Wyoming Arts Council

LaPlaca Cohen asks: What do food trucks have to do with the future of arts marketing?

Featured News | October 10, 2014

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We came across this fascinating Oct. 8 ARTSblog post on the American for the Arts web site. It has a lot to say about the evolution of the term “culture” and the dynamics of the changing audience for the arts:

Over the past few weeks, a new face has been popping up at street fairs and food festivals across the country: an Amazon “food truck,” doling out Kindle Fires alongside neighboring trucks’ hot dogs, hamburgers, and artisanal cupcakes.

Amazon isn’t angling to be a contestant on “The Great Food Truck Race,” though. Rather, it is making an effort to fulfill the needs and desires of today’s changing consumer. Amazon understands that today, technology is as much a part of the fabric of everyday life as eating and drinking, and it is addressing this shift head-on.

What does this have to do with the future of arts marketing?

People aren’t only blurring the boundaries between mobile devices and mac and cheese.

These open-minded audiences are also redefining what does and does not constitute “culture,” from visiting parks to looking at street art to—you guessed it—visiting food festivals. For these audiences, who don’t think twice about purchasing an e-reader alongside their lunch, watching TV or listening to the radio can be just as “cultural” as going to a museum or seeing a show.

This shift in the traditional definition of “culture” marks a key moment of opportunity to think outside-the-box, move beyond the borders of traditional disciplines, and experiment with fresh, innovative ways to engage audiences. Arts organizations can learn from Amazon’s foray beyond its usual model, making sure that all efforts are rooted in an understanding of today’s open-minded, hyper-connected audiences—for whom boundaries are rapidly disappearing.

Read the rest here. Also go to LaPlaca Cohen or see its Culture Track project.

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