City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire BRC Arts and Nonprofits, 16 May 2022

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From YouTube: 5.16.2022 Arts & Non-Profits Committee

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5.16.2022 Arts & Non-Profits Committee

A

Okay, good afternoon, everyone I'd like to call to order the meeting of the portsmouth committee on.

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Arts and non-profits it's monday may 16th and it looks like it is currently 1205 pm and we have an.

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Agenda today that was circulated last week, um the first thing on the agenda: I'm very excited to do.

A

Which is approve the minutes of our december 20th february 14th march 21st and april 18th meeting.

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With us we have a quorum in person today, so we're going to be able to do that. So my first question.

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Is does anyone need to pull anything? I circulated. I recirculated all those minutes with the uh so.

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Everyone could refresh was there anything that anyone wanted to update or change in any of those.

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Okay, so I think we can approve them all as a group, so is there a motion to approve them.

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So all right promotion from robin is there a second segment. Second from jason, all in favor.

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All right any opposed, I can't see no opposition. We have we're all caught up now, hooray.

A

um So the next thing that we have on the agenda for today was an after study update, so uh robin.

B

And renee, okay, so last week we had our in-person meeting at the library uh to educate the different.

B

Organizations- and we don't have the exact list here, but we think there were 10 organizations.

B

There were about 15 or 16 people in the room. um I think it went really well. uh We had. We did have.

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Some questions, um surprisingly, only I think two people in the room had done it before, which was.

B

uh You know we had, maybe the only one that was courtney. Oh that's right. You were the other one.

B

So we've educated them now we're going to have since so many people apparently were not able.

B

To make it we are having a follow-up, zoom education call on 24., yeah and.

B

At nine o'clock right and so we're resending out the invitation- and uh you know we're sending out.

B

An invitation to that call, and hopefully we'll get the rest of the comments at that point and.

B

I'm sure forgotten something: it's really just that um we still have things that we have to.

B

Send them we gave them some hard copies of things. We have to send them um the qr code.

B

And then, after the 24th, we will look at the list of those who have not attended and will start.

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Reaching out individually to organizations with the help of two other people on our committee.

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And our project manager, so that's where we're headed, but people who have they'll have their.

B

Things to start now, we just have to get the qr code out really quickly, yeah, because there's.

B

People ready to use it so, just to repeat the zoom education meeting is on tuesday may 24th at 9am.

B

And it'll be it'll, just be a repeat of the same training and a slide set right.

B

What's the goal on the number of surveys we hope to have.

B

Taken, we have a minimum requirement of 800.

C

We have to get more yeah. We were reluctant to say that, because we don't want people to say. Oh.

B

Geez divided by how many I've done my portion, I'm done you know because that's gonna hurt everybody.

B

Right so uh you know we want to get as many as possible. You know I say: aim big double that number.

B

um And the importance is, though, to get started in the summer months, because this ends at the end of.

B

April next year, so this is our season when most of us get the most traffic and the most you know.

B

Attendees and since they're visitors, potentially the highest expenditures of.

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People coming to town, so this is the real sweet spot of when we want to get the service done.

B

And there's a max per event right. So what event can't do it.

B

Right, well, you know, but if let's say a park would be a good point if they had posted at a really big.

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Show qr codes and got more than 50. That's fine yeah. They have to just says we'd like you to.

C

Max 50, but if you send this more we're gonna we're gonna, that's awesome! Right now I wanna.

B

From art galleries, to productions to concerts right and they are accountable and the other.

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Thing that you know they'd like us to do this year, which of course is a challenge for.

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Us but nationwide is to ensure more diversity in our responses, and so unfortunately, in our.

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Area, we don't have a very diverse, uh you know, population or in in terms of people that live.

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Here and sometimes people would visit as well so be thinking about you know if you're having.

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Something for juneteenth, for example, you know, make sure you survey at that point. um You know.

B

Anything else that will increase your chances of getting a diverse uh audience participation.

B

I think is what they'd like us to do. They do have some guidelines. We, unfortunately don't need them.

B

um In terms of how many you know like 20 of the audience should be, you know, uh diverse.

B

Background, we just don't have that, but they said do the best we can and try to get as much.

D

Can I I just want to say: we've been doing them for the past couple weeks, because our season ends.

D

Next week- and we don't run in the summer yeah- and I was amazed how many people are happy to do it.

B

Eager to do it, a lot of people had done. I said oh same as five years ago, and uh and even new people.

B

um I used part of the pitch I used because I think this helped us get grants during covent, because.

B

We were able to prove what value we had to the economy, um but I really most people loan and groan.

B

But they didn't, we set it up, we had clipboards, and so they had, you know made it easy for them. We.

B

Didn't have the qr code yet, but um I was really surprised because in the past people have been.

B

Reluctant but um nobody said oh no, I don't want to do it. You know, I think, there's a reluctance on the.

B

Part of the people, actually, you know trying to do the survey because they don't you know they're, not.

B

Being comfortable approaching people, but I think they'll find what you find when you do approach it.

