Positioning Cultural Programming for Mainstream Media Coverage

Most cultural institutions are trapped in an echo chamber, pitching exclusively to arts publications that reach people already converted to cultural programming. Do you notice an issue here?

Your contemporary art exhibition just secured a thoughtful review in the local arts weekly. Your experimental theater piece got mentioned in the university cultural magazine. Your new sculpture installation was featured on the regional arts blog.

And your attendance numbers remain stubbornly low.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: most cultural institutions are trapped in an echo chamber, pitching exclusively to arts publications that reach people already converted to cultural programming. Meanwhile, mainstream media—with audiences ten times larger—remains largely untapped because cultural organizations don’t know how to translate their programming into broader narratives.

The Arts Media Trap

Arts publications are vanishing. The journalists who remain cover multiple beats and receive hundreds of pitches weekly. Even when you secure coverage, you’re preaching to the choir—reaching people who already attend cultural events rather than expanding your audience.

Mainstream media, however, needs compelling content daily. Local news outlets, business publications, lifestyle magazines, and community papers are hungry for stories that connect with their readers’ lives. The challenge isn’t getting their attention—it’s learning to speak their language.

The Reframing Strategy

Successful mainstream coverage requires shifting from arts-centered thinking to audience-centered positioning. Instead of leading with artistic concepts, lead with human impact.

Consider these transformations: