MAKE.

ART
MAKE.SOUND
MAKE.SHIFT
a campaign proposal for Make.Shift Art Space

presented by
communications

TABLE of
CONTENTS
Introduction............................................... 01
Plan of Action............................................ 02
Project Narrative..................................... 03
Situation Analysis................................... 08
Research.................................................. 08
Objectives............................................... 12
Strategies &Tactics................................. 13
Evaluation................................................14
Timeline......................................................16
Budget........................................................18
Related PR Materials.................................20
Calendar Poster.......................................21
Press Releases.........................................22
Radio PSA Script..................................... 24
Submission FAQs................................... 25
Instagram Campaign..............................26
Branding Guide...................................... 27
Contact List............................................. 33
Print Collateral.........................................34
About Us.................................................... 36
Appendices................................................37
Menchies Fundraising Flyer..................38
Survey.......................................................39
Research Paper........................................41

INTRODUCTION
MAKE.SHIFT
Our mission is to engage the community
by providing accessible programs and a safe,
all-ages space for artists, musicians, students
and their projects to thrive.

OUR MISSION
Polaris Communications is committed to providing informed, creative
and social-media savvy public relations services based on in-depth research and focused targets and objectives. Our namesake, the North Star,
has been used for centuries as a celestial beacon, helping sailors navigate
uncharted waters. Similarly, we aim to help our clients set sail in the right
direction and guide them every step of the way. Our objective is to meet
our clients goals and desires by familiarizing ourselves with our client and
their publics. We strive to think outside of the box to create campaigns
that fit our clients needs.

PLAN of
ACTION

PROJECT NARRATIVE
POLARIS COMMUNICATIONS strives to provide creative campaigns for its clients. A part-

nership between Polaris and Make.Shift Art Space would result in effective solutions to awareness and attendance concerns while remaining in line with Make.Shifts mission. Our campaign aims to create stronger community partnerships, raise general attendance to the space
and its events, with a particular focus on students.

We gathered information from convenience survey data to create plan a campaign
that meets Make.Shifts desires to create stronger ties to community youth. Survey research
showed that performance art appealed to a younger audience whereas visual art was more
popular among older respondents, therefore the campaign is focused on promoting both mediums as a way to reach students and their parents. Survey data also showed that the majority
of respondents are notified about events through social media platforms.

The lynchpin of this campaign is a month of events centered on student artists, titled
Make.Shifts Month of Magic. All of the promotional tactics for this event are designed to
build off of Make.Shifts current strengths, and be flexible enough to use for a variety of
events not just the ones we describe in this campaign.

This campaign is intended to draw in target audiences by expanding upon what Make.
Shift already does well.

TARGET AUDIENCES

BELLINGHAM FAMILIES: Make.Shift wants

to target youth and families to promote
space as all-ages and to increase general
attendance and awareness.
STUDENTS: Polaris identified students of
all ages as primary audience because of
their general lack of opportunities to showcase art and music and low levels of awareness of or attendance to Make.Shift based
on survey data.

STUDENT MONTH

The main tactic of this campaign is a month-long celebration of student art and
music titled Make.Shifts Month of Magic. During Month of Magic, student artwork
will be displayed in Make.Shifts gallery, workshops will be offered in various mediums and
open to students of all ages, Make.Shift will open their doors for late-night coffee and creative time and student bands will have the opportunity to perform at a culminating music
showcase. All of these events will be free and open to the public. The objective of these
events is to bring more students, friends and family to Make.Shift and encourage them
to engage with the programs. These events could potentially be promoted in Bellingham
Public Schools. Polaris Communications has contacted District Communications Manager
Jacqueline Brawley about making announcements in classrooms.

GALLERY SHOWS

Beginning during Art Walk on Friday, June 3, student visual art will be showcased

in Make.Shifts gallery. Works in painting, sketching, sculpture, photo and other visual mediums will be on display throughout the first two weeks of June. Students are encouraged
to submit works whether they be individual or part of a series. The last two weeks of June
will showcase band posters made by local artists for student groups performing at Battle
of the Bands. Local artists will collaborate with these students to provide promotional material that they may not otherwise have access to. These artists will donate their services in
exchange for studio time and the posters will continue to be on display the day of Battle
of the Bands and be available for purchase. Polaris Communications has contacted artists
that are currently using Make.Shift studio spaces and has received positive feedback about
the exchange.

CREATIVE CRASH COURSE

As a part of student month, Make.Shift will host volunteer-led workshops every
Wednesday at 3pm. Focuses and dates are as follows: June 1 - music composition, June 8 drawing and sketching, June 15 - videography and filmmaking, June 23 - radio and June 30
- photography. Each workshop will be led by community volunteers or Western students
versed in the medium. Workshops will be free and open to the public. These workshops
are intended to introduce new visitors to Make.Shift by inviting them to practice and hone
skills as well as network and create ties with community members sharing similar interests.