B

Particularly if you have a menu where you can make an announcement at the beginning like if it's a.

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Performance and somebody gets up in the beginning, saying you know you- we are participating in this.

B

You may be approached by somebody intermission or if you could please help us or you know or.

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At a gallery you know it's an opening, you say the beginning of the opening we'd love to get your.

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Input you know, I think that softens it a little so people don't you know somebody doesn't hand you.

B

Something like no no. I want to do that so um yeah. I feel real positive. I think we're gonna do well.

B

And you can just email us and we will come and get it so, each date not each.

B

Event, I think this is like a run-up show, so each page each date: okay, yeah, that's a big.

C

Part of the training each day, if you do it on a saturday night and the next time you do it on.

B

A friday night, that's saturday needs to click together with a cover sheet. Okay, next friday,.

A

All right excellent, any other questions, but they have to study at this point.

A

All right, thank you robin and renee. I really appreciate all the work you're doing on this.

A

um Jason, we have a marketing update, we do we do. I actually just got a copy of the first month's.

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Performance report yesterday afternoon, so I didn't have a tremendous amount of time to.

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You know really get into it, but ben. I know it's been spending some time and I did share.

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It with members of the marketing subcommittee or marketing committee, but I think ben's, probably the best position to be able to walk us through he put together.

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With darcy a kind of a high level report on the first month's metrics, my first.

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Reaction was a little underwhelmed uh with that being said, I also understand that it.

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Was to kick off to the campaign- and I think you know, there's gonna- be real focus on optimization.

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You know what did we learn in month, one and how do we apply it to subsequent months to hopefully.

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Improve the engagement numbers and basically, all the metrics that we're looking at in tracking.

A

To determine success at the end, I think you know there will be levers of switchers that we can.

A

Pull and push to hopefully see those numbers go up, but if you are able to share the report, perhaps.

A

You could walk through it and talk a little bit about action, steps with darcy next and anything.

A

They might have shared with you about what their initial thoughts are for optimizing moving forward.

C

Yeah, certainly uh russ. If you could give me permission to share my screen, I would um yeah.

A

You should have permission now got it. Thank you all right, so um walking you through uh some of the.

C

Components here, uh so everyone see that marketing report. I hope um so. This is uh prepared by darcy.

C

Creative um and the team over there, I'm just gonna, run pretty quickly through it and then there's.

C

A second report that speaks to the streaming services: that's the ads that kind of show up when.

C

You're on the hulu and other kind of streaming services out there. So we'll start here with the.

C

And then I do have some updates. That's even new information to jason um about how the.

C

Campaign's gonna be tweaked, um so here's just uh the google ad performance for april and keep in.

C

Mind in april it wasn't a full month. um There was a. There was a ramp up period um that uh that took.

C

Place so you know the campaign um you know kind of rolled out through the course of the month.

C

um Different elements came on board, so it's not. I wouldn't say it's a full month to really look at.

C

um So the google ads 238 clicks um 200 almost 300 000 impressions. um You know they seem pretty happy.

C

With these numbers um um again same similar information here, just in a different format,.

C

um Grid format, so the the display advertising um seems to get a lot of good impressions.

C

um These click-through rates are pretty standard. um I wouldn't say that I'm overwhelmed by them.

C

Or anything like that, but they're they're, pretty standard, um there's definitely room.

C

For improvement here um interesting to see, I think they were pretty pleased with the 31 000.

C

Views on the youtube um that they, they seem pretty good with that um they said: click through rates.

C

Robe, as sam mentioned, you know we're working to make some adjustments to improve those numbers.

C

uh Demographics um for the google ads just.

C

You know what people are seeing them on. It's broken out there in the different colors.

C

So mobile obviously, is the king here um and it kind of breaks it down as to how much per cost.

C

And impressions and clicks um and here's uh our our kind of gender and age demographics. You know.

C

We're kind of hitting that 25 to 65 group um seems like heavier on the male and the lower.

C

End of that age bracket and higher on the female end on the other end with that age bracket.

C

But here are some of the things for just one. Second, can you go back to that uh previous slide.

B

Yes, sir, you might not have the answer to it, but it just strikes. Me strikes me as very odd. The uh the.

B

Box is down below the fact that we would skew so heavily at the younger male and then the older and.

A

Female be interesting just to get darcy's perspective, you know obviously, criteria or the.

A

Creative, you know it's just strange yeah, those two very polar opposite audiences seem to be engaging.

C

Yeah, it's tough to say, because I don't know what these these I'm, assuming the shape. The.

C

Darker shaded boxes um is more concentration yeah, but I don't. I don't know what the.

C

The levels are that you know that could be a matter of a couple clicks here and there.

C

That um are influencing those darker shaded, um so I I can. I can ask them about that without having.

C

You know much more information there as to what will mean it's kind of hard to really state.

C

um So here are some uh some of the affinity segments, some of the kind of metrics or the.

C

Criteria they use to decide who we're going to target so obviously, arts and theater aficionados.

