“We demystify the use of the survey and ask for nothing that would reveal the identity of the person being surveyed,” adds Reuler. As a part of Mixed Blood's Radical Hospitality policy, any remaining seats will be available for free on a first-come, first-serve basis 30 minutes before … Started in 1976 by starry-eyed 22-year-old, Jack Reuler, Mixed Blood surpasses expectations of a traditional theatre by focusing on the cultural production of stories of marginalized peoples in American society – all with the ultimate vision of cultural pluralism and societal equality in the performing arts. Part two of this series, curated by Aditi Kapil, playwright-in-residence at Mixed Blood Theatre, examines the pragmatics of how Radical Hospitality works, “The Financial or Business Case,” in a conversation with Managing Director Amanda White Thietje, Community Outreach & Marketing Manager Brie Jonna, and Artistic Director Jack Reuler. Images courtesy of Mixed Blood Theatre The Foundation provides support for Mixed Blood’s access and engagement initiatives to increase participation in the arts by individuals and groups who have been historically underserved by arts organizations. Introduction. This has been restored every fiscal year by government, corporate, and individual funding sources, which have been attracted by the social value that Mixed Blood initiatives have generated. “The post show discussions and salons, established by producer in residence Jamil Jude, is an important part of that curated holistic experience.” Free Speech is a further expression of the theatre’s instinct to involve greater audiences at a greater capacity by tearing down barriers to engagement and welcoming patrons with free entrance and a space to express themselves.Mixed Blood Theatre, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a harbinger in the enterprise of innovative performance arts marketing. Cost is often a reason people don’t partake in the theatre, but Mixed Blood is dedicated to eliminating cost concerns and leveling the playing field for all to enjoy the live theater experience. About Mixed Blood Theatre’s approach to “radical hospitality” (Mixed Blood’s founder and artistic director, Jack Reuler, will be a contributor in San Diego.) This story was shared as part of the Animating Neighborhoods Talk series at the National Innovation Summit for Arts & Culture on October 21, 2013. Craig Willis, OCTs Producing Artistic Director said, We are extremely grateful for the Lane County Cultural Coalitions support. Proceeds go toward Mixed Blood’s Radical Hospitality Initiative (all seats to all shows are free unless you choose to reserve tickets ahead of time). At the core of Radical Hospitality is that it was borne of a genuine interest in the audience’s experience –the theatre employed Free Speech programming – an initiative to generate discourse around the content of their productions by means of candid open discussions, live tweets of performances, and salon discussions led by panels of experts.So as arts marketers, what can we take away from Mixed Blood’s success story?“For each show we do, we ask ourselves (and the playwrights) ‘Who needs to be in the audience for the show to ignite?’ And then we put our energies into finding those target populations.” In undertaking this research into their potential audience, staff at Mixed Blood discovered that the main barrier to participation and attendance was admission fees.
Their help enables OCT to fulfill our mission to use live theatre to support community dialogue and create positive change in the world around us. The overall financial shift has been from 40% of the budget coming from earned income to 27.5%” – as the theatre still retains other revenue-generating programming. This grant supports critical outreach to economically disadvantaged members of our community who have a passion for arts participation.Radical Hospitality is OCT's program aimed at increasing accessibility to live theatre by removing social and economic barriers to attendance, inspired by the work at Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis and Bad Ass Theatre in Portland. The program includes free high school performances, expanding partnerships with local service organizations, and offering a Pay-What-You-Can performance for the preview performances of every production. OCT's Radical Hospitality program began during its 2014/2015 season and is made possible through the support of the Lane County Cultural Coalition, which advances its vision through the distribution of grant funds from the Oregon Cultural Trust in accordance with the Lane County Cultural Plan and the direction of the Oregon Cultural Trust.