need ways to keep your team focused, capture important donor interactions, and develop and deliver meaningful cultivation and stewardship. How well you build and maintain your ‘machine’ is the difference between consistent success overtime, or constantly being set back by staff turnover, missed opportunities, and unfocussed ‘over cultivation’. In this session you will learn about the building blocks of a major gift pipeline and using your CRM tools and team best practices to manage your most important funder relationships. Keeping it simple and consistent is key! |
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Peter Hussell
Co-Founder F+H Partners
Reclaiming the Spotlight: Take Back Control of Your Digital PresenceFor years, social media has been the go-to tool for arts groups to connect with audiences, but with shifting algorithms, declining organic reach, and platform restrictions it’s time to rethink the strategy. This session explores how organizations can take back control of their messaging and brand by focusing on owned platforms like email marketing, websites, and direct audience engagement. We’ll also dive into the power of video and how to use it effectively on your website and in email marketing to create deeper audience connections, sell more tickets, and keep your productions top of mind. Learn how to repurpose show trailers, behind-the-scenes footage, and cast interviews into high-impact content that drives engagement on your terms. By the end of this session, you’ll have actionable strategies to reclaim your theatre’s digital presence and make video work for you, without being at the mercy of social media algorithms. |
Jason Clark
Senior Sales and Marketing Specialist rTraction Canada
Increasing Revenue While Lowering Costs
Attracting Younger Audiences
Google Analytics
Strategies To Boost Advance Sales
Optimal Pricing
Digital And Traditional Marketing Mix
Social Media As Audience-Building Tool
And More!
Our Sponsors
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Dream Warrior Group provides graceful yet technologically savvy solutions for Arts organizations. The goal-driven services focus on audience and action. As your technology advocate, we will be your ally and can manage and fully implement your online presence. Our services (à la carte or contracted) include: Web site design and development, e-marketing, e-promotion, social media management and optimization. We implement your message in a digital environment.
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InstantEncore powers over one million patron experiences every year. helps arts and culture organizations thrive. Our two innovative mobile services – Appscension and InsideGuide - breakdown barriers to attendance, increase convenience for patrons, and drive ROI for you.
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BroadwayWorld is the largest theatre site on the internet, covering Broadway, the West End and beyond to 100 US cities, 45 countries and in 12 languages worldwide. With over six million monthly visitors, BroadwayWorld delivers complete up-to-the-minute Broadway, off-Broadway, and regional theatre news, in-depth interviews, extraordinary photo coverage, entertaining video features, lively message boards, ticket discounts, reviews, and more.
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We offer comprehensive not-for-profit development and planning services, focused on the specialized needs of arts and culture clients. Having served cultural institutions of all sizes as both advancement professionals and consultants, we are ready to work with you to strengthen your fundraising and deepen your organization’s impact.Your unique situation requires a tailored plan to match your needs and resources. Collaborating with F+H Partners means you work directly with us and benefit from our expertise in best practices and pragmatic solutions, developed over decades as fundraising and not-for-profit professionals. Our commitment to bringing fresh eyes to each situation and offering informed perspectives and solutions has contributed to millions of dollars raised for our partner organizations.We are committed to highly personalized approaches. We carefully consider your size, needs, and objectives to maximize impact. Beyond achieving metrics, our focus is on building organizational capacity, ensuring that you internalize the tools and processes to remain strong over the long term. To achieve this we actively work with you in translating robust plans into ongoing success.More Info -
Spektrix is a complete solution for ticketing, marketing, fundraising, and CRM, designed specifically for the performing arts. With world-class technology and support, Spektrix helps 650+ organizations across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. grow their revenue and deepen patron relationships. Powerful, intuitive software, at-a-glance insights, frequent and seamless upgrades, training, support, and strategic consultation with experienced professionals come at no additional cost - making Spektrix the fastest-growing solution for arts organizations today.
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CourseStorm is an easy-to-use class registration and marketing platform perfect for arts & culture education programs and kids camps. Our cloud-based system offers a single platform to manage individual and group course registration, payment processing, rosters, waitlists, attendance tracking, customizable registration forms, class communication, and more. Learn more atMore Info -
Arts organizations that put their audience in the spotlight will fill their houses. We work with you to make sense of the chaos and create a plan that gets your audience excited for your next show.
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Count on us to be your steady partner on anything from strategic guidance to tackling Tessitura or executing a campaign — all while helping you find ways to be relatable to your audience members. You also won't be left figuring out how to implement a lofty plan. We can execute it for you so you can focus on your endless to-do list. Or help you prioritize and get efficient execution systems in place that work for you and your team. Get to know us better at one of our Executive Roundtable Discussions. Learn more and RSVP at NEW-MarketingSolutions.com/events. -
EleeHub was founded in 2021 to address a critical gap in the nonprofit marketing domain. It became evident that most nonprofits could be categorized into three groups: those unaware of the Google Ad Grant, those who had attempted to utilize it but were deterred by its complexity, and those engaged with costly consultants yielding minimal or expensive outcomes. EleeHub emerged as a beacon for small to mid-sized nonprofits seeking an efficient, cost-effective, and impactful marketing strategy.
As a certified Google Partner, EleeHub champions the belief that all nonprofits should fully utilize the Google Ad Grant, with professional assistance, to optimize their outcomes. The EleeHub team brings together over thirty years of collective expertise in nonprofit marketing and Google Ads, positioning itself as a leading force in the sector. https://www.eleehub.com/
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Elevent is the multi-event ticketing & membership platform made to modernize all things ticketing for professionalized venues, festivals, and seasonal event organizers. White-label by design, high-scale, omnichannel, and holistically blended with a real CRM, Elevent digitally transforms your event organization into what you envision. https://readyset.goelevent.com/
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Schedule
Opening Plenary (Program starts at 8:45 a.m.)
Keynote
Breakouts
Lunch on Your Own
Breakouts
Opening Reception with one-on-ones
June 25, 2025:
Breakouts
Networking Reception with one-on-ones
Lunch with the Experts
Closing Plenary
Conference ends at 3:45 p.m.
Program and speakers subject to change.
Among other benefits, Arts Reach Members receive significant discounts on conference registration. Join NOW!
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