The Shark Awards’ Post

and yes, #streaming is part of the conversation! #streamingbroadway #broadwaystreaming #broadwayhd #streamingtheater

It's tempting to ask, "Why aren't audiences coming back?" But the real question is, "Are we listening to them?" We're clearly at a crossroads. The arts aren't just struggling; they are on the brink of collapse particularly in the areas of new and developing work. And with this comes a need to truly understand what our community is yearning for. A loneliness epidemic is sweeping through our city, a challenge we didn't expect post-lockdown. Sharon Avery from the Toronto Foundation puts it bluntly: “We thought things would improve post-lockdown, but it's only gotten worse.” This isn't just about filling seats; it's about filling a void in our collective spirit. What's needed now? A shift in focus. A shift in priority of funding. Gideon Arthurs of Soulpepper Theatre Company hits the nail on the head: it's about fostering human connections. We're here to bring people together, to create a sense of belonging. So, what do you think? How can we, as a community, reinvent the arts to meet these deep-seated needs? Let's talk about it - send me a message or post your thoughts in the comments. #TorontoArts #HearOurCommunity #ArtAsConnection #ArtsCrisis #lonliness #lonlinessepidemic

The question that keeps Artistic Directors up at night? Yes, the box office reports. Yes, the fundraising target. Yes, staff wellbeing. But you might be surprised to hear that the question that’s been keeping our Secret Artistic Director up at night recently is: Am I too mainstream? And so it should. Because it’s a great question. As Artistic Directors, one of the many things we need to keep in balance is creative risk with broad appeal. So we should be soul-searching at six in the morning* asking ourselves: Are we here to push the boundaries of artistic expression or are we here to entertain and enrich people's lives? The answer of course, has to be both. But good Artistic Directors, the best ones in my view, never stop asking. #theatre #artisticdirectors

Rant incoming for a Monday morning… I went to a murder mystery event on Friday, and I came away feeling rather disheartened. The disappointment didn't stem from the actors, the storyline, the production value or even the food. But rather from the behaviour of certain attendees who seemed to relish in heckling and disrespecting the performers. It's moments like these that highlight the importance of fostering a community of theatre lovers who understand and appreciate the boundaries between IMMERSION and INVASION. While the adage 'the more, the merrier' rings true for many events… Its undeniable, the impact a disrespectful audience can have on the overall experience and lasting impressions of a show or production. Theatre is indeed for everyone, but I believe there should be an asterisk attached to that statement. Theatre IS and will always be for everyone. But that inclusion shouldn’t extend to bold faced disrespect or abuse of performers. These people are at work at the end of the day. They may be performers, but they’re not performing monkeys and they certainly shouldn’t be grabbed, groped or interrupted. I get it- no two audiences will ever be the same. But this experience was a reminder that sometimes a production is only ever as good as it’s audience. That’s why I think a network of theatre enthusiasts is such a gift. A good audience can not only enhance the immersive experience of a production for all- but also contribute to the vitality of the theatre industry as a whole. Will this be my last murder mystery? Probably not. But I can’t guarantee the same for the other audience members who were notably as disappointed with the antics as I was 😕 #Theatre #Liveevents #Advertising #Entertainment

Why is microaggressions training so important? - It's so important that people know what a microaggression is, so they can avoid delivering one unintentionally, and so that you can recognise one when it is delivered to you or someone else. - In the moment of being dealt a microaggression, it can be difficult to know how to respond. This is why we are running our Understanding Microaggressions workshop on 26th June from 10.30am - 12pm. For more info, please visit our website https://buff.ly/4d05eFI #equitydiversityinclusion #arts #artsandculture #leadership #inclusionleadership #inclusionmatters #theatre #dance #music #diversity #hr #training #education #onlinetraining #learning #inclusion #equity #development

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” Video six in a series of 12 is a simple reminder to plan. In my experience, taking the time to carefully plan is consistently overlooked in many functions in the performing arts sector. Interestingly, the way in which the industry plans for a performance from a technical production perspective is (mostly) meticulous. However, a lot of functions around the production can seem reactive. Accessibility as a reaction is not acceptable. Yes, being flexible in the moment is important, but great flexibility takes great planning. Bringing Access into a more centralised planning process has been rewarding. It has moved the work into a more conscious and therefore consistent workflow. The 2024-2025 season is already vastly improved because we are more prepared rather than just reacting. 2025-2026 season will improve again. I have said previously that action is needed, but it cannot always be so reactive. The results of meticulously planned ‘Access action’ will always reap more rewards for all involved. #AlwaysOnAccess #Accessibility #Theatre #Planning #ArtKind #Inclusion Video ID. Paul facing the camera in a dark blue hoodie, sat on a grey sofa. The words “#6 Time to Plan” are visable in the top left of the frame. Captions are displayed throughout.