MIDNIGHT AT MAKE.SHIFT

In efforts to promote Make.Shift as an all-ages art space and to strengthen relations with teens and students of all ages, Make.Shift will hold a late-night event every
Friday in June. Each week, Make.Shift will host a creative space and provide art materials
and coffee for visitors. The event will be held from 12 a.m. until 3 a.m. Saturday morn-

ing. Coffee will be provided by Black Drop Coffeehouse with cups, creamer and sugar. All
students creating art in different mediums are invited to join other artists in a comfortable,
welcoming space. This type of event provides a unique opportunity for budding artists to
create collectively or individually in a communal space at such late hours. Art supplies will be
donated by Dakota Art Store in Bellingham.

BATTLE OF THE BANDS SHOWCASE

The large culminating event of Month of Magic will be a battle of the bands event
featuring music groups comprised of students. In addition to the last two weeks of the student-themed gallery show, promotional band posters created by local artists will be on display
and available for purchase the night of the concert. Local food trucks will set up directly
outside of Make.Shift to sell food and drinks to visitors, donating a portion of their proceeds
to the venue. Several local food trucks have been contacted by Polaris Communications and
expressed interest in participating. This event gives student bands the opportunity to perform
for friends and family in an all-ages, inclusive space in at a festival-like setting.

CALENDAR POSTER

To promote Month of Magic, Polaris Communications recommends producing a
full-color, large-format poster detailing the months events. This poster is intentionally designed to prompt publics to hang the calendar up on their walls. Make.Shift currently employs
a similar tactic in the form of a small, black-and-white handbill listing the events for the
month. A larger poster that looks similar to a calendar, rather than a list, would be easier to
follow. This calendar could also be shared as an image on social media that followers could
share with others.

BRAND REDESIGN

A distinct brand allows the public to relate to Make.Shifts purpose. Branding allows
the community to put a face to the name, helping people understand an organizations main
mission and recognize that organization when they see it. Branding also helps create a sense
of identity within the organization. Because Make.Shift is home to such a diverse range of
creative work, a cohesive brand and identity is all the more important. A brand connects the
many distinct Make.Shift projects under one umbrella, bringing the Make.Shift community
closer together. Polaris Communications created a branding guide that builds upon existing
Make.Shift assets. All of the branding elements were drawn from Make.Shift promotional
materials and communications, including web content, print collateral, and the physical venue
and studio space. This brand highlights and expands on what Make.Shift already does well.
A good brand allows for wiggle room. Each brand asset is specifically designed to be flexible
and versatile: useable in many different areas while remaining consistent. The branding guide
includes brand position, personality, voice, a tagline, fonts and colors, and four logo redesign
options.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Polaris Communications proposes Make.Shift strengthens their social media presence
through an Instagram campaign. The survey results from the convenience survey showed that
people most commonly hear about events from social media. Make.Shift has been using videos
and visuals as a tool to promote the organization recently, therefore Instagram would be an appropriate platform to use. The hashtag #makeshiftweeklywonder (#msww) will be used in a weekly
event in which people post photos and videos of their art and music. Every week a weekly wonder will be selected and featured on Make.Shifts instagram. These photos and videos can also be
shared on other social media platforms. Leading up to student month, weekly participants selected
will be students and must put their school to be selected.

PRESS AND MEDIA RELATIONS

PRESS RELEASES

Press releases for battle of the bands and student month will be released to local news
outlets. Articles about the events being distributed through the media helps to promote word of
mouth which was the second most common way people found out about events. The distribution
of press releases is recommended to push general awareness of student month and the events that
will take place during.

PSA

A public service announcement will be broadcasted through local radio stations such as
KUGS and Make.Shifts new KVWV. It will go out before student month begins to increase general awareness of Month of Magic.

MEDIA CONTACT LIST

Included in this catalogue is a list of local media outlets to contact for stories about Make.
Shift and potential ad spaces. The list includes radio, print and online outlets that feature stories
on local happenings and arts and entertainment news. Media outlets on this list are located in Seattle, Bellingham, Lynden and Mount Vernon. This list includes names, phone numbers, emails and
websites for contact.

PARTNERSHIPS
MENCHIES FUNDRAISER - BELLINGHAM GIRLS ROCK CAMP

To appeal to the younger target audience and their families, Polaris Communications
proposes that Make.Shift host a fundraiser for their collaborator, Bellingham Girls Rock
Camp, through Menchies Frozen Yogurt. There are two fundraising options; in option one
participants and their families are given flyers that are retrieved at Menchies and 20 percent
goes back to the organization. Option two would be a store takeover for the participants of
the rock camp in which they essentially help run Menchies for two hours to raise money. The
fundraising strategy would help build awareness and give back to support Make.Shift events.

