APRIL 25 - 27 FRIDAY TO SUNDAY 10 AM - 6 PM
The ArtWRKD Plan of Action​
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To promote and market the Bucks Art Districts Tour with a focus on regional involvement and overnight tourism, ArtWRKD will target both residents and potential visitors from nearby regions.
Here are some strategies ArtWRKD will implement.
Collaborate with Local Tourism Authorities:
Partner with local tourism boards and authorities to leverage their expertise and resources in promoting the event to regional tourists. This collaboration can involve joint marketing efforts, inclusion in tourism brochures, and listing on tourism websites.
Create a Dedicated Event Website: Develop a user-friendly, informative, and visually appealing website specifically for the Bucks Art Districts Tour. The website should provide essential information, including event dates, participating artists, studio locations, and accommodation options for overnight visitors.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Optimize the event website for search engines to ensure it ranks well for relevant keywords related to art tourism and studio tours. This can help attract organic traffic from people searching for cultural experiences in the region.
Social Media Promotion: Use social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Threads to create buzz and engage with the community. Share artist profiles, behind-the-scenes content, and sneak peeks of the studios to generate interest and excitement.
Regional Advertising Campaigns: Invest in targeted advertising campaigns on regional platforms, including local newspapers, magazines, radio stations, and digital media outlets. Advertise the event as a cultural highlight and emphasize the opportunity for a weekend getaway.
Email Marketing: Build and segment an email list of potential attendees and past visitors. Send out regular email updates, newsletters, and exclusive offers to encourage regional involvement and overnight stays.
Collaborate with Local Businesses: Partner with local hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, and shops to create special packages or discounts for overnight tourists attending the studio tour. Cross-promote these offerings on the event website and through marketing materials.
Community Engagement: Host pre-event events or workshops in collaboration with local businesses or art organizations to engage the community and generate excitement leading up to the studio tour.
Engage Influencers: Identify local or regional art influencers and bloggers who can help promote the event through their social media channels and blogs. Consider inviting them for a special pre-tour preview.
Regional Art Associations: Collaborate with nearby art associations and cultural organizations to help promote the studio tour to their members and networks. They can also provide valuable insights into reaching the regional art community.
Travel Packages: Partner with travel agencies or online platforms to create travel packages that include the studio tour as a featured cultural experience. Promote these packages to potential overnight tourists.
Feedback and Testimonials: Encourage past attendees, especially those who have experienced overnight stays, to provide testimonials and share their positive experiences on social media and review platforms.
Promotional Materials: Design and distribute promotional materials such as brochures, posters, and rack cards to visitor centers, hotels, and tourist information points within the region.
Engage Local Media: Reach out to regional newspapers, TV stations, and online media outlets to secure coverage of the studio tour. Arrange interviews with artists, organizers, or notable attendees.
Regular Updates and Countdown: Create a marketing calendar with regular updates, countdowns, and reminders leading up to the event to keep regional interest and anticipation high.
By implementing these strategies, ArtWRKD can effectively promote the Bucks County Studio Tour as a regional cultural highlight, encourage overnight tourism, and engage both the local community and regional art enthusiasts.
The weekend Bucks County Artist Studio Tour can have a positive impact on the local economy in several ways:
Increased Tourism: The studio tour attracts visitors from both the local area and surrounding regions. These visitors often stay overnight, dine in local restaurants, and spend money on accommodations, transportation, and entertainment. This influx of tourists boosts the local hospitality and tourism industry.
Restaurant and Catering Services: Tour attendees frequently dine at local restaurants and cafes during their visit. This can lead to increased sales for eateries in the area, especially those that offer special promotions or discounts during the event.
Retail Sales: The studio tour often includes opportunities for attendees to purchase artwork directly from the participating artists. Additionally, many artists create small, affordable items that can be sold as souvenirs or gifts. This boosts sales at local boutiques, art galleries, and shops.
Accommodation: As visitors come from outside the immediate area, local hotels, bed and breakfasts, and other lodging establishments benefit from increased bookings. Special tour-related packages or promotions can further incentivize overnight stays.
