What We Did

I managed marketing and market-entry work for Seattle’s new $100 million Conru Art Foundation. I supervised a four-person team running qualitative research with Seattle’s art community, including one-on-one interviews, focus groups, ethnography, and observation diaries. The research captured awareness of the Conru Art Foundation, perceptions of local art foundations, and expectations for how a foundation should support artists and cultural organizers. I turned those findings into messaging, positioning, and creative recommendations, and I developed marketing materials based on what we learned. I also oversaw communications and marketing strategy for the launch of the Foundation’s curated Art Love Gallery.

 

Why We Did It

 

​The Conru Art Foundation was a new entrant in a crowded and opinionated cultural landscape. The foundation had clear internal values and ambition, but limited external visibility and an undefined role in the Seattle arts ecosystem. The work needed to establish credibility with the community, clarify what the Conru Art Foundation stands for, and create a strategy that could guide consistent communication and long-term engagement.

 

My Role

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• Managed the marketing and market-entry project for the Conru Art Foundation.

• Supervised a four-person research team and led the qualitative research approach.

• Directed interviews, focus groups, ethnography, and observation diary work.

• Synthesized insights into messaging, positioning, and creative direction.

• Presented findings to Managing Director Marty Griswold and created marketing materials from the insights.

• Oversaw communications and marketing strategy for the Art Love Gallery launch event.

 

Outcome

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• Built a clear, evidence-based understanding of how Seattle’s art community evaluates foundations and what builds trust.

• Created positioning and messaging tailored to community expectations and cultural context.

• Delivered marketing materials and a communications roadmap that enabled the internal team to activate the brand and support the Art Love Gallery launch.