Services

At Cole Arts & Education Consulting, we specialize in three core practice areas:

Marketing: Building Enrollment and Membership

The COVID-19 pandemic deeply impacted enrollment in community arts education and membership in arts service organizations. Many are still recovering.

At Hoff-Barthelson Music School (HB), where Ken served as Executive Director from 2016 to 2023, enrollment rebounded to pre-pandemic levels within 18 months—thanks to a data-driven, digitally focused marketing strategy launched just before the pandemic hit. Despite a modest budget, HB achieved a 300% increase in placement interview requests by aligning its efforts with evolving best practices and eliminating outdated approaches.

This experience taught us that:

  • Data-driven decisions matter
  • Efficiency and integration are key
  • Modest budgets can still yield major results

We are eager to share these lessons with community arts education providers nationwide. In October 2025, we’ll be leading a three-part webinar series on digital marketing in partnership with the National Guild for Community Arts Education and are available for consulting engagements.

At the national level, Ken successfully grew membership for multiple arts service organizations. His method? Direct, thoughtful outreach grounded in listening, followed by responsive programming and peer connection. This relationship-first approach led to increased recruitment, engagement, and member retention—proving that even in the digital age, old-school relationship-building remains highly effective.

Fundraising & Capacity Building

With over 35 years of experience in every facet of fundraising—including annual funds, major donor and capital campaigns, grant writing, and special event production—we’ve helped raise tens of millions of dollars for arts and education organizations across the country.

Our complementary experience as a grant maker gives us valuable insight into what drives institutional funders and how to successfully engage them. We’re particularly interested in integrating fundraising with program development and strategic planning.

How we can support your organization:

  • Secure Grants
    We’ll help identify the most fundable aspects of your work, develop a tailored list of prospects, conduct initial outreach, write compelling proposals, and set up efficient systems to manage reporting requirements.

  • Design and Execute Fundraising Campaigns
    Whether you’re strengthening an annual fund campaign or launching a special project (such as a capital campaign), we can assess your current performance, identify growth opportunities, craft a cost-efficient development plan, and support you through its execution.

  • Produce Special Events
    Events should inspire generosity, spotlight your mission, and deliver a strong return. With decades of experience, we specialize in creating events—from intimate donor gatherings to large-scale galas—that energize supporters without draining your budget.

Program Design & Evaluation

hands writing words with black markers

We have decades of experience in designing and evaluating programs at both the local and national levels. Our work spans:

  • Local Programs
    Focused primarily on community arts education, including tuition-based offerings for all ages and grant-funded initiatives to expand access for under-served populations.

  • National Programs
    We’ve designed large-scale initiatives serving the choral, orchestral, and arts education sectors. Highlights include:

    • Partners in Arts Education
      Fostered partnerships between community arts providers and public schools to expand access for under-served K–12 students.

    • Creativity Matters: Arts and Aging
      Supported professionally led, participatory arts programs for older adults.

    • Engaging Adolescents
      Advanced arts-based youth development programs and co-convened the first national Creative Youth Development Summit with the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

    • Leadership Development Programs
      Including the National Guild’s Community Arts Education Leadership Institute, the League of American Orchestras’ Emerging Leaders and Essentials of Orchestra Management programs, and GALA Choruses’ Music Directors Institute.

    • Board Development Programs
      Delivered for member organizations of GALA Choruses, the Guild, and the League.

    • National Conferences & International Events
      Produced for GALA, the Guild, and the League, as well as international music festivals for GALA Choruses and the Gay Games.
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