Transportation Services: Local taxi services, rideshares, and public transportation may see increased demand as visitors travel to and from the studio tour locations.
Community Engagement: The studio tour fosters a sense of community engagement and pride. It showcases the local art scene, and residents often participate as attendees. This sense of community can lead to increased local support for the arts and cultural activities.
Economic Spin-Off: Beyond direct spending, the increased activity generated by the studio tour can have ripple effects throughout the local economy. Increased business for local vendors, suppliers, and service providers can lead to job creation and economic growth.
Increased Visibility: Hosting a successful studio tour can attract positive media coverage and draw attention to the region as a cultural destination. This can encourage future tourism and cultural activities.
Support for Local Artists: The studio tour provides a platform for local artists to showcase their work and generate income. This, in turn, supports the livelihoods of artists who often contribute to the local economy through their spending.
Sponsorship Opportunities: Local businesses may have the opportunity to sponsor the studio tour, further injecting funds into the event and supporting local artists. These sponsorships can lead to increased visibility for the businesses involved.
Enhanced Property Values: A thriving arts community can enhance the overall appeal of an area, potentially leading to increased property values and attracting businesses and residents to the region.
In summary, the weekend Bucks County Artist Studio Tour has the potential to stimulate economic activity in the local community by attracting visitors, promoting local businesses, supporting artists, and fostering community engagement. It not only provides cultural enrichment but also serves as an economic driver for the region.
As a rough estimate, such studio tours can draw anywhere from several hundred to thousands of visitors over the course of a weekend or multiple days. Additionally, the event's reputation and success can grow over time, leading to increased visitation in subsequent years.
Implementing QR codes at each studio on the Bucks Art Districts Tour to direct visitors to explore hospitality businesses in the area can have a significant impact on both the tour and the surrounding tourism and hospitality industry. Here's a demonstration of how this project can support these businesses:
1. QR Code Integration:
Each participating artist studio on the tour can display a QR code prominently in their studio space. This QR code can be linked to a digital map or webpage that provides information on nearby hospitality businesses, including hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, cafes, and other attractions.
2. Marketing Booklet with Sponsored Advertisements:
To complement the QR code system, a marketing booklet will be created and distributed to tour attendees. This booklet would serve as a physical guide to the tour, featuring information about the participating artists, their studios, and the tour schedule. Importantly, it can also include sponsored advertisements from local hospitality businesses. This will be one of the marketing items the grant will fund.
3. QR Code Usage:
When visitors scan the QR code at a studio, they will be directed to the digital map or webpage that lists nearby hospitality businesses. The map can include details such as:
Accommodation options with direct links to booking platforms.
A list of local restaurants, cafes, and dining establishments.
Information about nearby attractions and activities.
Special promotions or discounts offered by participating businesses exclusively for studio tour attendees.
4. Benefits for Hospitality Businesses:
Increased Visibility: Hospitality businesses that advertise in the marketing booklet and support the tour through sponsorship gain increased visibility among attendees actively seeking accommodations and dining options.
Direct Engagement: The QR code system directly engages studio tour attendees, guiding them to nearby hospitality businesses that align with their interests.
Cross-Promotion: Local hospitality businesses can cross-promote each other within the digital map or webpage, creating a collaborative ecosystem that benefits the entire community.
Visitor Support: Tour attendees are more likely to support businesses they discover through the QR code system, as they are actively seeking local services during their visit.
Community Investment: By supporting the studio tour, hospitality businesses demonstrate their commitment to the local arts and cultural scene, fostering a sense of community and pride.
Data Collection: The QR code system can also collect data on user engagement, allowing event organizers and businesses to analyze the impact of the project and make improvements in subsequent years.
In summary, integrating QR codes at each studio and providing a marketing booklet with sponsored advertisements can create a mutually beneficial relationship between the Bucks County Artist Studio Tour and local hospitality businesses. It enhances the visitor experience, supports local businesses, and fosters community engagement while promoting the cultural and artistic richness of the region.
ArtWRKD would like to recognize the Bucks County Tourism Grant Program for the support of this project.
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