For those arts organizations trying to make an impression in a large market, the key requirement is to focus on the small set of prospective audience members or donors who are most likely to support the organization.  This typically takes the form of direct mail/email marketing and as aggressive a public relations effort as can possibly be achieved.

 

Your paid advertising will typically be dwarfed by numerous larger competitors in larger markets.  And posters are rarely visible to many in a large urban area (unless your primary audience comes from a clearly defined area such as a college campus.) 

 

But mailing brochures and postcards and emailing advertisements to those who have come to your performances, and those who seem to have an affinity for your art, is a very focused approach that should be effective.

An aggressive public relations campaign will help your organization achieve broader exposure than direct mail, but will have little or no expense if you can succeed in getting newspapers, local radio or television stations, or other media outlets to cover one of your productions.