With deep expertise in performing arts and arts education at the local and national levels, Cole Arts and Education Consulting focuses our work in three areas:
- fund raising
- digital marketing
- program design and evaluation
We specialize in helping our clients with project-based work in each of these arenas and enjoy leveraging our expertise to help grow your organization’s capacity
Ken Cole – Principal, Cole Arts & Education Consulting
Ken Cole brings more than 30 years of experience in the arts and education sectors, with a career that spans leadership roles at both the local and national levels. As Principal of Cole Arts and Education Consulting, he partners with performing arts, arts education, and service organizations to strengthen fundraising, marketing, program design, and organizational capacity. His consulting approach is grounded in a deep understanding of nonprofit dynamics, creative leadership, and strategic growth.
Ken has led the development of national capacity-building initiatives for community arts education organizations, choruses, and orchestras, collaborating with major funders including the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Wallace Foundation, American Express, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. His work combines strategy development, the identification and promulgation of best practices, training, technical assistance, grantmaking, and evaluation to help organizations increase their impact.
Ken has deep experience at the local level as well, with particular expertise in fundraising, marketing, strategic planning, and program development. He has raised millions of dollars for the organizations he’s served during his career.
Before launching his consulting practice, Ken served as Executive Director of Hoff-Barthelson Music School and held senior roles with the League of American Orchestras, National Guild for Community Arts Education, Levine Music, GALA Choruses, and the Fairfax Symphony. He is a frequent speaker at national conferences and has served on multiple grant panels and nonprofit boards.
Tyler Smith – Marketing, Cole Arts & Education Consulting
Tyler Smith is a digital marketing strategist who builds enrollment funnels that drive sustainable growth for educational institutions. He brings particular expertise in helping schools harness digital tools to expand their reach and deepen engagement with prospective families. While consulting with Hoff-Barthelson Music School, Tyler played a key role in designing and executing digital initiatives that successfully restored enrollment and expanded the school’s prospective student pipeline. His work focuses on creating integrated marketing ecosystems that not only generate qualified leads but also transform how schools build relationships, tell their stories, and grow vibrant communities. Tyler has designed and optimized enrollment systems for Montessori schools, independent schools, colleges, and mission-driven organizations, always aligning digital strategy with institutional values and goals.