arts & education

At Corinthian, our consultants are familiar with the unique and delicate aspects of managing cultural and educational organizations.

Our President and founder, Laura Illig, for example, is the daughter of two PhDs and the wife of a tenured professor. In addition to being an amateur actress and artist, she is also qualified as a sensei in the modernist Sogetsu school of Japanese flower arrangement. Indeed, she has spent a lifetime immersed in academia and the arts.

As a result of these and other experiences, we understand the inherent and often uncomfortable tension between the pursuit of artistic and scholarly goals, and the need to run an efficient and effective operation – one that satisfies the needs and wants of multiple and often demanding constituencies.

higher education

Colleges and universities have unique marketing and cultural challenges. They have numerous stakeholders and multiple, overlapping audiences, all with a well-developed sense of entitlement. Moreover, marketing and business efficiency themselves may be suspect concepts for many higher ed stakeholders.

Nonetheless, the educational marketplace is highly competitive, and – especially in this economic climate – is growing increasingly more so.

As a result, high-quality marketing and a well-developed strategic vision are vital for the success of educational institutions. In fact, the ability to articulate a powerful and expressive brand identity is necessary to attract the best students and faculty, to secure increasingly scarce donations and funding, and to build a cohesive community and culture of learning.

Corinthian recently helped the University of Oregon to better understand its relationship with corporate donors in order to retain and grow those affiliations. After conducting a survey of major donors, our consultants provided the UO with concrete recommendations for improving its donor relations program and implementing broad-based cultural changes across campus. As a result of Corinthian’s research and counsel, the University was able to improve program efficiency, increase its donor base, and enhance donor satisfaction. Corinthian is currently working on a similar project for Oregon Health & Science University, the state's leading teaching hospital.

arts

Art serves as a unifying and humanizing force for our society, and the study of the arts is an essential part of public education. Meanwhile, art and art institutions are valuable economic engines. However, as with higher education, the value of the arts is not universally appreciated.

Arts organizations always need good marketing, but this is especially true during challenging economic times. Even as government dollars for arts continue to shrink, private funding and community support are more critical than ever.

Corinthian consultants assist the management and Boards of Directors of arts and cultural institutions to develop sound strategic plans, formulate marketing and public relations goals, and communicate effectively with multiple audiences using multiple communication channels. We also counsel arts organizations on Board development and leadership development.

Above all, however, Corinthian seeks to address the specific challenges faced by each individual client by developing customized solutions to their particular needs. We are always happy to have a no-fee strategic discussion about your organization’s goals and opportunities. Please contact us to discuss how we can help you build the foundations of your success.