FOOD VENDORS & DONORS

For contributions to the Midnight at Make.Shift and Battle of the Bands events, Make.
Shift will receive contributions from Black Drop Coffeehouse and local food trucks. Black
Drop Coffeehouse has worked with Make.Shift in the past and is open to discussing coffee
donation for these weekly events, but if coffee and supplies need to be purchased, contact information for Black Drop is included. As a part of Battle of the Bands, local food trucks will
set up outside of Make.Shifts doors to sell food and beverages to visitors. Vendors will not be
required to pay a fee because Make.Shift owns the space, but would donate a small portion of
their proceeds to Make.Shift. We have included a list of local food trucks who are interested
in participating.

DAKOTA ART STORE

Providing art supplies for Midnight at Make.Shift will be Dakota Art Store located on

Iowa street in Bellingham. Store Manager Alan Weydert has expressed interest in donating
brand new, entirely useable, but not saleable supplies to Make.Shift because of its nonprofit
status. Weydert also mentioned a one-time donation of perfect condition supplies for a special
event. Receiving art supplies as a donation from a local art store rather than a large chain reinforces this campaigns mission of strengthening community ties.

LOCAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS

As a part of outreach and inviting students to Month of Magic events, we have included a list of other arts organizations and schools in the Bellingham area. In addition to the
Bellingham Public School District, we have included a list of other organizations who work
with youth in visual arts and music. By including this list, we hope that Make.Shift can reach
out to these organizations to invite their students to participate in events and showcase their
talents during Month of Magic.

SITUATION ANALYSIS
Make.Shift Art Space is a DIY art space that acts as a home for innovative artists in all mediums,
from painters to sculptors to musicians and everything inbetween. Since its beginnings in 2008,
Make.Shift has swiftly grown. It began with the Magic Van project, which provided a biodiesel
van free for musicians who needed a means to make their tour stops. In 2011, the organization
acquired its current space in downtown Bellingham, including 18 studio spaces and a basement
venue. Dedicated to providing accessible programs and a safe, all-ages space for artists, musicians and students, Make.Shift is looking to strengthen general Bellingham community awareness
and provide services for students and youth.

RESEARCH
In order to gauge audience and community awareness of Make.Shift, Polaris PR conducted a
convenience intercept survey of 100 people in various locations around central Bellingham.
The survey results showed that younger audiences were more likely to know about Make.Shift
than older audiences. Performance art was more popular among younger people and students,
while visual art tended to be more popular among older people and parents. Concerts and cover
shows have the widest appeal across all demographics.
In order to appeal to both students and their parents, Polaris Communications aims to highlight
both the visual and performance art elements of Make.Shift.

THE SURVEY

7 QUESTIONS
100 RESPONDENTS
4 LOCATIONS:
DOWNTOWN CO-OP
MAY ART WALK
LAKEWAY MENCHIES
WWU

THE BREAKDOWN
HOW MAKE.SHIFT COMPARES

RQ: What music and art venues are you most familiar with?
Wild Buffalo

The Green Frog

Make.Shift ranks somewhere in the

middle in terms of which venues
respondents are familiar with. This
means Polaris must raise awareness
of Make.Shift for all demographics.

WWU's campus

Make.Shift

The Shakedown

The Underground

Alternative Library
0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

WHERE TO EXTEND OUTREACH

RQ: Where do you primarily hear about events in town?

Facebook/Twitter

Word of mouth

Respondents in this survey generally used social media and wordof-mouth to find out about local
events, meaning Polaris Communications should bolster these modes
of communication when formulating a campaign.

Bellingham Herald

Individual venue websites

What's Up Magazine

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

ARTS PROGRAMMING TO HIGHLIGHT

RQ: How often do you attend the following events? (Response: very often)

Concerts/cover shows

Concerts and cover shows were

the most attended events overall
more people indicated they attend
these events very often than any
other event, and no one indicated
they never attend these events.
Polaris hopes to highlight Make.
Shifts performance art and music
programming to appeal accross all
demographics.

Art Walk

Downtown Sounds

Block Party

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

20%

MAKE.SHIFT AWARENESS BY GENDER

RQ: What music and art venues are you most familiar with?
60

Percent of respondents by gender

50

40

30

Male
Female

20

10

10

Wild Bualo

Other

None

The Green
The
Make.ShiB
Frog
Shakedown

WWU's
campus

AlternaJve
The
Library Underground

Both men and women are aware

of Make.Shift at about equal rates,
similar to the total awareness rate
of 19 percent. Women were generally more interested in performance
art such as music than men. Highlighting performance art may bring
in more female-identifying attendees, while highlighting film or radio
might bring in more male-identifying attendees. Polaris Communications hopes to bring in awareness
accross all genders.

