One of our members was interested in discovering more about the potential of education programs, particularly how they can be expanded and strategically monetized while balancing revenue generation and accessibility.

To better understand this, we spoke with two arts organizations from the theatre and museum landscape to explore the spectrum of education departments operating with earned revenue targets versus those without; how new education programs originate within organizations and how they are evolving; different categories within adult programming; budget and program pricing insights; the role of earned versus contributed revenue in education departments; and how organizations engage the board and other stakeholders.

Main findings include:

• Exploring how theatre can advance other fields creates strong opportunities for impact, partnerships, and long-term growth.

• Strengthening engagement-driven work - even when not immediately revenue-generating - builds future audiences, reinforces community relevance, and ultimately supports both earned and contributed revenue.

• Program development requires time, relationship-building, and capacity; investing in staff accelerates sustainable and multiplied impact.

• Effective data collection is essential to track growth, assess impact, adapt programs, and demonstrate results.

• Clear cross-departmental structures are critical to program success.

• Expanding physical space unlocks richer programming, deeper engagement, and new revenue streams, amplifying overall impact.

The full report is available to ABA members by clicking below.

This article is related to a recently completed custom research project conducted on behalf of an ABA member. Our research team is always delighted to speak with members about tailoring research projects to your organization. To learn more or submit a custom research request, simply contact your member advisor or email us at info@advisoryarts.com.