Zeiterion Performing Arts Center Community Marketing Research Report Surale Phillips, Principal Alan Brown, Principal
July 15, 2022
INTRODUCTION The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center (The Z) is a theater with a history going back to 1923. Designed originally as a "palace for the people" presenting live vaudeville performances, the theater became a movie house (The State) with occasional performances. The State was modernized in 1971 and almost lost a decade later due to an economic downturn in New Bedford. Through the vision, generosity, and dedication of community leaders, individual philanthropists, and nonprofit and private businesses, The Zeiterion was ultimately restored to its original grandeur in 1982. The City of New Bedford took title of the building, and the nonprofit Zeiterion Theatre, Inc. was created to steward the facility and bring its stage back to life. In 2014 The Z underwent a $1.1 million façade restoration and, to this day, continually faces the challenges of capital improvements on a historic structure while trying to keep pace with rapidly changing market demographics and turbulent social and economic times. The theater is home to the New Bedford Symphony and New Bedford Festival Theater, presents a wide range of live performing arts, co-presents a cinema program with New Bedford Film Society, educates performing arts learners of all ages through its Creative Classroom program, supports educators in New Bedford and throughout the SouthCoast with Schooltime performances that engage students with Massachusetts curriculum standards, and curates Stage Door Live events – a bistro-style adult experience - that puts audiences and artists on stage together. The Z stakes its claim as the SouthCoast's premier performing arts center. It continually aspires to be an accessible, equitable, and inclusive organization that provides outstanding entertainment and cultural programs that unite the community and serve as a hub for cultural activities.
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Why This Study? Why Now? For the past two decades, arts organizations have been keenly focused on organizational strategies to increase participation and community involvement. They have used many data analysis tools, field studies, and consultants to diversify audiences but have done little to address systemic racism and equity within their institutions. It was not until the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2013 and the murder of George Floyd in 2020 that arts organizations acknowledged their role in community health and vitality through the lens of social justice. Since 2018 The Z has been participating in The BarrKlarman Massachusetts Arts Initiative, a multi-year, dynamic program to build the adaptive capacity of midsize arts and culture organizations statewide. Cultural competence is a central focus of the work and part of the impetus for this study. Cultural competence "involves understanding and responding appropriately and respectfully to the unique combination of cultural variables and dimensions of their communities." To build its capacity in cultural competence, The Z needed to understand the community's perception of the organization from this perspective.
Change demands an organizational practice centered on continuous learning and evaluation, and a cohesive vision and strategy that aligns board and staff. This organizational practice is an “adaptive capacity,” a set of skills and competencies that bolster an organization to take bold steps in response to external conditions. - Barr Foundation
In October 2021, The Z selected WolfBrown as the winning firm responding to its RFP for Community Marketing Research. The firm was selected through a competitive process due to the team's deep knowledge and experience in the performing arts field, community engagement experience, familiarity with the region, and its approach to collaborating with community partners on research. In the RPF, The Z acknowledged its complicity in maintaining systemic racism within the performing arts as a primarily white-led organization. It also stated its commitment to a lifetime practice of anti-racism and sought research to identify external opinion and perception of the organization as an equitable and accessible space, current affiliations, gaps in community partnership, and barriers to attendance. WolfBrown consultants worked with The Z project team – Rosemary Gill, Executive Director; Ashley Moore, Director of Education and Community Engagement; and Maria Poulus, Communications Manager to refine research questions, develop a mixed-methods research plan, and implement the project. The research plan was also informed by interviews and surveys of The Z's board of directors and staff to compare internal and external opinions. Research began in January 2022 and wrapped up on June 15th. Zeiterion Community Marketing Research |2022
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1. RESEARCH QUESTIONS •
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How do community leaders and representatives of various New Bedford community organizations perceive The Zeiterion? - as a community asset, resource, source of entertainment - as contributing to the vitality of New Bedford - as a community partner - as an equitable and inclusive space What is The Zeiterion's relevance to different communities, and how can it be improved? - Ethnic, racial, socio-economic, artists, neighborhoods Where are community members and leaders of color fulfilling their cultural arts needs, and what can The Z learn from their perspectives to apply to its policies, operations, and programming? What are their barriers to attendance and involvement with The Z among communities of color?
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How do people define the characteristics of an equitable or inclusive community space?
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Do audience members believe they have a role to play in a performing arts organization's commitment to inclusivity and anti-racist policies?
2. METHODOLOGY The mixed-methodology consisted of quantitative surveying, qualitative focus groups, and individual interviews. This approach provides an opportunity to triangulate results from different sources and arrive at themes built on multiple perspectives. Building off the early internal research with the board and staff, we established 10 metrics for measurement across all study groups. These groups included The Z board and staff, Z ticket-buyers, New Bedford community-based organizations, program leaders, and local individuals with no ticketpurchase history with The Z since 2018. These metrics, in whole or part, can be used as a baseline so that staff can monitor change and track progress as The Z takes action in response to the findings.
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10 Mission-Based Metrics All research subjects were asked their level of agreement with the following 10 statements. 1) The Z is the SouthCoast's premier nonprofit performing arts center. 2) The Z is accessible to me/my family – my community. 3) The Z makes me feel welcome, "at home." 4) The Z is well-known among my friends and family – my community. 5) The Z is my top choice for going out for live entertainment. 6) The Z makes me feel proud that it's in New Bedford. 7) The Z offers programs for people from all walks of life – there's something for everybody. 8) The Z is an equitable, inclusive organization. 9) The Z is a place I enjoy being and spending time. 10) The Z unites our community by serving as a hub for cultural activities.
Engaging the Community in Research Zeiterion staff developed a list of 96 potential research participants – people and community organizations - designed to gather a wide range of perspectives. The staff's initial efforts to engage participants were largely unsuccessful and only a few people and organizations responded to requests to connect with the consultants. WolfBrown suggested that board members, members of the anti-racist task force, or executive staff reach out personally to the contacts on the list, encouraging a few responses. WolfBrown consultants took over the recruitment of research participants making several attempts to reach every person and organization on the list. Six (6) out of 12 community organization leaders participated in an interview. An additional two were interviewed through the consultant's guest appearance on one of the city's daily 11:00 Zoom meetings with a community organization leadership group. Many thanks go to Marci Pina-Christian for her assistance and invitation to this meeting. Fifteen (15) of the 56 community organization leaders selected by Z staff to take an anonymous survey rather than participate in an interview completed the survey. In addition to hearing from these community people, the consultants planned to ask for assistance getting a survey about "live entertainment venues and The Z" into the hands of their friends, members, neighbors, and clientele. We aimed to reach residents not likely on The Z's ticket-buyer and contact lists, people of color, and people in underserved areas. We know from experience that when a community member is invited to participate in a research study by a person or organization they know and trust, they are much more likely to get involved. Zeiterion Community Marketing Research |2022
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Through The Z's consistent collaboration with the YWCA, we were offered the opportunity to contract Leimary Llopiz, Advocacy Coordinator, as our Community Connector for the project. Ms. Llopiz was instrumental in recruiting focus group participants, served as co-host for each meeting, and conducted intercept surveys with New Bedford residents at various locations. WolfBrown and Ms. Llopiz facilitated eight community conversations with 44 people. Ms. Llopiz collected 53 intercept surveys at community events, almost all from people of color. The change in the recruitment process proved successful. Six organizations sent the survey out on our behalf and helped to recruit individuals to participate in one of our focus groups. Two organizations served as co-hosts for focus groups.* Organizations that assisted with our research were compensated financially, as were host sites and all focus group participants*. Research assistance was provided by: • • • • • •
Buy Black NB EforAll (South Coast) at Groundwork* Greater New Bedford Youth Alliance New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center United Way YWCA*
Intercept surveys were collected at these locations: • • • • • • • • •
Government Center (Fall River) Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School New Bedford High School New Bedford Housing Authority/Duncan Dottin Place, Satellite Village, and Brickenwood New Bedford Youth Alliance Public parks: Brooklawn, Buttonwood, Fort Taber, Noah's Park, Hopewell (Taunton) PACE – New Bedford Pride events (2)/Buttonwood Park/Zeiterion Women's Alliance of Southeastern Massachusetts
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Summary of Research INTERNAL RESEARCH
EXTERNAL RESEARCH
Interviews:
Interviews:
January • Board member interviews (12 of 15) • Staff member interviews (12 of 14)
March - April • Community-based organization leadership (8) • Resident organization leadership (2)
Surveys:
Surveys:
February • Board Quick Poll (12 of 15) • Staff quick poll (10 of 14)
April - May • Community-based organization leadership (15) • Community/Audience survey (1,411) • Community Intercept survey (52)
The names of individuals interviewed and their organizational affiliations are listed in the Appendix.
