Whether You Need Funding, Promotion or Space, These 4 Steps Will Help You Advocate for Your Art
You already believe in your work as a dancer. But how can you make others see that it’s worth supporting? Courtney Harge, associate director of inbound marketing for Fractured Atlas, outlines the essentials of advocating for your work.
Be specific with your needs
According to Harge, understanding what resources you need to enhance your work or platform can be the hardest part. Is it funding, promotion, rehearsal space or a partnership? “Be really clear,” she says.
Recognize your skills
Discussions around advocacy often come down to money, and when dancers think they don’t have enough, they feel like they’re entering the conversation at a deficit. Remember that your work, whether it be as a performer, choreographer or administrator, is filling a need. “At the very least, assume an equitable presence at the table,” Harge says.
Be honest about your goals
“It is much harder to sell someone else’s idea of what your art should be than it is to sell your genuine idea,” Harge says. “If you have to repeat the same argument all day, every day, it better be an argument you believe.”
When you get a no
There’s always a risk that you’ll get rejected. But it’s okay to continue the conversation by politely asking why. “If they know that you respect them enough to accept their no,” says Harge, “they are more likely to continue the conversation later to find a yes.”