FINDING A TARGET AUDIENCE: PARENTS

RQ: How often do you attend the following events? (Art Walk)
60

50

40

I do have kids

30

I do not have kids

20

10

Never

Rarely

Some4mes

Quite O;en

Parents were generally more likely

to indicate that they very often
attend Art Walk. Respondents who
do not have children were twice
as likely to indicate they never
attend Art Walk. Polaris proposes
a student-centered gallery show
would draw both students and their
parents to Make.Shift.

Very O;en

CONCLUSIONS
Younger audiences were more likely to know about Make.
Shift than older audiences, but Art Walk was most consistently attended by parents and those older than 35.
Increasing an already robust Art Walk presence could bring
older demographics to Make.Shift.
Performance art was more popular among younger people
and students while visual art tended to be more popular
among older people and parents.
Increasing the visibility of Make.Shifts concerts and cover shows could have the widest appeal and bring in more
students, while increasing knowledge and attendance for Art
Walk and gallery shows could bring in more parents.
In order to appeal to both students and their parents, Polaris
Communications should highlight both the visual and performance art elements of Make.Shift.

11

OBJECTIVES

OUR GOALS
Raise general awareness of Make.Shift by 20 percent
Raise general attendance of Make.Shift events by 20 percent
Raise student awareness of Make.Shift by 30 percent
Raise student attendence of Make.Shift events by 30 percent
Increase social media followers by 20 percent
Increase partnerships with local businesses, organizations

12

STRATEGIES & TACTICS

INTERNAL EVENTS

Student Month
Student Gallery Show
Band Poster Gallery Show
Battle of the Bands
Workshops: Creative Crash Courses
Late night coffee hangout: Midnight at Makeshift

SOCIAL MEDIA

Instagram campaign (#makeshiftweeklywonder)

Promo videos

BRAND REVAMP

Branding guide
Logo redesign
Tagline
Calendar poster
Submission FAQs

PRESS AND MEDIA RELATIONS

Press releases
PSAs
Media contact list

PARTNERSHIPS

Menchies fundraiser
Local artists
Blackdrop Coffee
Local food trucks
Local arts organizations

13

EVALUATION

Make.Shift will take count of attendees at all student

events in June and continue to make note of attendance over the next month.
Make.Shift will monitor number of Facebook likes, Instagram followers and Twitter followers.
Polaris will repeat the initial survey through July and
August 2016.

14

TIMELINE
& BUDGET

15

TIMELINE
JULY 2015

Implement brand revamp and new logo

Print new Make.Shift merch and print
collateral according to brand revamp
Begin weekly Instagram video campaign as part of Video and Photo Intern
duties continue indefinitely

SEPTEMBER

AUGUST

Begin Bellingham Girls Rock Camp

fundraising effors at Menchies: continue
throughout month
Promote fundraising event on social
media, pass out flyers at events
Continue Instagram video campaign

Continue Instagram video campaign

OCTOBER

Halloween Cover Show

JANUARY 2016

Release call for Battle of the Bands submissions: email, print collateral, social
media
Announce Month of Magic events in a
save the date
Confirm with schools about posting and
announcing in events to students
Release submission FAQs

16

NOVEMBER

Solidify list of artists for poster show

Solidify list of vendors (food trucks, coffee) for June
Solidify list of workshop leaders
Design and print posters for submission
announcements
Set up Sign Up Genius for submissions

DECEMBER

Holidays: Make.Sale

FEBRUARY 2016

Submissions for Battle of the Bands

due: Feb. 24
Confirm with artists list for poster design
Release call for Student Gallery Showcase: email, print collateral, social media
Release calendar poster to social media
Release event schedule online

APRIL

Order supplies for workshops

Create and print event-specific posters
Confirm with Battle of the Bands performers
Announce student gallery showcase
selection
Schedule workshop leaders
Confirm with food truck owners
Confirm/order coffee for late nights
Poster Art due: April 17
Talk with artists about possibly reproducing posters for sale
Print and hand out calendar posters,
repost on social media

JUNE - Month of Magic

Creative Crash Courses: June 1, June 8,

June 15, June 22, June 29
Midnight @ Make.Shift: June 4, June 11,
June 18, June 25
Student Art Gallery: Art Walk Opening
night 6/3, closes 6/16
Poster Show: 6/17 to 6/30
Art Walk: June 3
Battle of the Bands: June 24
Monitor attendance during events

MARCH

Announce performers for Battle of the

Bands
Assign artists to bands for poster design
Portfolio submission due for gallery
show: March 3
Begin promoting the event
Continue Instagram campaign

MAY

Send out press releases to local media

Promotion: continue to hand out posters
Post posters at local businesses
Send out social media posts
Continue Instagram videos: release promo video for student month
Check in with vendors
Print new merch as needed for sale
during student month
Confirm with student artists about gallery setup date

