Internal processes are the mechanism for creating and delivering the customer and financial value the presenting organization aspires to provide. Internal processes include operational, customer management, innovation, social and regulatory processes. Internal processes are driven by the organizations strategic plan which aligns the activities of the organization to meet the customer value proposition and enabling financial objectives. Given the current market context, arts presenters must excel at being cost efficient and growing revenues through individual and institutional support to sustain operations while providing programming that is compelling to its audiences.
Operational processes include developing and sustaining supplier relationships, producing products and services, distributing and delivering those products and services to customers and managing the level of risk in doing so. A key operational process in presenting the performing arts is identifying, partnering and managing quality supplier relationships. Performing artists and production companies provide a core product (programs) and represent the key supplier in arts presenting. Suppliers of programs are identified by attending performances at other facilities, going to industry showcases, communicating with artists and their agents and networking with colleagues. The selection of suppliers is driven by the strategies employed by the customer and financial perspective objectives. A presenter seeking to diversify its audiences will seek suppliers that introduce basic concepts of the arts discipline; a strategy of deepening will require suppliers that build on the repertoire either artistically or conceptually. Programs and their suppliers are selected for their ability to create a meaningful experience for the target audience. A supplier’s skill in providing meaningful programming is best currently measured by an experienced curator of programming that has experience and training in the art form. By understanding the evolution of the art form as well as the sophistication of the target audience, the curator is able align programming to its audience. A curator of programming can test their assumptions by the experience of other presenters through networking as well as products such as the Association of Arts Presenters (2005) presenter’s reports. Presenter reports indicate attendance, reaction of the audience, supplier rating and extent to which the programming challenged the audience. Customer satisfaction surveys are becoming more prevalent in performing arts presenting, the results of which are being collected in databases; as these surveys are standardized and shared, they provide additional support for programming curators in program supplier selection.
