Tool #1: Finding arts partners

Connect with your local visitors bureau to gain a better understanding of the interests and demographics of the tourists visiting your area. Consider conducting a guest survey, asking them about their arts & culture interests.

Based on this feedback, identify arts organizations in your region who are servicing those interests. Do some outreach and invite potential partners to take a tour of your hotel and meet with your sales and marketing team.

Cooperative marketing between hotels and arts organizations—including strategies like event fliers, event table-top cards, restaurant/ bar signage, social media calendars of events, and other promotional efforts featuring arts and cultural programs—is beneficial to both parties as well as the community. In addition, if your hotel operates within or near a municipality-designated arts or cultural district, or if you’re within a Cultural and Fine Arts District that is established by the Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA), loop those leaders in to discuss cooperative marketing as well.

Best yet, establish ongoing relationships with arts groups. Work with them to provide room blocks or directly reserve rooms for visiting artists and out-of-town guests. Work with them to host special events or fundraising galas or to use hotel entertainment facilities for arts patrons before and/or after HOT funded-arts events. There are many ways to creatively partner over both the short and long term.

You will also find the Memorandum of Understanding between Texans for the Arts and the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association helpful as you consider how best to maximize partnerships with artists and arts organizations (see resources below).

Let your arts partners know that you’re interested in supporting their efforts and that you’re committed to championing local artists. You can find out more about how to support your local artists in Tool #2.