JULY AND AUGUST

Continue monitoring attendance

Monitor social media followers
Repeat initial survey

17

BUDGET
PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS

CHAZZZAM (STICKERS): $0.22 per 2 inch sticker

CUSTOMINK (TSHIRTS): 50 shirts - $8.60 each ($430), 100 shirts - $7.44 each ($744), 200
shirts - $6.65 each ($1330)
BELLINGHAM SCREEN PRINTING (TSHIRTS): 50 - $7.25 ($388), 100 $6.19 ($672), 200
$5.80 ($1200)
PRINT & COPY FACTORY: Estimate case number: 37451
Posters 11x17: 30 - $43.21, 50 - $65.35, 100 - $110.59
Flyers 5.5x8.5: 50 - $23.40, 100 - $25.62, 250 - $32.64, 500 - $43.46; 4.25x5.5 - 500 - $34.54 $13
cutting charge, $10 min.

MIDNIGHT AT MAKE.SHIFT

BLACK DROP (COFFEE): $23 per half gal of coffee, plus cups, creamer and sugar (10 people) or by donation

CONTACTS

PRINTING
Print & Copy Factory | (360) 738-4931
Chazzzam | (360) 389-5178, chas@chazzzam.com
Bellingham Screen Printing | (360) 920-0114, steve@bellinghamscreenprinting.com
FOOD TRUCKS
Delicious Mischief | Sean and Corina Collins, (360) 220-3662, thedeliciousmischief@
outlook.com
JTs Smokin BBQ | Jeremy and Heather TenKley, (360) 201-6093, jeremy@jtsmokinbbq.com
Hot Mess | Natale Piro, (360) 599-8852, hotmessfoodtruck@gmail.com
Goat Mountain Pizza | Allie Bishop Pasquier, (360) 510-6336, allie@goatmountainpizza.co
Kurlys Kart | River Mitchelle, (360) 393-5468, river@kurlyskart.com
Chow Hot Dogs | Diego Nilson, (360) 610-7188, info@chowhotdogs.com
StrEAT Food | James Pitzer and Jennifer Dunn, (360) 927-0011, streatfood@gmail.com
COFFEE
Black Drop Coffeehouse | Stephanie Oppelaar, Ryan Siu, John Oppelaar, (360) 738-3767,
blackdropcoffeehouse@gmail.com
SUPPLIES
Dakota Art Stores | Alan Weydert, (360) 676-8918, bellingham@dakotaartstores.com (attn: Alan)

18

BUDGET PACKAGES
GENERAL PROMOTIONAL
50 flyers - $23.40
30 posters - $43.21
MIDNIGHT AT MAKE.SHIFT
Coffee for 50 people - $115
CREATIVE CRASH COURSE
Supplies donated

the
LITTLE DIPPER
package

TOTAL: $181.61

the
BIG DIPPER
package

GENERAL PROMOTIONAL
250 stickers - $55
100 flyers - $25.62
50 posters - $65.35
MIDNIGHT AT MAKE.SHIFT
Coffee for 50 people - $115
CREATIVE CRASH COURSE
Supplies donated

TOTAL: $260.97

GENERAL PROMOTIONAL
50 tshirts - $388
500 stickers - $110
250 flyers - $32.64
50 posters - $65.35
MIDNIGHT AT MAKE.SHIFT
Coffee for 100 people - $230
CREATIVE CRASH COURSE
Supplies donated

the
NORTH STAR
package

TOTAL: $825.99

19

RELATED PR
MATERIALS

20

CALENDAR POSTER

MONTH OF MAGIC

an entire month devoted to student artists

JUNE 2016
S

T
1

Th

3
6pm:
Art Walk

3pm:
creative
crash course

10

12

13

14

15

16

17

23

24

3pm:
creative
crash course

3pm:
creative
crash course

19

20

21

22

26

27

28

29

11
12am:
midnight @
makeshift

18
12am:
midnight @
makeshift
band poster gallery show

8pm:
Battle of
the Bands

3pm:
creative
crash course

4
12am:
midnight @
makeshift
student gallery show

25
12am:
midnight @
makeshift

30

3pm:
creative
crash course

MAKE.ART | MAKE.SOUND | MAKE.SHIFT

21

PRESS RELEASE FOR MONTH OF MAGIC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Rika Wong