C

People that dine out family focus, you know movie lovers.

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Music lovers, um so those are the groups that they went uh uh after um and then some.

C

In-Market, um you know art museums, you know so that galleries, that sort of thing. So if they had you.

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Know a connection to some of our local performance venues and art museums and things like that.

C

You're more frequently going to see the ad in your feed. If you did not, then you would not.

C

Some of the ads we've seen these before so you can see some of the feedback we received in the past.

C

Was you know, including some of the names of the venues in some of the ads? So that's been included.

C

In some some fine print when, when there is space to allow for it, here's the youtube. We watched that.

C

Video um as a group a time sometimes ago, it seems like the youtube's performing pretty well for us.

C

It's also performing pretty well on the streaming side we'll get to that in a minute, um but that.

C

Seems to be doing well as well, um so here's the the web traffic and you can see um it's been a.

C

Pretty steady ramp up throughout the process with some dips here and there, uh but you know.

C

At throughout the month, there's definitely you know upward trajectory, which is great.

C

um So that's been really positive. One of the things that we talked about as a group um that.

C

Was really uh you know on there sort of as a as a measurement tool to see how many people were.

C

Coming to that site um was that form that we could have that people would have the ability to fill.

C

Out so so far, we've had about 95 entries uh into that form um um and then there's uh 95 entries.

C

The survey information attached an additional 98 submissions with only emails included, so that's.

C

People that really didn't fill out the form they just dumped their email in and moved on, which is.

C

Great that the whole pro purpose of that form is to um get people's email addresses, so we.

C

Can further market to them, so uh they seem pretty happy with the four percent rate um uh we have had.

C

The um a couple prizes go out the door. You know this is like when the night out in portsmouth kind.

C

Of language, um so we've had a couple prizes: go out the door for that um for nights out in portsmouth.

C

uh Facebook, uh so facebook um not sure why this is so grainy.

C

They there was uh some technical issues that uh they struggled with early on in facebook, so these.

C

Numbers are not quite as uh as robust as we would like. I got an email from the team at darcy just.

C

um About an hour ago and said that over the weekend um they had tremendous success.

C

um On the social media, um I made a comment to them that you know, uh given the the the criteria.

C

That they were using for targeting, um I would have been a perfect target, I'm in the right age.

C

Demographic, I liked the right things on facebook um in social media like I should have been seeing.

C

The ads- and I said I hadn't so I challenged them on that and they they made some changes.

C

And over the weekend that ad was all up in my uh feed, so whatever changes.

C

And I don't know the details: whatever changes, they made made a significant difference so as.

C

You remember, I said that we had about 93 mid 90s form submissions. um There was another hundred that.

C

Came in just over this past weekend with a like an eight percent conversion rate, so um they did have.

C

A question for us- and this can be something for the marketing group to um look at- is right now, the.

C

The landing page is getting pretty equal traffic from a within 50 mile radius and from an outside.

C

Of 50 mile radius and their their question to us is: where do they? Where do where do we want them?.

C

To put their energies uh and that 50 mile seems to be like that, their um their their their line.

C

In the sand, uh people outside of 50 miles or within 50 miles so jason, that's something that.

C

You and I in the marketing committee, can uh weigh in on and have some discussion about, and I have.

D

A question for you back on that uh slide: you're just on. Can you ask them what their geo target is.

D

For those facebook posts, like specifically what you just said, the 50 mile radius, are they.

D

Doing something very generic or are they targeting certain towns like identifying specific towns.

D

I would have to ask that I can look into that my well. Let me look into it and then a second.

D

Question would be what amount, if any, are they paying to boost those posts on on average, what.

D

What type of money are they throwing at that post to get it seen? Okay, yeah I'd have to ask. I believe.

C

I have that data somewhere, but I don't speak this language very well, so I probably didn't detain it.

B

Hey ben, it's barbara to your point about you haven't seen it just you and I are on very.

B

Different ends of that demographic spectrum, I haven't seen it either. The only place I've seen.

B

It uh would be on the header on seacoast online I've seen a number of times there and oh great.

C

Well, that's a place. I haven't seen it so there you go um so collectively we are seeing it, which is.

C

Interesting that I hadn't seen it there and you had yeah whatever what whatever was.

C

And there was some language in here: the pixel was not working properly for the start of this ad. So.

C

I think they had some issues um with it early on and uh whatever it is. It's resolved and they've.

C

Had great success over the weekend, so I think that was a late last week um you know uh update.

C

But I will I will. I will let them know that as well, and this is russ. um My understanding was that.

A

If you had in your social media that your residence was in portsmouth that you were.

A

Less likely to see that is that correct, it depends on their geo targeting um so it it. It's.

C

Not that um portsmouth is being excluded. It's just a lot. More energy was going to outside the market.

C

um Than inside so me being a you know, potentially, because I'm a durham resident.

C

I might be seeing it more um because I'm in the the drive market, where you know, if you're there.

C

The I think the assumption is that if you live in portsmouth, you have an.

C

Understanding of the arts community in portsmouth, um so it wasn't a strong focus, but that gets back.

C

To that question they asked you know: do they want us focus within the 50 miles outside the 50 miles.

C

uh And that's, you know we'll go to the marketing committee to to have that discussion.

C

So this is uh this: um some benchmarking, so our click-through rates- um you know here it is some.

C

Benchmarks by industry, our click-through rate um uh was point, eight uh point: eight zero, so.

C

It's kind of um you know middle of the pack here, if you will, you know it's similar to this auto.

C

But not quite as good as apparel and some of these others, so you know it's not it's not so far off.

C

Again, this is pretty minutia stuff here on facebook that I'm not really an expert in.

C

Just to kind of highlight some things on the streaming tv side of things, so this is.

C

A product they used through called effect tv, it's a comcast product, so it um broadcasts ads around.

C

So this seems to be doing pretty well, so you know most almost all of the videos being viewed.

C

In full people aren't hitting that skip thing, so the impressions are, are you know doing well.

C

um The hours interacting are seem to be doing well and there's a lot of great great information.

C

In here, uh let's see here so just you know kind of fun stuff. You know where what are.

C

People viewing this on and xfinity the you know, you're you're, streaming xfinity service seems.

C

To be the number one, um you know your connected tv web and then your mobile and other platforms.

C

I thought this seemed like a really good place to be spending. Our energy was on the travel channel.

C

13 of our traffic is being viewed. You know when people are viewing travel, channel content.

C

So I thought that was uh really great uh seemed like an appropriate spot, but you know you can see.

C

All the different channels and things that people are are viewing our content on, some of which I.

C

Don't even know um some of them have to tell me what the magnolia network is, but anyway.

B

Oh yeah, home improvement, oh is it there you go. Was that jason? The realtor would know, of course,.

C

So a couple other just kind of impressions here so there's two spots. um So this sort of compares.

C

uh The two spots um pretty similar results for the two spots. Nothing really, you know.

C

One is not performing, you know much higher than the other um and then- uh and this gets into the.

C

Cost per minute and cost per impression, and all that sort of stuff. um So again this so this is.

C

This does share what has been invested um so far into the streaming side of things. It seems to.

C

You know be a heavy investment but seems to be um producing some results.

C

So I'm happy to uh um hear any other questions that are out there. I'm probably unable to answer.

C

Them um but I need to take them back and get answers and and bring them back to you.

C

um Because this is some some much higher level um marketing than than you know is in my wheelhouse.

C

So, and I've got a couple uh first thing is uh the role of pr. I know we talked about its.

A

Importance in the rollout plan, and I would think that they would actually help support what we're.

B

Doing online with video, can you talk a little bit about what you know about the current pr plan and.

B

How we're doing how we're going forward with that? Basically yep yeah, so we we did hold.

C

Sessions with a lot of the different arts and culture organizations and venues.

C

With our pr agent, martha sullivan of sullivan communications, to.

C

Let her really reinforce that she knows enough about the arts and culture community to go out.

C

And pitch it to writers and bloggers and people in that world, we have had some some great.

C

Visits uh recently, where uh we've had people that were coming to town just to come to town.

C

Different writers and were able to you know, make sure we incorporated more arts and culture into.

C

Their visit than we normally would have um like. We had um a a pretty uh his name's escaping me, but.

C

A pretty well-established boston figure he's one of the anchors of a news channel there um and has.

C

A big social media presence and things like he, he came to town and we made sure he got to strawberry.

C

Bank- and I think he really enjoyed the- I think the baby animals were going on and I think he went to.

C

A show at some somewhere I forget now so you know, rather than so far our success has been in people.

C

That are coming to town anyways, just incorporating more arts and culture into their visit.

C

um What I ideally I'd like to see happen is um arts and culture, dedicated writers um come to town.

C

And we haven't had success on that. Yet pr is not um you, don't just turn the faucet and.

C

Things flow out right. It is a long term gain in my my experience than like a short-term game, so.

C

uh Martha is out there she's had those meetings with the arts and culture venues.

C

um We are incorporating it into visits that are planned um and uh we are continuing that work.

C

um It it will be an ongoing process, though, for sure okay, I've got another question in regards.

A

To the creative, do we think that a stronger incentive, a more specificity around you know.

A

We've got win at night out, it's very generic is there? Is there any benefit, potentially I'd like.

A

Darcy's perspective on this to to be more specific kind of making it. Oh okay, that's something.

A

I'd be really interested in yeah. That's an interesting, interesting question, good question.

C

And I I'm happy to talk to darcy's team about that. um I I think we don't have enough.

C

I hate to say it because of that the sort of the glitches they were happening that happened in the.

C

Initial rollout, um you know, I don't think we have enough data to say whether it's working or not.

C

You know if, if this trend of like really strong numbers uh from this past weekend, continue say for.

C

The next week or two, I think, we're probably on a better path um if, if they they soften a little bit,.

C

Or they're not doing what we want or they're not continuing to grow, then you know we might need to.

