Key Findings
Data Analysis Highlights — Focus Group Findings
The following are some themes that emerged from the focus group discussions.
Architectural Firms and Architects
Many architects express a strong belief that architecture is an art. Architects believe that their art form is much more technical and functional than other art forms; and while other art forms are allowed to exist solely on their artistic merit, architecture must first and foremost serve a function. The success of an architectural work is most often defined by the success of its function as opposed to its aesthetics. Architects believe that of all the arts, architecture has the strongest social function and utility. People live in buildings, drive over bridges and attend events in stadiums. The public's safety or welfare is rarely a factor in other types of art.
Architects are both frustrated by and in admiration of the public. They see the public as a wise consumer of their product as well as a thwarting agent to their artistic creativity. They often view the public as being too conservative and intolerant of architectural innovation and complain that they have to sneak creativity into projects. Architects express frustration about the public's perceived desire for cheap and fast architecture. They believe that architecture has evolved into a field where projects are to be conceived and completed as quickly and cheaply as possible with little concern for lasting value or permanence. They complain of the temporary nature of many architectural products. This was referred to as the Wal-Mart mentality. However, a minority of architects believe that they should serve the public and should not judge or try to enforce ideas of what constitutes good architecture.
Architects are involved in a variety of activities that enhance their communities. They visit public schools to inform children about the profession. They also design public buildings in their communities, especially schools. These architects enjoy designing schools because they enhance the education of youth and add to the sense of civic pride. Architects also take pride in designing public buildings because they have the potential to draw new people into their communities and to enhance the quality of life and the economy of their communities.
Architects see themselves as businesspersons first and as artists second. They feel they "have given everything away" with the rise of the design/build relationship in construction management. Structural, mechanical and electrical engineering, and all structural systems have been handed over to the pre-engineer construction industry. They feel they have lost their role as independent professionals and have become secondary to the construction manager in the area of product design. They also believe that their role has evolved into an adversarial one, both with construction managers who wish to cut costs and with clients who want things done as quickly and cheaply as possible.
Most architects believe that technology has revolutionized architecture and will continue to do so in its artistic, creative and business functions. Architects believe that computers have an impact on all aspects of the profession. For example, architects believe that technology has changed both the way architects are trained and the way they think. Computers make drawing and designing easier. They also have facilitated distant collaborations and better communication with their clients. However, some architects believe that technology has a negative impact, inhibiting the creative process by automating drawing and designing
Architects see more design/build in their future and more work with contractors. Unfortunately, they predict they will continue to design pre-fab buildings and share fees with construction managers. Architects see themselves as survivors, dedicated to an educational mission. They believe that if their profession is to survive they will have to continue to educate the public about architecture.
For-Profit Music Venues
Music venues consider themselves substantially different from venues that are supported with public dollars. They understand the need to package their product and underscore the benefits to corporate sponsors. They are very business savvy. Proprietors of music venues stress the importance of their relationships with their broader community and in the civic roles they play, particularly in partnering with other organizations for benefits, fundraisers and public service. They are involved in a variety of community efforts including police safety programs, downtown housing programs, AIDS awareness efforts, hospital and other charity events. Some work with public entities, such as the Public Broadcasting System (PBS), providing a conduit for raising dollars.
Music venues feel that the traditional arts community has misconceptions about them. They feel this community is disdainful of the "rock focus" of most of these venues and unaware of the music venues' openness to collaboration and community inclusion. "If we can help, we're there," music venues say. But the traditional arts groups do not ask. Music venues struggle to capture people's time and have to focus on promotion, advertising and on being "in the right media." Operators of for-profit music venues recognize that there are significant barriers in the lives of potential audiences that prevent them from attending performances. They realize that people may not have the time and money to attend events and that parents of small children are constrained because they must find and pay for babysitters or find children-friendly events.
