From “Emerging” to Essential: Cultivating Audience, Driving Community Engagement, and Increasing Recognition for America's First Asian American Ballet Company
Arts Equity Group’s comprehensive audience engagement strategy increased community awareness of the Asian American Ballet Project, resulting in increased ticket sales, media coverage, sponsorships, and recognition.
Project Overview
Client
Client Background
Founded in 2022, the Asian American Ballet Project is the very first Asian American ballet company, ever. Our mission is to present Asian American dancers on stage together in all Asian American productions. We aim to tell stories from our unique perspectives and transform how audiences see Asian Americans in performance, from unexpected to accepted.
Objectives
AABP sought AEG’s support for their 3rd annual performance, Receding and Reemerging. As the first Asian American ballet company breaking new ground in the arts, AABP wanted to increase attendance for the performance, enhance visibility within the Asian American community and Boston arts ecosystem, expand sponsorship opportunities, and position AABP as a pioneering force in ballet.
Challenges
Operating with limited budget and staff capacity, while navigating a hostile political climate that has slashed DEI funding for culturally specific programming, AABP needed strategic support to cut through the noise and connect with their community.
Arts Equity Group developed a comprehensive audience engagement strategy that included strategic communications and PR planning, professional sponsorship materials, targeted outreach campaigns, and technical assistance. AEG also supported leadership development and executive coaching, providing strategic guidance and support to Asian American Ballet Project’s Executive Director.
Contributors
Danielle Amodeo
Our Offerings
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Item description
Noteworthy Press:
Impact and Outcomes
AEG supported capacity building, communication strategy, audience engagement, and amplifier network development for Asian American Ballet project’s Annual performance resulting in an increase in ticket sales from last year and over 20 reports in media coverage.
AEG's communications support successfully broadened media outreach, securing coverage in outlets like Boston Globe, WBUR News, and Dance Informa. This media exposure not only attracted attendees to the event but also built AABP’s recognition within its local communities and the region. The strong amplifier network and holistic media strategy also brought community and cultural leaders into AABP’s sphere of influence.
Building a strong amplifier network generates grassroots political and social capital that supports the existence of AABP. This elevated community profile strengthens AABP's position within the regional arts ecosystem, opening doors to collaborative partnerships, co-production opportunities, and institutional relationships that drive long-term sustainability and influence.
The sponsorship materials AEG developed also succeeded in securing a hospitality sponsorship, which provided accommodation for the dancers and performers.
AABP also established itself as a pioneering voice in arts advocacy by becoming the first Massachusetts organization to participate in FACT's First Amendment reading, boldly championing free speech, free expression, and the fundamental right to create culturally specific programming.
Ultimately, the systems AEG helped design and put into place helped build organizational confidence, capacity, efficiency, and sustainability.
Conclusion
Through strategic communications, comprehensive audience engagement, and capacity building, Arts Equity Group helped support the Asian American Ballet Project’s transformation from an “emerging” organization into a recognizable cultural force within Boston's Asian American communities and broader arts ecosystem. Our sponsorship materials secured a hospitality partnership, while targeted media outreach generated extensive coverage across regional, local, cultural, and dance publications. Combined with a strategically built amplifier network, these integrated efforts drove significant audience engagement and positioned AABP for sustained growth. AEG's support also built lasting organizational capacity; we created replicable sponsorship templates, communications frameworks, and amplifier engagement processes that AABP can leverage independently for future productions, ensuring long-term sustainability and continued impact without ongoing consulting dependence.
Partners and Sponsors