C

Look at either different creative or different incentives like you're talking about, but um I.

C

Now, now that we have this to benchmark from uh this, gives us a good, you know starting point.

C

So we can say: okay, you know where, where are we going you know week by week and what tweaks can.

C

We make, and things like that- um I do think there's still work to be done on fine-tuning um the the.

C

The criteria and demographics of who we're going after.

C

In getting to the right people, but I think we'll continue to do that over the next two months.

D

Thanks ben for the update, I was excited to get that information this morning and to and.

D

To hear even more from you, I love seeing that sophisticated level of marketing that you said.

D

Like this is beyond what my normal spend and our normal bandwidth is in our organizations.

D

And I think that was the whole point of this was just reaching out in different ways and testing.

D

Different markets for a broad-based campaign- and so I mean I personally haven't seen any of the ads.

D

On social media and again I live in massachusetts. I like a lot of arts posts, so I would think I was.

D

There you know, target demographic, um but that doesn't really worry me when I see the positive.

D

Trends and I see how how like they've cast a wide net and I'm really excited to see things on the.

D

List that probably do not show up for a lot of our organizations, including those tv ads and sort of.

D

Those kinds of pieces that I don't think show up in our budget, so I'm going to be really psyched.

D

To see next month's, you know just see what another month gives us. I'm amazed that the youtube piece.

D

Is doing as well as it is to be honest because I think the three words they chose to focus on.

D

Are fairly passive and not really in summer trends like, I would have thought, music and festivals and.

D

Art would have been about film for summer um because I think we are wanting to go outside.

D

Or we're you know in film again sort of crosses over with that netflix community that we've all.

D

Been sort of doing during covid, so I wonder if they're thinking about changing the youtube.

D

um Key graphic at all or if that's going to stay static throughout the full run. um I'm sorry.

C

Can you just I'm sorry, can you repeat that I don't know youtube.

D

Sorry I appeared into one other final comment, which was really the youtube.

D

Piece, I'm curious is that going to stay the same for the rest of this four-month trial.

D

Launch that we talked about the messaging yeah, the messaging for the creative yeah.

C

um That's a good question. I I think that was my. I think that was my understanding.

C

We can, we can certainly look at you know it would be nice to have something a bit more summery.

C

um As we get into the you know, here we are mid-may and there's all these great summer concert series.

C

Announcements and things like that happening in festivals- and you know all sorts of great stuff.

C

Happening that are that make me super excited for summer um that it would be great to feature.

C

I can talk to the team and see if we have the budget to create more um video content. I know.

C

That's pretty costly, but I can certainly um you know, put the bug in their ear and see if.

C

That's possible yeah. I don't robin sorry robin's asking me if that's what I was saying around video.

D

Content, I honestly don't know what I'm saying is that if youtube is performing well.

D

With with really a cover image that to me feels a little out of season and not necessarily using.

D

The language that's strong enough and portsmouth enough, you know right now. We are all a lot of us.

D

Doing art we're doing music and if we want to use the word festivals, that's what the public.

D

Cares about and while we have prescott park, festival and a lot of other people might say well.

D

We don't have a lot of festive bulls; all you have to do is click into that. If you see festivals and.

D

Find out what we have right, you know it's still an incentive. It's still. It's still provides what.

D

People are most interested in right now, which is you know right, but I think what you were.

B

Referring to was just that snapshot yeah that cover page that said, art music. It's an article.

B

Film and that film is that it was just those three words could be changed. A little.

B

Is what you're saying not the content pen, but that visually.

C

So I I think, um yeah that that I think is just the the screenshot that they they.

C

They chose, I think, it's the last second of that, um so there's there's more messaging.

C

Than thus those three were those just happen to be the last three words.

C

No, that that, if you look at the time stamp, if you want it, um it says it's at um you know 16 seconds.

C

I think it's a 15 second spot, so I think that just happens to be the very last screen. Oh okay,.

D

Thank you, that's. I will confirm that, but I think so, but I think you could still change that graphic.

B

That's that's all so then that's what you see without redoing the whole video right.

D

And I I have um two other questions um that I'm wondering if marcy and.

D

Darcy and her team will consider as to whether or not we are being.

D

Too broad in that we're not specifying a target demographic, it seems to me like we're.

D

We're looking at ages from 25 all the way up and I'm wondering if we're diluting our dollars.

D

By not trying to to narrow in on a smaller subset of the demographic and then, secondly,.

D

And relatedly is: are we spending our dollars across too many different advertising platforms.

D

um Meaning, I guess what I'm asking is for them to really look at that on some of these next.

D

Few rounds to see if one is outperforming more than the other like youtube, is really where we're.

D

Seeing better click-throughs more impressions, um you know, as we evaluate the effectiveness of this.

D

Are they going to be tweaking their methodology along the way yeah, but both both great questions.

C

um Sorry, no sorry I just want to piggyback on that. I I just want to ask: are they going to be tweaking.

D

Their methodology along the way, or is it their intention to learn on this first four months and.