Community Conversations (focus groups): May • Fort Tabor Community Center (South End) • Groundwork (Downtown) • Lawler Library (Buttonwood Park) • McCoy Recreation Center (West Side • North Star Learning Center (South End) • Wilks Library (North End – 2 sessions) • YWCA (Downtown)
We learned are few things from this experience: 1) Some individuals were reluctant to participate in our research because they perceived the effort as disingenuous 2) Some individuals had a history of being excluded from collaborating with The Z While not an official research finding, the difficulty we experienced in engaging local partners indicates a need for reconnection. As you consider this report, remember that the timing of this study also plays a role in the results. The onset of the pandemic severely limited The Z's ability to cultivate relationships and deliver on community engagement. The Director of Community Engagement and Education was hired just as Covid-19 hit and had little opportunity to build relationships. People were locked inside at home, programs were canceled, and local businesses and venues were shuttered.
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KEY FINDINGS AND OBSERVATIONS This report presents findings and relevant data points from all research methods linked to the 10 metrics. We compared and contrasted opinions across internal and external groups and across respondent characteristic groups relevant to this study. Not all results from the online survey are referenced here, as the key findings and observations directly address the research questions. All survey results and focus group comments are included as supporting data. Perceptions of The Z as an equitable and inclusive space are mixed among leaders and representatives of New Bedford community organizations. •
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The Z is highly valued as a cultural asset, is recognized as an anchor of community vitality and pride, and is a good source of entertainment and arts education, even among its harshest critics. It is beloved by audiences who attend performances, those whose parents created family traditions attending holiday shows, patrons of its resident organizations, or have memories of childhood field trips. But they see these traditions fading in the younger generation, and some view The Z as a beautiful historic theatre that puts on quality shows even though the shows are “not for them.” The Z’s harshest critics view the organization as perpetuating systemic racism by not addressing diversity on the board of directors and staff, first and foremost. Those who believe The Z is inaccessible or irrelevant to people of color or residents with limited means cite programming choices and lack of authentic community involvement as the imbalance. In their opinion, The Z tailors and markets programs to affluent white older adults, chooses easy partners, and is faceless at the “community” level. They perceive an absence of relevant Black entertainment, exclusion of the city’s ethnically and racially diverse artists, and lack of engaging current programs for teens and young adults of color as the disconnect.
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We have a good collaborative relationship with The Z. They are open to reaching out and to being a good partner. They have residencies, offer workshops, and give out comp tickets to those in need. But they don't get the word out about their outreach efforts. They need to be more visible and show up at community forums and meetings, and they just aren't doing that as much as they should. Their board membership is a problem. Equity and equality are two different things. How are we supposed to understand that this is a place for us? They are moving in the right direction, but it is very slow. It's been going on for years. Selfreflection is hard, but they need to look at who they are choosing to be in different roles across the whole organization. Third Eye is a great example of an inclusive and relevant organization created from what the community wanted. If The Z isn't co-sponsoring things like that, they should look into it.