Telephone: (206) 601-1526
Email: rkwong92@gmail.com

Make.Shift Art Space to Hold Student Themed Art Month

Month of June Designated to showcase student art and music
May 27, 2015 Bellingham, Washington Make.Shift Art Space in downtown Bellingham is set
to host their first student-themed month June 2016. Make.Shifts Month of Magic, as it is titled,
will feature all student art and music. The themed month will feature several events and exhibits
culminating in a battle of the bands at the end of June.
We are so excited to tap into a younger audience and engage more students in the creation and
showcasing of their talents, said Make.Shift Director Jessica Harbert.
The gallery space in the Make.Shift building will feature multiple student artists of various ages.
The student showcase will open during Art Walk on June 3 and will last for two weeks. Each week
will also feature a workshop on topics such as photography, sketching, filmmaking and radio. The
workshop series titled Creative Crash Course will be taught by various volunteers and will be held
every Wednesday in June.
Each Saturday night, Make.Shift will open their doors late for an event titled Midnight at Make.
Shift where coffee and snacks will be provided to patrons wanting a late night creative space. Studio
artists at Make.Shift are partnering with student bands to create posters that the bands can use as
promotional materials and will be on display starting June 17.
The themed month will culminate in a student battle of the bands event held on Friday, June 24..
Bands of all genres are invited to participate in a music competition hosted at the Make.Shift venue.
Popular food trucks from the area will be parked outside to provide food to the event goers and
posters from local artists will be on display and available for purchase in the gallery.
The events will commence the first week of June and end with the closing of the poster gallery show
on June 30th.
###
Make.Shift is a 501(c)3 nonprofit DIY art and music venue dedicated to innovative, alternative art
and music. Make.Shift aims to engage the community by providing accessible programs and a safe,
all-ages space for artists, musicians, students and their projects.

22

PRESS RELEASE FOR BATTLE OF THE BANDS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Paloma Pirotte

Telephone: (206) 856-6582
Email: palomap88@gmail.com

Make.Shift Art Space to Hold Student Themed Art Month

Month of June Designated to showcase student art and music
June 1, 2015 Bellingham, Washington Make.Shift Art Space has dedicated the past seven years
to opening its doors to creativity in the Bellingham area. On June 24, 2016, Make.Shift Art Space
will be holding a battle of the bands concert as part of Make.Shifts Month of Magic, a series of
events in June devoted entirely to student artists and musicians.
All students are welcome to join the competition, and all ages can attend. The doors to the event will
open at 8 p.m. Local vendors, such as Goat Mountain Pizza and StrEAT Food, will be outside the
Make.Shift if guests would like food or beverages during the event. The competition winners will
have their own show at Make.Shift.
Make.Shift is a 501c3 nonprofit and began with a group of young musicians, fans and promoters
searching for a space to practice their music to keep up with the rapidly changing industry. The
space consists of The Documentary Center, 18 music and art studios, a stringed instrument repair
shop, their new radio station KVWV and a local music library. Make.Shift wishes to evoke the same
enthusiasm for music in the current students of Bellingham through the battle of the bands event.
###
Make.Shift is a 501(c)3 nonprofit DIY art and music venue dedicated to innovative, alternative art
and music. Make.Shift aims to engage the community by providing accessible programs and a safe,
all-ages space for artists, musicians, students and their projects.

23

RADIO PSA SCRIPT

Contact: Paloma Pirotte

Telephone: (206) 856-6582
Email: palomap88@gmail.com
FOR USE: May 22 - May 30
LENGTH: 30 seconds

Live Copy:

Make.Shift Month of Magic PSA

Month of June Designated to showcase student art and music

HAVE YOU BEEN LISTENING TO YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC OR VISITING ART EXHIBITS
THIS SUMMER? DO MORE THAN LISTEN AND LOOK; BECOME A PART OF THE ART
AND MUSIC. MAKE.SHIFT WILL BE HOLDING A STUDENT MONTH WITH EVENTS,
WORKSHOPS AND OTHER WAYS FOR STUDENTS TO EXPRESS THEIR CREATIVITY THIS
SUMMER. IT ALL BEGINS THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH.
THE EVENTS WILL BE ALL-AGES SO BRING FRIENDS AND FAMILY. VISIT OUR WEBSITE
MAKESHIFTPROJECT [DOT] COM FOR MORE INFORMATION. GET OFF THE COUCH
THIS SUMMER, AND SHOW THE WORLD YOUR INNER ARTIST. MAKE ART. MAKE
SOUND. MAKE SHIFT.
###
Make.Shift is a 501(c)3 nonprofit DIY art and music venue dedicated to innovative, alternative art
and music. Make.Shift aims to engage the community by providing accessible programs and a safe,
all-ages space for artists, musicians, students and their projects.

24

SUBMISSION FAQs

MAKESHIFTS MONTH OF MAGIC

JUNE 2016
Make.Shift is preparing to host its first ever student-centered
series of events. And we need your submissions to make it
happen!
WAIT, WHAT IS MONTH OF MAGIC?

Were an all-ages venue. That means students are close to our hearts. We wanted to give student artists their chance to
shine at Make.Shift, so for the entire month of June we are clearing the way to only showcase students both in our upstairs gallery and our downstairs venue.