D

Then tweet for the next yeah, like I'd, love to hear from them too sure I, I know there will be subtle.

C

Changes um throughout this um initial um campaign, uh initial three months or so here.

C

um I would think you know lessons learned could be applied to a much uh broader longer.

C

Term campaign and that's when I in the to your point about specificity, um you know if we are.

C

uh Kind of doing this over a longer period of time, we may want to kind of narrow our.

C

Markets down a little bit, it's a challenge because um arts and culture is is broad right.

C

uh So the the the family that might be interested in a strawberry bank visit um you know, would have.

C

The younger parents um versus uh you know folks that may be more interested in galleries. Might.

C

You know be of an older, you know it's such a broad thing. Even even you know, music hall alone.

C

You know your audiences range from you know, young to all, depending on the show and what's going on.

C

You know so it's. It is a it's a big challenge, because it's a big thing to try to promote um so.

C

It um I can ask and bring it up, um but I think that's likely the response I'll get.

D

Okay, thanks thanks. I I'm just thinking that there might be something where we can piggyback on what.

D

The state tourism marketing focus has been not just new hampshire, but maybe looking at what maine.

D

And vermont are doing too, and are they specifically targeting.

D

uh An age, demographic or geo-targeting are they doing to see if it really moves the dial for us.

D

And I I think, the more that we can piggyback on other uh state level dollars that are flowing.

D

Into particular regions, then we're all going to be it's a multiplier effect right, so I mean that's.

D

My our frankly, our our interest in seeing this succeed is that then for the dollars we used.

D

To use a call that we'd say: okay, that seems to be working and those methods of advertising seem to.

D

Be working so, let's double down on that and add and be additive to to this campaign here along.

D

With where the state is focusing some of their resources- and I know our state needs to be more.

D

Focused on arts culture, I know that they, you know just recently crossed that bridge with them at the.

D

Tourism summit, which by the way was great, but um I think it really does need to have a compounding.

D

Effect for it to really make any difference for any of us on our bottom lines. That's so good.

A

Ben this is russ if I can jump in really quickly. I think what I'm hearing is potential opportunity.

A

If we can finalize and secure the funding for extending this beyond the initial four.

A

To six month trial that we're in the middle of right now, so I do like the idea of having a.

A

Very specific plan and setting benchmarks, but if we can hopefully hear soon from the city.

A

On whether or not additional funding is coming to continue, this work for the next several years.

A

Then that's when I think what tina and beth are talking about can really come into play.

A

Because it's going to take some time to understand samples and say this sample's working this sample.

A

Samples not working, it's not necessarily going to happen in a three to four month trial, but if we.

A

Can secure three years of funding to do this, then we can look at seasonal. We can look at targets. We.

A

Can look at what the state's doing we can look at those things and really try and refine over time.

A

And and I love tina's statement that having this data for our organizations is going to help us vet.

A

How we do our own marketing and see what's working, what's not working and take our very limited.

A

Resources, independently and kind of piggyback on what's happening, statewide does that make sense.

D

Yes yeah, so I don't know if kate, if you uh or well before we go to that ben, do you have more on this.

C

No, the only thing I just didn't want to comment is um you know we? We did.

C

Put a big bug in the state's ear about arts and culture marketing, um and I think we made.

C

It abundantly clear um the state is investing significantly in some asset collection in asset.

C

Creation, meaning photography and videography they they received several million dollars from the.

C

Federal government economic development um dollars uh for tourism promotion and they're they're.

C

Investing, I think, over a million of that in photo and video asset collection um and creation um and.

C

I made it super clear that we wanted uh and then we have access to that those resources afterwards.

C

To to promote um portsmouth and use them in our own content, and things like that, it's basically.

C

Like a big video library and photo library that we can access, so I made it really clear that hey.

C

We're going to be spending some money, hopefully on arts and culture marketing, and we can. We can.

C

Make our money go a lot further if we don't waste it, you know on on going to take photos and videos.

C

And if that is already in the can and available for us to use, and it's in its good stuff, like.

C

The state generally gets um then we'll be able to really just you know, take that line item off and.

C

And you know spend more money on actual ad spend, so I I hope I believe that message was received.

C

And I I think it's hopefully will bring a stronger partnership between the state and us in the future.

A

Any other questions.

A

um I was gonna ask counselor cook at that moment. I was talking about extending this with funding.

A

Beyond, um where she see things standing regarding extending funding through whatever source.

D

um Thank you I I would say that, right now um the council will be looking at any.

D

Funding extensions, at least in may, just because we're in the middle of budget.

D

um And I think it was anticipated that the request was coming from arva funds, and I know that that's.

D

On the correct it's on the city, manager's radar already she's, already highlighted that.

D

um Even to the council that that she's expecting a request around arts and nonprofits um funds.

D

But the earliest the council would even discuss that at some time in june, and I don't know what.

D

The schedule is that is really determined by the mayor at this point, but I'm happy.

D

To put a bug in his ear about this as well and about you know about the timeline here,.

