Again, generally I'm in favor of anything that makes art more accessible and engaging for general audiences. But the danger comes when the art or the scholarship is sacrificed to bring those audiences in.
Consumer products often have easier math. More users mean more units sold. Creating wide appeal holds obvious benefits for those brands.
But we know that many of our organizations are more dependent on the support of a few large benefactors. One committed supporter can have more financial impact than 10,000 casual fans. In almost all cases these supporters are there because of their commitment to our long-term mission. A move to "Art Lite" to attract larger audiences runs the risk of alienating those that are most important to us.
Is there a middle ground, yes. It starts with judging any new offering against your current mission and then having a dialogue with your most important supporters. When a new consumer-focused program both meets your mission standards and has donor input, it's time to move ahead aggressively in bringing the arts to a broader audience in your community.
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