Spotlight on Narrative Marketing at the Grassroots Level (Virtual Workshop)
Nothing makes an impact quite like a powerful story.
This past October, we were excited to formally launch our Narrative Marketing Initiative — a new, year-long program that aims to help artists and arts organizations confidently share the value and impact of their work through storytelling.
While marketing can feel daunting or intimidating at times, artists are natural storytellers. This program builds upon that strength, combining it with practical tools and communication strategies to help connect with audiences, funders, partners and communities. And we're just getting started. (Click here to read more about the Narrative Marketing Initiative.)
Next Wednesday, January 28, we're pleased to present the first workshop of the season, and the first of four workshops as part of this new initiative: Narrative Marketing at the Grassroots Level, facilitated by John Devereaux, Creative Director at Perfect Day Canada. (This virtual workshop is free to attend and all are welcome. Click here for more information on Narrative Marketing at the Grassroots Level and to register.)
Since 2001, Devereaux has been helping bring brands to life, creating award-winning campaigns for clients in Amsterdam, London, and Newfoundland and Labrador. In this introductory workshop, he'll lay the foundation for narrative marketing with a focus on practical storytelling using what you already have — ideal for small teams and solo artists working with limited time and resources.
John Devereaux gives a featured talk at the 2024 (Un)Common Threads Creativity & Innovation Summit on November 7 at the Sheraton Hotel in St. John's. Leona Rockwood Photography
In the session, participants will learn how to:
Identify compelling stories rooted in real impact
Clarify narrative without big budgets
Build communications that feel genuine and effective
Why Does Narrative Marketing Matter?
Traditional marketing can feel technical or intimidating. Narrative marketing reframes it around authentic storytelling, where numbers and data are connected to meaningful impact.
Stories unlock meaning. They reveal how arts experiences transform lives, strengthen communities, and drive creativity and innovation, in ways that metrics alone can’t convey.
Through narrative marketing, arts organizations can:
Tell their stories with confidence
Connect metrics to meaning
Engage audiences and supporters authentically
Strengthen their case for funding, partnerships and visibility
During our launch event in the fall, a half-day, in-person session brought together key creative voices, shared inspiration and sparked community dialogue.
Dave Sullivan (marketing specialist/writer) addresses the crowd at the kick-off event for the Narrative Marketing Initiative at Alt Hotel in St. John’s on October 9.
We're continuing this momentum into the new year by offering practical, hands-on workshops through January to May that build skills for narrative thinking in different arenas of organizational practice. (Click here to learn more about our upcoming workshops.)
From June to August, Narrative Marketing Activation Funds will support non-profit arts organizations to work with copywriters, designers, photographers and other specialists to bring their stories to life. These funds support sustained participation in the full-year initiative with priority given to organizations that attend the launch event and all four workshops (with decreasing priority for those attending fewer total events).
We hope you'll join us for this exciting new program and learn how storytelling can amp up your marketing efforts and help build stronger connections!
Workshop: Narrative Marketing at the Grassroots Level
Date/Time: Wednesday, January 28 from 11am–12:30pm NST
Location: Online via Zoom
Price: Free
Registration: Click here to register for the workshop "Narrative Marketing at the Grassroots Level"
Click here to learn more about the Narrative Marketing Initiative.