D

That the committee is looking at for funding, so in december we submitted a six point. You know request.

A

For four percent of the opera funds, which I think equaled 480 000 and um do you know if the city is.

A

Going to be looking for a more detailed proposal, or is that kind of request in already um so.

D

I am not certain um how the city manager is handling those requests right now,.

B

I know she said several come in from several different departments. She was aware of this point.

D

Coming in because she's mentioned it um she's only mentioned two or three, um but I imagine there's an.

D

Internal process- and you know more about this than I do about those requests and how they're coming.

D

Into the city manager um and then there of course, will be council specific requests and priorities.

D

So um we haven't started that reconciliation process. I imagine we're trying to get through.

D

The budget first, okay um and we're trying to also identify anything, that's an emergency that.

D

Might come up that we need to cover with our funds it's related to it. So so I don't know that those.

D

Have all been identified either and also just for for background context. um She did make a point of.

B

Saying in the press conference um rolling out the budget that 48 of the funds are still unallocated.

B

All right, I'm just thinking about the timeline, um we're not going to be getting the after data.

B

Until six months after the end of the surveys, time so that we're looking at october, 2023 and.

B

We've said this: before we can, you know we can talk about the fact that it was 58 million if it.

B

Turns out that it's less, I think we still have to look back and say we need to get back back to that.

B

If it's the same or more, we can say this is great. This is what it is, but without us.

B

It's going to go down so, but we unfortunately don't have those numbers.

B

Probably because there's such a delay until next quarter, because this started so late when the and.

B

I didn't I didn't say that it was off topic, but the organizations are going to be asked to do.

B

Their financials in january, that's where that's going to start so that'll be another push for us.

D

Are people asked to answer the questions through the lens of what the last two.

D

Years have looked like or how they're spending money right now on that survey,.

D

This minute, this minute, you know when they take the service when they take one of them.

B

That night, what did you spend two nights right? So that's why somebody shows up at multiple of your.

B

Events and if they say well I've already taken at the last event, I don't know you can take it again.

B

Okay, okay! Well, I mean I view this particular project. The marketing project.

A

As direct pandemic response, there's no question in my mind: this is about rebuilding audiences, getting.

A

People back into cultural venues, regardless of the type of cultural venue with our community.

A

um They have heavy focus on our non-profit organizations within the community, so.

A

You know I'm I'm hopeful that this part of the project will be fully funded.

A

It's not a huge ask in the scheme of the amount of money that the city's received.

A

In the rescue plan funds, so I think the key for us is going to be the timing and understanding. Then.

A

From you and jason like at what point do we have to have it confirmed that we've got money to go.

A

Forward so that there isn't a gap, because what I want to avoid is having like a couple months.

A

Gap in the middle of having to rewatch, I want to make sure that we know that we're going to.

A

Be able to keep running and forging ahead for a period of years and that this pilot.

A

Is not interrupted by a gap while we wait on a decision on friday. So that's I think. That's.

A

What we're going to need from you ben is to know when is like the 11th hour and making sure that we.

A

Can make a commitment to go forward without having there be an interruption in the work.

C

Okay, um I will talk to the team and and make sure that we have an answer. um You.

C

Know I I think some of it um well I'll I'll go through that process.

C

All right, I appreciate it. Thank you just ask one question.

D

And I'm asking this not because I'm not satisfied with darcy creative, it's just that this was a.

D

Pilot, we have to evaluate our own as a committee, our own satisfaction, with the work and re-engage.

D

With them you know, officially I mean do we want. I would hate to go out with dart to darcy and.

D

Say: okay, we're going to be taking these next steps and then something doesn't work out just process.

B

That's a good question. It's a great question yeah well, especially even beyond that. I'm sorry good.

A

Well, it was just the comment was just that, because funding is from the scene but go ahead ben. I was.

C

Just gonna say even our our role um as the chamber is also um to be determined as well. I mean our.

C

Contract with the city is for this project um and um you know: should you receive additional funding.

C

As a committee, um you are not locked in to partner with us, um so you know that that's some something.

C

To consider not that I want to talk myself out of this, but um you know just just know that.

D

Yes, I also wanted to highlight that you know when you hit a certain threshold of spending with the.

D

City, everything goes out for rfp, so um I think there'll be some questions around whether or not.

D

um If funding is allocated that needs to grow up, hardly unfortunately that turnaround time.

D

May take a while to do an rfp, so um I'll start asking questions around timeline now, but it would.

D

Be really helpful if we had a kind of a deadline for the end of the pilot so that we can push.

A

Do we know on the timing when the pilot expires right now ben uh off the top of my head? I do.

C

Not I have it in an email, and if you give me a moment, I can put it in the chat. Okay. Thank you.

B

The date on everything up there was june 26th.

D

I think it's coming up fast, yeah! Oh yes, definitely fast! It's I believe. It's the end of the fiscal.

C

Year, yes yeah, so I mean if we wrapped in our rfp that should be going up this week.

A

So you know so that's a danger. I mean there's a lot of risk associated with having to pause and.