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Individuals closest to the organization who have established partnerships and knowledge of the organization’s anti-racist work view the organization as an inclusive community space working hard to evolve to meet the needs of a changing market. Others consider the organization as resistant to change, detached from collective local initiatives, absent from community events and neighborhoods that do not reflect their core patron base, and disinterested in authentic partnership. There is some adverse history here of having knocked on The Z’s door for years and being turned down one too many times to believe the commitment is there. Those who know the organization well know its people. These leaders have a more positive perception of the organization. They notice changes in program offerings, see participation in community meetings, and are aware of The Z’s work with schools. But those without a good personal relationship see The Z as faceless, hidden in plain sight, working in a silo. Some don’t trust The Z because they have not seen evidence of real change, are not included in shaping its future, and are only called on for ideas that don’t get implemented. Some simply don’t have The Z on their radar as a resource for the constituents they serve in their organizations. Even The Z’s harshest critics want the organization to thrive. They believe transformational change is key to sustainability, which can only be achieved by consistent presence with and investment in community engagement. These leaders of organizations and creative businesses work together regularly and feed off the synergy they find that lifts them all. They believe that if The Z trusted them as real partners, it would help propel the organization forward as it does their organizations. They stand ready to be called upon to help The Z make real change, build momentum, and spread more creativity and vitality throughout the city.
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It seems like they are a little "above" the community. I partner with a youth empowerment organization that focuses on the five pillars of hip hop. We've also tried to engage The Z to host events there and we have a 20+ year track record of hosting youth events around hip hop and have never had any issues of violence or illegal activity or anything that would raise a concern. There is still that perception and negative connotation that comes with hip hop. But that's my assumption as to why they don't engage. They just started to recently through the pandemic but it almost felt like desperation just to get people in there because they were losing money at the time. We haven't heard boo since. Being in this community, there's almost always a face to an organization. You know who is who. I don't know anybody at The Z. I have no idea who the face of it is. I've tried to work with them multiple times in different capacities and the effort just wasn't there. The intention was there. They talked about wanting to do all these things, but then when it came to actually doing it somebody always dropped the ball.
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Some community members perceive The Z as primarily a source of entertainment for people outside of the city who come in for shows but don’t stay downtown because of safety concerns. They may contribute to the city's economic vitality by spending their money at The Z, but they aren’t seen in local restaurants and bars in the area, just leaving the theater to head directly to their cars. People of color who live in the neighborhood, spend time downtown and work with residents in the housing authority residences nearby wonder what message it sends to these residents to see only white older people lined up to go in and then scurrying out when shows let out. It’s perceived as hiding in plain sight because nothing outside sends an inviting message.
The Z is perceived as a convenient option for entertainment, but generally not peoples’ top choice for going out, even among their core ticket-buyers. •
Roughly 25% of all people surveyed other than staff and board “strongly agree” that The Z is their top choice for going out for live entertainment. Programming drives participation, and study participants said they often go where the artists they follow are performing. They go to smaller music clubs, The Narrows, or venues in Providence, Boston, and New York for programs of more interest to them. Many describe their best nights “out on the town” will include hearing live music in a casual atmosphere such as local bars and restaurants, local high schools, venues on the Cape, Newport, outdoor festivals and fairs, and community events like AHA! nights.
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People not from here are afraid to be downtown. Marion and Mattapoisett people hate it. There are shady characters around there, so it gives the impression of being unsafe. They are invisible. Without fliers or a marquee, you don't even see them and have no idea what goes on there when you walk by or drive by. Nothing. It just looks dead. The Z needs to bring their programs into the community – outside of the downtown, not just having schools come to them. People think it is a place for people of means. Featuring local talent and finding ways of getting these groups into The Z to not only share their talents but to teach kids and adults. For example there is a Cape Verdean drumming group that works with the Cape Verdean Association. They need to find a way to showcase this kind of local talent. Their programming is varied, but it needs more diversity in that it’s missing the 30-45ish group. There's some middle ground that is not being met. The artists are either on their decline or just on their way up, but not the artists we follow.
