Operating Support

Engage audiences at a deeper level: artists eagerly come off the stage and into the after show mixers to engage in conversation about the work, the creative process, and their daily experiences as artists at Interact. Gallery events are structured so that artists and patrons mix continually throughout each event, talking about their work, what inspired their creativity, and encouraging patrons to take the work off our walls and into their homes. Our communications director nurtures a lively and engaged network of supporters, events planners and facilitators, and other social outreach opportunities, growing participation in focused ways. Interact benefits from the skills and enthusiasm of volunteers who come from the community at large, from our network of service learning partners's and most significantly, from word-of-mouth networks of highly satisfied current and former volunteers. 2: Grow appreciation for diverse art forms: Interact moved our performance season from The Lab Theater to our own black box space within our home facility. Since our Gallery now serves as our Theater lobby, developing a crossover audience happened organically and enthusiastically. Our 50-seat black box, compared to The Lab's 200 seats, was filled to capacity for every show, and ironically our numbers not only held steady, but grew. We believe that the close and gritty environment in our packed black box reflects our no-holds-barred approach to creating original work, and audiences loved it. Art sales grew from a typical $1,500 per theater run (a course of about 15-20 performances, times two runs per year) to over $6,000 at our last event. Patrons now move fluidly between the Gallery and the Theater, often poking their nose in the Theater door to watch rehearsals if they are visiting the Gallery during the day, and coming back to see more.