A

Restart so the sooner we can know about funding for going forward and what's going to happen.

D

It's going to be critical, I think the other positive side of that of a pause as long as.

D

The cause is brief enough, so it's that we have an opportunity if we do have to have an rfp.

D

We have an opportunity to utilize what we've learned through the darcy creative pilot.

D

And be more specific about what we're looking for.

B

Smith can always find the silver lining in there. Well, I'm excited about this.

B

I like seeing that arts in portsmouth are showing up in places that they don't normally show up.

D

And we are going to need audiences back.

A

Yeah well, while we're asking for almost half a million dollars, I don't know that we're spending.

A

Almost half a million dollars at one location- um this definitely seems to have the biggest.

A

Price tag of everything that we've talked about, so it's likely, I think, you're right. We are going.

A

To need an rfp, but I don't want anyone watching this thinking that that 480 000 is just for this.

A

Project but nothing else, there's other things that we're looking at, um but I definitely feel like.

A

I mean we're coming up on six months since that request went into the council and um I'd love.

A

To get it moving forward in some way shape or form, I know I know that the council understands.

A

The community understands that this is pandemic relief, but I'm still not convinced that people who.

A

Are not yet returning to the venues understand the situation so that people aren't always coming back.

A

In the numbers, so that's sporadic, there are some events that pack the house and then there.

A

Are some events that are underperforming because we're still coming out of pandemic.

A

um We need to be able to address that and get some recovery going for the organization.

A

Because, as I've said before, even if all the venues start packing their houses tonight and keep going.

A

Forward that way, there's a long period of time that that has to happen before we could write the.

A

Shift from what's happened over the past two years, it's not just like once that happens, we're solved.

A

We're making up for lost ground, so um this is a critically important effort. So I appreciate.

A

All your work on it, ben and jason and your whole team. Thank you man. Thank you.

A

All right, so we have just a couple of minutes left and there's really only one quick short.

A

Update I connected with stephanie before the meeting barbara and I met last week.

A

To put the agenda together, we talked a little bit about the effort to.

A

Do the next cultural plan and get that going, and I have today.

A

The following committee members, who are interested in being involved in the cultural planning group.

A

uh Tina santel uh robert master uh courtney, perkins who's on the line, um nico gallo.

A

And myself, um I'm assuming that counselor cook is going to want to be involved as.

A

Representative of the city and that sean's also going to be involved. As as.

A

You know: staff from the city with the cultural planning effort.

A

Yes, yes, um are there any other committee members in the meeting right now who I miss that want.

A

To be involved, jason, yes, yes, oh yeah, that's on my list too. You can add me as to us. I I.

A

Yeah, you probably did this is why I bring it. This is why I bring it up in the meeting um we'd.

A

Like to see an additional five to seven community members at large to participate so that it's not.

A

Over heavily populated with people from just this group, so um barbara and I talked about the idea.

A

Of putting together an application process from people from the community to reach out to the.

A

Community and say that people can apply to be on the cultural planning committee and stephanie's.

A

Going to work to help us get a google form set up online through the city website that we can direct.

A

People to and that they can go and sign up to be on the committee, so we didn't work on populated.

B

I did send a quick email to suzanne just to clarify that, because this is a mayor's committee.

B

We don't have to go or you wouldn't have to go through that process for a subcommittee or a.

B

Work group, so she hasn't had a chance to apply it but I'll, let you know yeah, so we're going.

A

To figure out those details, yeah we'll figure out those details to figure out how to get this group.

A

Populated I think summertime is difficult for starting things, so it's going to take a little.

A

Time to ramp this up, so I think it would be a good goal to like get everyone organized get.

A

Schedules figured out to hit the ground running in september. I don't know if people feel more urgency.

A

Than that, but I think we've got a lot going on with just our own jobs over the summer time.

A

But also um with everything, that's happening with the marketing committee and after making sure that.

A

We're giving enough attention to those items as they're going forward, and um you know working.

A

Throughout the funding- and things like that, so I think that if we can have like a strong group.

A

Ready for a quick conference meeting september 1st, I think we're going to be in good shape.

B

Stephanie, um regardless of whether we have to do this, I think having.

B

An open application process in the community is something that struck us really important after.

B

We heard from chris and ellen and we certainly don't want anybody to think we don't want that.

B

And when russ- and I put these rules on what we did with uh mayor beck's day back then was all.

B

The applications came in, we reviewed them with them to see what were kind of best best matches.

B

So we didn't, have you know it's one thing to want to be on a committee. It's another thing to say.

B

The goal is public participation. I just need to check before.

A

Excellent, so that's the update on that any questions or anything that we didn't cover today that people wanted to mention.

A

Excellence says 11 58, it's 12 58, so we are out on time. Thank you all. I really appreciate it.

A

When people are able to make it in person so that we're able to get our forum and be able.

A

To prove things, so thank you for all all coming out today and I also love the fact that we have.

A

Seen for people who can't be here so uh thank you all. I will see you at our june meeting. Take care.