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Ethnic community members spoke to fulfilling their cultural needs by being to see their cultural traditions and arts shared with the city through The Z. People of color and those with teenagers seek opportunities to see artists of color on stage that would inspire them and their children and reflect their creative interests such as hip hop and poetry. Artists wanted more ways to engage their performing arts students with The Z, by more opportunities to teach, mentor the next generation for cultural involvement both on stage and behind the curtain. To them, relevance was not always what The Z puts on the stage, but for the community to take the stage, be part of the performance in some way, and to showcase their own talents.
Younger adults, whether white, black or brown seek dynamic experiences that extend beyond the stage. •
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Younger adults in the focus groups expressed that the most compelling live entertainment for them are experiences that include ways to immerse, such as dance, sample foods and crafts from different cultures that are connected to the performances. They cited examples of how much they enjoyed when The Z programmed events that had salsa in the street and African dance workshops. Focus group participants spoke a lot about how they spend time downtown and wish there were more opportunities to include The Z as part of that experience. Again, this extends beyond mainstage productions which don’t generally resonate with them and they don’t see The Z represented at community celebrations, fairs, and festivals with tables of information. Some younger adults of color aren’t necessarily turned off by the programming and while they appreciate The Z as an historic structure, they seek more elegant and sophisticated experiences and go to Providence or Boston for their entertainment.
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I have never felt unwelcome at The Z. We grew up here and there is every race there, so I think they are realizing their mission well. Their vision does excite me. I mostly go to Providence or Boston – probably three or four times a month. I love live music. But I notice the demographic that goes to The Z is who it is being programmed for. It doesn't feel like the arts to me. It's trying to be the arts, but it feels like fakeness. There's no spice or cutting edge, something that challenges you. Sometimes you have to have thought-provoking programs that are different, new, and spicy. We have three kids who all play music. They don’t want to see a bunch of old white people on stage and in the audience. They want to see kids like them playing music on stage. Like Black Violin. Doing a cultural themed program that incorporates foods and art and stuff from the community makes the community part of The Z. That has gotten lost over time. If they have an Asian performer or something like that, have people bring their food trucks, bring vendors and local crafters and make things a real event. I’ve always had a great experience at The Z…but getting teens interested should be marketed through our youth organizations.
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Older people of color who frequent The Z view the organization as diverse and inclusive, friendly and welcoming. •
Focus group participants of color with history as patrons were quick to share how they have noticed a change in programming that is more inclusive and interesting to them, particularly collaborations with the Lyceum. For The Z to be more relevant to their peers and young black professionals, they believe some programs should tie to stories and personalities representing New Bedford history. They spoke to feeling welcome and comfortable at The Z and go elsewhere for programming that is of higher caliber, more contemporary, or shows that are out-of-reach of The Z (due to truck limits or size). The Whaling Museum was noted as an organization that appeals to the community in this way.
Barriers to attendance and involvement are not limited to programming and lack of community presence. •
Other barriers to inclusion include lack of information, cost, and communication, as well as a few negative experiences interacting with staff and volunteers.
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Few participants in the focus groups receive direct information from The Z and they are unaware of marketing efforts in their local neighborhoods. Those who are not engaged do not follow The Z on social media or look at the website. They go to events they hear of by word of mouth or from posters they see in their neighborhood stores, diners, and libraries. They expect The Z to reach out to them, not to have to seek out information on their own.
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One focus group participant among 44 was aware of the Card for Culture program and it was very exciting to those who receive benefits to hear about this program.
