FirstWorks’, a Rhode Island based non-profit has a simple purpose: to build the cultural, educational, and economic vitality of our community by engaging audiences with world-class performing arts and education programs. Launched in 2004, FirstWorks festivals and programs have attracted more than 285,000 participants. FirstWorks has offered Rhode Islanders unprecedented access to firsts in the arts from luminaries such as Yo-Yo Ma & The Silk Road Ensemble, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Wynton Marsalis, Joffrey Ballet, and international masters from the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and Europe.
They now seek a PR agency to further their message – and help develop key messages, implement PR strategy and to cultivate media to secure placements for three headline performances plus institutional stories during the second half of FirstWorks 2016 season (January-April).
Objectives:
- Secure local, regional and national placements across print, online, radio and broadcast
- Develop messaging to build FirstWorks brand equity
- Build audience awareness to achieve ticket sales goals (new attendees; multiple ticket purchases)
- Meet or exceed strategic program and budget goals
- Leverage relationships with partners to maximize PR
Preliminary Strategy:
- Enhance PR: secure multiple placements/mentions of local, regional, national coverage for performance & institutional programs
- Secure story placements for the organization, as well as individual performances
- Build perception of FirstWorks as community builder and cultural thought leader
- Align PR as part of brand communications: Work with local, regional & national outlets to elevate FirstWorks in primary & secondary headlines in all features promoting FirstWorks artists/companies; apply design guidelines across media & platforms
Process:
- Clarify key messages and target market segments
- Design and execute multidimensional PR campaign: manage outreach and interviews, secure placements,
- In collaboration with marketing staff, structure/prioritize direct marketing program messages: enhance target audience communications
- Work with marketing staff to:
- Design metrics to evaluate ROI for each major program
- Launch, monitor, refine
They seek to hire a firm by December 16, 2015, and inquires can be directed to annette@first-works.org.