WHAT KINDS OF EVENTS DOES THIS ENTAIL?

So many events! Were hosting two weekly events: Creative Crash Courses, workshops each focusing on a different creative
endeavor, and Midnight at Makeshift, where we turn our space into a late-night coffee lounge, complete with art supplies
for you to get your night-owl creative juices flowing.
Were also hosting two student showcases: a student gallery show and a Battle of the Bands open exclusively to students.
We welcome all student visual artists and musicians to submit their creative work for these showcases.

HEY! IM A STUDENT! HOW CAN I SUBMIT MY ARTWORK?

Weve set up a sign-up sheet just for you! Follow the directions there. Basically, we want to see your portfolio. Wed like to
see digital submissions (high-quality photos of your work or a link to a website will do just fine), but if that isnt possible,
email makeshiftmagicmonth@gmail.com and explain your situation. Submissions for the gallery showcase are due March
3, 2016.

IM A STUDENT MUSICIAN! HOW CAN I SIGN UP?

Weve set up a sign-up sheet just for you, too! Follow the directions there. Basically, we want to know who you are and
hear some of your music. A demo or a website link would do just fine, but if that isnt possible, or youd rather do a live
audition, email makeshiftmagicmonth@gmail.com and explain your situation. Submissions for the Battle of the Bands
showcase are due February 24, 2016.

WILL EVERY SUBMISSION BE ACCEPTED?

Unfortunately, no. We have limited space and time, so we can only select a few submissions based on quality.

SO WHATS IN IT FOR ME?

For visual artists, your work will open during the Downtown Bellingham Art Walk on Friday, June 3. Youll have the option
of selling your work and get a ton of exposure during Art Walk, where we get an average of 300 attendees every month.
Were a pretty big deal. Learn more about Art Walk here.
For musicians, you will be paired with a Make.Shift studio artist who will make a giant, gorgeous poster for you or your
band. You can work with them as much or as little as you want, and those posters will hang in our gallery for the last two
weeks of June and will be for sale during the Battle of the Bands. You will get a portion of the proceeds and youll get a
poster to keep for yourself. Sweet, right? Free promo!

HOW MUCH ARTWORK AND/OR MUSIC SHOULD I PREPARE?

Visual artists: were looking for 5 pieces of sellar artwork, give or take.
Musicians: sets at the concert will be no more than 20 minutes, so we can accommodate as many bands as we can.

I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS!

We love your curiosity, but simply cannot type any longer. Please email your questions to makeshiftmagicmonth@gmail.
com and well answer to the best of our abilities. Thanks for submitting, student friends!

25

INSTAGRAM CAMPAIGN
SHARING ACROSS PLATFORMS
To the left is an Instagram video
example of a Manatee Commune
performance. Make.Shift Art Space
can post their own videos under the
#makeshiftweeklywonder campaign.
In addition, other artists or musicians
can share photos and videos with
#msww (Make.Shift Weekly wonder)
to make them easily accessible by
Make.Shift. The videos that are selected weekly for the #msww can be
reposted by Make.Shift to all social
media platforms to expand their
outreach.

26

BRANDING GUIDE

BRANDING GUIDE

WELCOME
to the Make.Shift Art Space Branding Guide, your ultimate resource on how to communicate as Make.Shift, from brand voice
to visual assets.
Polaris Communications created this branding guide not as a complete overhaul, but to add consistency to existing Make.Shift
assets. All of the branding elements in this guide were drawn from Make.Shift promotional materials and communications,
including web content, print collateral, and the physical venue and studio space. This brand highlights and expands on what
Make.Shift already does well.
A good brand allows for wiggle room. Each brand asset is specifically designed to be flexible and versatile: useable in many
different areas while remaining consistent.
The Make.Shift brand is ultimately centered around creativity. There is always room to adapt and

EVOLVE

27

BRANDING GUIDE

BRAND DEFINED
A brand is a combination of symbols, words, design and interaction that forms the outward expression
of an organizations identity and philosophy. If an organization were a human being, brand would be
the faceused to express and communicate inner life to the public. Its also what sets you apart from the
crowd. A brand should be immediately recognizable and distinguishable from other brands of similar
organizations.

WHY A BRAND?
A distinct brand allows the public to relate to Make.Shifts purpose. Branding allows the community to
put a face to the name, helping people understand an organizations main mission and recognize that
organization when they see it.
Branding also helps create a sense of identity within the organization. Because Make.Shift is home to
such a diverse range of creative work, a cohesive brand and identity is all the more important. A brand
connects the many distinct Make.Shift projects under one umbrella, bringing the Make.Shift community
closer together.

BRAND POSITIONING
A brand position presents a strategy and primary audience. In a single sentence, a brand position describes what an organization does and who its for.