Zeiterion Community Marketing Research |2022
I love plays, book signings, and all of that stuff. The real barrier is mostly money. Knowing that EBT benefits apply there is a huge solution. I've never heard that before. I think about how information about AHA! Night is everywhere. It's all on big posters and in all the libraries. That's unexpected and we notice it. You never see anything about The Z at the library. My boyfriend and I take care of teenagers and we can't take them there because there is nothing current that they would enjoy. Or even talented kids their age to see perform. When I used to go to The Z I would leave feeling like "wow." Now it's like "meh". I had no idea I could use my benefits there. The performers at The Z don't resonate with teens because they have no clue who these people are. They need to have artists that feel more familiar to them. You don't see community involvement with who plays there like there used to be. Poetry is huge for teens right now and they could have poetry events, spoken word they would like, and book signings and author book signings that tie to that age group.
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Community spaces are perceived as offering ways for everyone and anyone to participate in meaningful, joyful, and accessible programs. •
Many comments around “community spaces” centered on multi-generational participation. People talked about programs to which they can bring their children and their parents, where all would find something enjoyable out of the experience.
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When discussing the organizations perceived as “community spaces,” people mentioned the YWCA, Community Foundation, libraries, AHA! Nights, Groundwork, 3rd Eye, the Whaling Museum, the New Bedford Performing Arts Center (dance school), the parks department, and The Narrows as offering an array of programs and an environment that embodies a spirit of community and delivers on that promise.
Audience members have a role to play in a performing arts organization’s commitment to inclusivity and anti-racist policies, but perspective differs among white and non-white audiences. •
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More white survey respondents said that the audience has a role to play in an organization’s commitment to inclusivity and anti-racist policies than survey respondents of color, which may imply a difference in perception of role versus responsibility. In summarizing the role audiences might play in an organization’s commitment to inclusivity and antiracist policies, the following themes emerged: Be the change. Treat other audience members, staff, and artists with respect, kindness, and courtesy to contribute to an atmosphere of tolerance, acceptance, welcome, and respect for the policies in place. (27%)
Progress moves at the rate of trust. There is no trust. All of us work in and with the community. We are community and we make each other stronger by working together. With so many failed efforts to try and work with The Z in the past, we just don't have trust there. They don't respond, don't follow through, or just seem to talk about community but not do with community. That's got to change. Word of mouth is almost the only thing families pay attention to when it comes to going out and that they are treated well. When we have a great experience, we tell everybody! People talk and that matters more than almost anything. Young Black people want hip hop programming and they won't do it. We were told it was an insurance issue. They also need to diversify their ushers and find ways to train teenagers of color to be ushers…They should consider working with the New Bedford Workforce people on this type of thing.
Stretch. Attend and celebrate performances outside of their comfort zone, show support of diversity efforts by attending diverse Zeiterion Community Marketing Research |2022
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programming, experimenting with crosscultural experiences, and frequent organizations that demonstrate commitment and do not support organizations that don’t. (20%) Be heard. Provide input on the programming choices, make informed recommendations and suggestions for artists, shows, and outreach opportunities. Make your voice heard and contribute to the policy development and evolving conversation. (12% Hold people accountable. Hold other audience members and the organization accountable by modeling anti-racist behavior, sharing information on efforts made, speaking up, voicing concerns, helping to ensure policies are enforced. (11%) Show up. Support the organization’s efforts by showing up. Buy tickets to shows, make contributions, and encourage others to show support by showing up (10%) Be an ally. Champion The Z’s anti-racism efforts by pledging support, helping to spread the word, educating your community, and showing appreciation for The Z’s efforts on inclusivity. (6%) Get involved. Participate in these efforts by volunteering for The Z, advocating within your community, engaging in practices promoted by the organization, and communicating with others. (4%)
Zeiterion Community Marketing Research |2022
The last show I saw at The Z was Black Violin. I attended with a friend and we were very excited to see the show and were not disappointed! It was awesome. We were glad we chose to go and grateful for The Z for having this show. I know they give tickets for students to attend performances, which is great. But they are not giving them to the parents. What happens here is that the kids get so excited about what they went to and they bring that cultural experience back home and the parents end up disappointing their kids because they can't bring them back for a show. It is not a holistic approach. I go to the Narrows, mostly I like to go to hear music. Some big names, and some up and comers. It's a very homey atmosphere there and a good time. Because it's also got different things going on with an art gallery. They had a fabric festival that included programming out into the street. Their fall festival is very good. It's a younger crowd, but the capacity is smaller. The audience is also more diversified than The Z.
