Hey, everyone! My name is Shori, and I’m currently a member of TAC, ArtsConnection’s Teen Advisory Council. Before joining TAC I had been involved with ArtsConnection through the Student Art Program (SAP) and Teen Reviewers and Critics (TRaC), where I’ve made many friends and had many opportunities to grow as an artist. Today, I’ll be filling you in on all of TAC’s exciting recent doings and future plans!

Recently, TAC has been very busy. We kicked off our season of ArtsConnection Teen Programs by learning networking skills and practicing elevator pitches. We have had opportunities to practice these skills when we worked at events like Teens Take the MET, Pizza and a Movie Night, and the Open House we held on January 16th, where over 50 teens came to learn more about our programs and participate in fun activities. As each member of TAC took responsibility for a different aspect of each event we coordinated and facilitated, we learned the best strategies for running a successful event. At our Open House, I was able to make connections with many teens interested in ArtsConnection, and tell them about my fun experiences with our programs.

Wanting to expand on our skills and bring new ideas and strategies back to ArtsConnection, earlier last month TAC took a trip to Spotco, an entertainment marketing and branding agency for amazing Broadway shows such as Hamilton and Kinky Boots. There, we learned about the careers and daily lives of professionals working in marketing for Broadway shows. We saw a presentation on how extensive Broadway marketing really is and learned about the unique outreach strategies used by agencies promoting on-stage acts as opposed to TV shows or movies. After the presentation finished, we were able to ask questions and have a full dialogue with the staff at Spotco about what it’s like to work in marketing, and how they efficiently run their business. We also had the opportunity to learn about the artistic aspect of their profession, getting to see posters they had pitched for shows, and how their larger advertisements were created. We gained insights on budgeting strategies and effective advertising by audience. The TAC teens not only walked away with a better grasp on outreach, but also Spotco’s iconic dog hats.

TAC is already busy putting our newly acquired knowledge to use with the plethora of events we are planning for the new semester. In addition to ArtsConnection’s staple events and programs like Pizza and a Movie Night, Art2Art: Dear Evan Hansen, and TRaC, make sure to look out for other ArtsConnection events announced through email and the TAC Instagram account!