#CultureMakes 🧑🤝🧑 Society Our Albion Series is an exploration of England and our society in all its complexities. Through this exploration, we’ve journeyed across the country with our ‘Speech! Speech!’ and ‘Speak Out!’ projects, teaching people how to write persuasive speeches and giving them the confidence to speak out and be heard. Throughout our workshops, we’ve seen participants… 📣 Increase Their Confidence 67% of participants reported gaining more confidence in their public speaking and writing skills. 🤩 Gain a Positive Impact on How They Feel Participants described the workshops as “enjoyable,” “friendly,” “positive,” and “enlightening,” while also expressing that they “learned a lot.” 💼 Develop New Skills In addition to improving their writing and public speaking, participants noted that our workshops enhanced their articulation, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities. ⚡ Acquire Skills to Help Their Future Many participants felt that the workshop would positively affect their future activities, making them more confident and active in public speaking and political engagement. 📰 Become More Politically Engaged After the workshop, participants felt more enthusiastic and assured about engaging in political activities. We’re extremely proud of the impact these projects have had. Listen to more of our participants' speeches and the impact the project had on them on our YouTube 📺 https://lnkd.in/ey5BUGZd #Culture #Theatre #TheatreCulture #CulturalImpact #SocietyImpact

Are we living in the age of risk aversion? New research from The Wallace Foundation highlights how so-called "conversion" strategies generally fail. These are where fine arts organizations program a special series, perhaps a collaboration between an up-and-coming chef and an orchestra, for the purpose of attracting new (younger!) audiences. The aspiration is that these younger attendees will cross over to "regular" programming... and there is simply no evidence that such a thing happens at scale. According to the Pew Research Center, attitudes toward cohabitation (as opposed to marriage, or prior to marriage) have shifted dramatically over just a few generations. For well over half of "cohabiters" the major sticking point is tied to money. Living together has clear financial benefits, but we know that a legal marriage can actually undercut a couple's financial capacity, especially if their earnings are low enough that they qualify for public assistance. (https://lnkd.in/eUiN2i_d, https://lnkd.in/egsGCYCA) Last, the public sector workforce has nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, but Governing's latest newsletter highlights how uneven the return has been. See: “In school districts, we hear a lot about how a school might have all their teaching positions filled but have no substitutes,” says Sara Hinkley, program director of an education center at the University of California, Berkeley.  So, the full-time roles are attractive, but the precarious substitute jobs are plainly not. How do we grapple with an increasingly risk-averse adult workforce? Can we do anything to make social and economic risks less off-putting?

Meet the founders of Asian Persuasion vzw!

One quick way to be more inclusive in your organisation is to remove acronyms as far as possible. Acronyms are a code. You can only gain full access to the information if you know the code. In education one common challenge is understanding NFA. What does this mean? No further action or no fixed abode. One needs serious and immediate attention, one doesn't. Every organisation will have acronyms and they work well to shorten documents and keep conversations moving. The problem with them is that: - They can be misunderstood - They are often unique to that organisation and so not experienced anywhere else - They can rely on someone telling you what they mean - The above can then put the onus on a new or inexperienced person having to ask questions which might make them feel stupid or inept- not a good outcome. If we want to use acronyms, we recommend we always explain what the acronym means, or that we challenge people to explain (especially if we are experienced, it helps those who aren't). Try to do this automatically, and that will help people to be included in the organisation and in the work you are doing. #equitydiversityinclusion #arts #artsandculture #leadership #inclusionleadership #inclusionmatters #theatre #dance #music #diversity #hr #training #education #onlinetraining #learning #inclusion #equity #development