We’re being organized (again)!
So I am definitely an advocate for any person or collective trying to “professionalize” or organize the field of teaching artistry.
And even though I am (generally) the type of person to lovingly razor a paper thin idea into confetti, I will still support it if I have a greater belief in the person or the cause.
So I went ahead and entered my profile into the Teaching Artists Guild’s Teaching Artists Asset Map.
What is the Teaching Artists Asset Map?
It is a basic database for teaching artists and the organizations who work with them to find each other nationwide.
I was on the webinar and walk-through TAG sponsored several weeks ago to learn more (with about 40 others, is that a good turn-out?). The administrators admitted it’s not the most efficient system (yet) and there are still bugs to be fixed. But just the completion of the proprietary software is major effort that should be applauded!
Artists…just because you build it does not mean they will come.
The map was started with data from TAG’s partners in the venture. And it seems like initial survey responses were skimpy, since the map at launch didn’t include what I would call a lot of data. An eyeball estimate will tell you that there should be a whooooooole lot more teaching artists mapped in NYC. And a whole lot more service organizations…
TAG is relying on the usual press releases to partner organizations and word of mouth to continue populating the map. This marketing strategy is part of their “build and share” model – making teaching artists accountable for “owning the size of our field.” Hmm.
They particularly want to reach teaching artists not in the “usual” loops or working in non-traditional ways. (Those working in religious programs, or with immigrants in settlement houses, or those group home recreation therapists who really make an effort, etc….) If so, then I honestly clap loud and long for that. I champion the community-based arena.
Try now, pay later.
I was a bit confused because much of the webinar seemed a bit sales-pitchy. And I couldn’t figure out what the heck teaching artists could be trying to sell me! And I couldn’t figure out how the map would immediately benefit me.
Later it was disclosed that TAG does hope to move to a paid subscription model, which makes lots-o-sense to me. A premium feature would be, from what I understand, a teaching artist’s profile coming up at the top of a search. To that, I say “so what?” The only thing that appealed to me in the pitch was being counted in a field that I ride for.
I’d be curious to know what metrics the map needs to hit before the premium model is rolled out:
Is there a launch timeline?
What alternative plans are in place if the same ‘ol non-profit bootstrap marketing only yields another 40 sign-ups next month?
Does TAG truly imagine that someday, teaching artists will pay a monthly fee to get exclusive access to job listings?
National is nice, but local is vocal.
It’s intended to be a national database, yes. But the roll-out has proven that TAG and its affiliates don’t have the kind of reach needed at the moment. For true momentum.
There are many established regional and national listings for teaching artist jobs. I mean, how is this different than Indeed or local arts service orgs that have already established themselves as a go-to for teaching artist jobs or resources?
That’s the dilemma of many non-profit institutions…wanting to innovate by doing the same ‘ol thang.
What about partnering with one of the corporate job websites to create a niche teaching artist go-to? Like, an exchange with another non-profit like Craigslist that already has a solid back-end infrastructure in place? That would be cool.
What if the $$ was instead used to train teaching artists in regional areas to go and find all of those teaching artists who don’t even know “teaching artist” is a word?
And then you continue paying those TA’s to maintain regional hubs that feed into the national map.
What if one partner organization was responsible for marketing to three colleague organizations, and each of those was responsible for getting 30 artists registered by a certain deadline?
What if there was an immediate payoff for joining – say, you get priority hiring (or training) from a partner organization?
I think most of us would be happy with a magnet, though.
So should you map yourself?
Eventually, we all hope there will be great influencer/marketing potential by capturing teaching artists and arts service organizations in one place. We can imagine the rich resource of information that could come about. The usefulness remains to be seen. Right now, it seems like “just another thing to do.”
Right now, it’s not clear if the asset map has a deep present, near future or far future value.
But I’ve still added myself! Teaching artists represent!
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