It’s hard to look forward without looking back, but the New Year offers an indomitable spirit of hope and promise.  With all the recovery and rebuilding that is necessary at the New Jersey shore, the State’s reliable and most noteworthy tourist destination, it is time for arts groups to “step up their game” and make sure that tourism dollars traditionally spent in Jersey during the summer months, STAY in Jersey.

How?  Some REALLY easy toolbox tools come to mind.  Take advantage of every opportunity that is available through the Discover Jersey Arts program the ArtPride New Jersey Foundation cosponsors with New Jersey State Council on the Arts.  That includes cooperative marketing opportunities in print, radio and online (spring/summer details to be released soon), free exposure on JerseyArts.com, and outreach to our more than 40,000 individual Jersey Arts Members through discount opportunities.

First and foremost, however, is the Jersey Arts List Exchange and Audience Census Project (JALX) registration deadline coming up this Friday, January 18!  The JALX is a powerful tool that many of us have yet to use to its full potential.  We’re all looking for ways to new ways to improve our marketing, development and programming efforts.  Have detailed demographics on your own audiences as well as access to information on more than 1 million cultural consumers in the region is a great place to start!

Think you know all there is to know about your audiences?  You might be surprised, especially if you haven’t given this tool a whirl.  Think it’s too much for you to handle?  Regardless of whether your organization is big, small, or anywhere in between – there’s something in this for you!  We’re even planning training sessions for this spring and guarantee you will be AMAZED at the value of the JALX for a modest investment (especially if you are an ArtPride NJ member organization!).  Unlike in past years, groups are no longer required to keep a minimum number of list segments available for trade, so you can use your data just to research your own patrons.  We know from seeing how other markets use this type of data across the country that it will offer new audience insights to your programming departments, clean up your lists, improve your marketing efforts, help identify new donors, and provide useful data for grant applications… and it’s all absolutely secure.  Need we say more??? Don’t let the January 18 registration deadline pass you by – just click that Register Now button NOW!

Finally, the NJ Tourism Conference is slated for March 20-21 at The Golden Nugget in Atlantic City. We are proud to give you a scoop that Pam Breaux, Assistant Secretary of the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development will speak about her rebuilding experience post-Katrina & Rita and will offer special insight on how cultural tourism played a key role in the recovery of Louisiana as a tourist destination.  The JerseyArts.com People’s Choice Awards will be presented at Thursday morning’s breakfast, and we’ve invited some very special people to act as presenters, so make sure you vote and keep encouraging your audiences to vote for your organization to win!  Through ArtPride’s partnership with the NJ Tourism Industry Association, reduced conference rates will be available for ArtPride members.

There you go. It’s up to you NJ arts groups. Carpe Diem! You are the best—make sure the world knows it, and Happy New Year!