In Central Ohio, there is a sense that the audience is not as cosmopolitan as that in Cleveland or Cincinnati. In general, Central Ohio is considered to have a good music scene, but there are some formats that don't work as well, such as country music concerts. The Central Ohio local music scene is vibrant and diverse, but it has been difficult to offer national talent in the past. In part, this is because Columbus is considered a secondary market. Music venues say this is because of the lack of arenas large enough to hold major national acts, and they hope this will change with the opening of two major venues in recent years. They also note the importance of community festivals as arenas for musical performers.
Music venues in Northeast Ohio praise their audiences. They feel they are in a good market and able to bring great performers to their venues. The Cleveland area is considered one of the best-kept secrets in the country in terms of support for music. Northeast music venues see public, corporate and foundation support of the arts in the Northeast as significant and comparable to other major cities such as Los Angeles, New York and Boston. However, as receptive as their audiences are, the venues believe that they constantly need to reinvent themselves. In Cincinnati, people identify strongly with their neighborhoods. While this is often a good thing, it means that it can be difficult to get people out of their neighborhoods or "comfort zones." On the other hand, it suggests loyalty to established venues.
The managers of for-profit music venues express frustration with the performing artists. This is particularly true for Central Ohio music venues. They say their relationships with artists are hit and miss. While they consistently view the performers as artists and see art as encompassing a wide range of musical genres, they also feel that musicians need to understand that their art is a business as well as entertainment. For music venues, the future means meeting market demands. They must react to the changing likes and dislikes in music and to changing audience demographics. They feel they must discover how to attract seniors to their venues, since the senior market will have more disposable income, will be technologically literate, and will seek convenience and speed in their transactions and attendance. Overall, music venues see themselves as a part of the music scene and are very passionate about what they do.
For-Profit Galleries
While galleries face diverse issues, they share the goals of fostering relationships with artists, educating artists about what it means to be represented by a gallery, and selling art. Exceptions to this include gallery owners who deal in posthumous works and therefore, do not deal with the artist, but families or executors of estates; or a hair salon or restaurant whose priority is art exposure and not sales. Owners of for-profit galleries feel that Ohioans would rather purchase art from outside Ohio and that most Ohioans view purchasing art from the coasts as more prestigious.
Northeast and Central Ohio gallery owners feel the public perceives art galleries as elitist. Many go to great lengths to make people feel comfortable in their spaces and believe that their primary objective is to educate the client about owning a piece of original art or about art in general, rather than simply making a sale. The ultimate goal is to turn the public into collectors of art. "I'm not committed to just selling art, I'm committed to seeing that people live with art," said one gallery owner. "I think those are two very different things."
Knowing your market and finding your niche are important issues to for-profit gallery owners. Some galleries redesign storefronts to make their space more customer-friendly. In an attempt to lure younger, wealthier customers, organizations market original artwork as a status symbol. Other organizations disagree with that philosophy and view every person who enters their galleries as a potential customer. Gallery owners view location as a critical component to a successful gallery. Northeast and Central Ohio galleries are affected by the scarcity of parking. Southwest galleries feel that the lack of an artist district has impacted their business. Galleries outside metropolitan areas feel their biggest obstacle is location and that a rural or suburban location makes it more difficult for them to be considered a legitimate gallery.
For-profit gallery owners feel that nonprofit art galleries can take more risks and present different types of work because they don't have to always be concerned with the market value of art. Others feel nonprofits do not have to promote personal interaction with people who enter their facilities because the sale of art is not their primary focus. However, some feel that nonprofits educate the public more effectively because they have other revenue streams. "Subsidy destroys the character in any type of organization," said one focus group member, in regards to public funding. Most for-profit gallery owners feel that government funding should be reserved for arts education programming.
Ohio gallery owners often use new technologies to run their businesses, increase their visibility and increase sales. They are cautious of its use because they feel art is meant to be experienced first-hand and not as a two-dimensional thumbnail image on the computer screen. Many use the Internet for inventory, to communicate with artists and customers, and to display artist biographies and gallery information. For-profit galleries see it as a given that in coming years they will need to maintain business vitality by becoming even more innovative in their collaborations and activities within the community.
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