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10 Perception Metrics Related to Mission While the focus groups provided narrative feedback regarding The Z’s mission and vision, the survey asked respondents to indicate their level of agreement on the 10 mission-related metrics established for this study. This exercise revealed a disparity in opinion between board and staff as well as between internal and external stakeholders, and some disparity between white survey respondents and respondents of color. •
Internally, board and staff in “strong agreement” with the 10 statements were farthest apart in feeling The Z is “an equitable organization” (25% spread), “making me feel welcome, at home” (25% spread), “offering programs for people of all walks of life” (22% spread), and being their “top choice for entertainment” (20% spread). In all cases, the percentage of board members in “strong agreement” with these statements was higher than it was for staff.
Zeiterion Community Marketing Research |2022
Ranking the 10 Metrics by Average Agreement Score 1. Proud it’s in New Bedford 2. Accessible to me, my family, my community 3. A place I enjoy being 4. Makes me feel welcome, at home 5. Well-known among my friends, my community 6. Premier SouthCoast venue 7. Offers something for everyone 8. Unites the community 9. Is an inclusive and equitable organization 10. Is top choice for live entertainment
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Among board members, the smallest percentage reporting “strong agreement” on the statements were with “uniting community by serving as a hub for cultural activities” and being an “equitable and inclusive organization” (25%). More staff than board (30%) “strongly agreed” that “The Z unites community,” but zero staff “strongly agreed” that The Z is an “equitable and inclusive organization.”
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Among Z ticket-buyers, the largest percentage reporting “strong agreement” on the statements were in “feeling proud that it’s in New Bedford” (61%) “offering programs for people from all walks of life” (61%), and being “accessible to me, my family, my community” (58%). 25% of Z ticket-buyers “strongly agree” that The Z is their top choice for going out for live entertainment. Offering “programming for people from all walks of life” (24% spread) and being an “equitable and inclusive organization” (14% spread) are the areas in which Z-tickets buyers differ most with general community (no ticket history) in reporting “strong agreement” with the statements.
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Community leaders responding to the survey were in “strong agreement” with “making me feel proud that it’s in New Bedford (88%), “being well-known among friends and family, my community” (63%), and smallest percentage overall in “strong agreement” that The Z “unites our community by serving as a hub for cultural activities.”
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Survey respondents of color and those who are white showed lower percentages on most of the statements compared with board and staff members, but were in closer alignment with each other. White respondents reporting that they “strongly agree” showed the largest percentage for community pride, accessibility, and welcome and the smallest percentage for being their “top choice for going out for entertainment.”
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Across all 10 metrics, a smaller percentage of respondents of color were in “strong agreement” with the statements, but the disparity only ranged from a spread of 3% to 15%, with the exception of feeling “proud that it’s in New Bedford (23% spread).
Equity is hugely important to the residents of New Bedford and probably not as important to the audiences that go The Z's programs. There are about 40% minorities of different types here. They need to hear what these community members want to see. Start some equity training. The staff and board don't represent the diversity in our city. It’s not seen as a community space because they’ve reached out to us so many times before and we see no change. The leadership there has so much opportunity to realize their vision if they would involve us. Not just keep asking us what we want and not doing anything. If they involved us in helping to create and develop the community programs we know will engage our people it would be a reciprocal relationship. They’d have so much to gain, but they don’t do the real work necessary to turn that corner. They want us to diversify their audience for them and don’t realize that we are the ones trusted in our community that could build the bridge with them if we felt this work was authentic. I’m not sure it is. We will have to see. We are happy to share our perspectives with you, but we’ve been down this road a number of times, and nothing.
That said, I believe The Z is incredibly important to New Bedford. I want it to thrive and be truly connected with our community. But it’s not.
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