Make.Shift Art Space is a DIY art and music venue dedicated to innovative, alternative art and musicproviding a
home for painters, printmakers, photographers, sculptors,
musicians, and whoever else needs an affordable place to
make a mess and show it off.

28

BRANDING GUIDE

BRAND PERSONALITY
Just like a very creative person, the Make.Shift brand has a personality:
a distinct set of traits that informs action and communication.

MAKE.SHIFT IS
CREATIVE
DIY
INNOVATIVE
ALTERNATIVE
INCLUSIVE
ACCESSIBLE

BRAND VOICE
What you say is just as important as how you say it. Make.Shifts brand voice is drawn
directly from its mission, and describes how Make.Shift should communicate through
writing, action, and visuals.

MAKE.SHIFT SHOULD SOUND

ENGAGING

WELCOMING

INVENTIVE

Our mission is to engage the community by providing accessible

programs and a safe, all-ages space for artists, musicians, students
and their projects.

29

BRANDING GUIDE

TAGLINE
A tagline is a catchy phrase or slogan that conveys the theme of an organization or a campaign in
just a few words. They can be one of the most effective elements of branding: who could forget
Just Do It, Think Small, or Eat Fresh? This tagline was chosen for its memorability, simplicity and flow. In other words, its meant to stick in peoples minds.

MAKE.ART
MAKE.SOUND
MAKE.SHIFT

FONTS
Futura Medium
use for headlines, titles,
captions, any text that
leads or dominates

Baskerville

use for body text, any

lengthy information or
long copy

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890

HANDWRITING ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
1234567890

use for accents, design

elements, any text that
needs a little personality.
Example here is the free
font Skinny.

30

BRANDING GUIDE

COLORS
Below are the Make.Shift colors.
These colors may be used alongside each other or with any shade of white or black.

R=245 G=92 B=3

C=4 M=64 Y=99 K=0
Pantone: 1505 C

R=59 G=209 B=176

C=72 M=0 Y=16 K=18
Pantone: 7465 C

R=255 G=148 B=51

C=O M=42 Y=80 K=0
Pantone: 1375 C

R=112 G=255 B=191

C=56 M=0 Y=25 K=0
Pantone: 3375 C

LOGO
Picking the right logo is tough. It requires lots of thought, trial and error, and consulation from the Make.Shift community. Because of this, Polaris Communications has offered four logo design options to choose from.
Each option is shown in four different Make.Shift color schemes: black and white, orange, teal, and inverse. The
inverse option is meant to be used in any color.
Each of these designs has been modeled off of existing Make.Shift fonts and colors, with slight alterations. You may
see a resemblance between these logos and the sign in front of the venue. Because the public already recognizes the
sign, a similar logo with a few added details keeps the brand fresh while retaining an element of familiarity.

31

BRANDING GUIDE

LOGO OPTIONS
OPTION 1

32

OPTION 2

OPTION 3

OPTION 4

CONTACT LIST

MEDIA CONTACTS

KUGS | AS KUGS Program Director, (360) 650-2995, KUGS.ProgramDirector@wwu.edu,

submit PSAs to as.wwu.edu/kugs/psa/
Cascadia Weekly |Amy Kepferle, Arts & Entertainment, amy@cascadiaweekly.com
Bellingham Herald | Margaret Bikman, Arts & Entertainment Coordinator, 360-715-2273,
margaret.bikman@bellinghamherald.com
Whats Up Magazine | Brent Cole, Editor, (360) 599-3320, brent@whatsup-magazine.com
The Stranger | Sean Nelson, Arts Editor, editor@thestranger.com
Western Front | Heidi DeHart, Editor-In-Chief Fall 2015, (360) 650-3162,
westernfrontonline@gmail.com
Lynden Tribune | Calvin Bratt, Editor, (360) 654-4444 ex. 22, editor@lyndentribune.com
Skagit Valley Herald | Craig Parrish, Entertainment & Lifestyles Editor, (360) 416-2135,
cparrish@skagitpublishing.com
Bellingham Explorer | Silvia Reed, silviareed@bellinghamexplorer.com
Betty Pages | Betty Desire
LOCAL BLOGGERS
Fish & Bicycles | Howard Muhlberg, fishandbicycles.com
City of Subdued Excitement: Bellingham Blog | June Hathaway

LOCAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS

Allied Arts of Whatcom County| Kelly Hart, Executive Director, (360) 676-8548,
kelly@alliedarts.org
BAAY | David Post, Director, (360) 306-8531, david@baay.org
BellinghamART | Lynn Zimmerman, Owner and Creative Director, (360) 738-8379
The Jazz Project | Jud Sherwood, (360) 650-1066, jsherwoodjazzproject@gmail.com
Gabriels Art Kids | (360) 393-0107, info@gabrielsartkids.com
Center for Expressive Arts and Experiential Education | Allain VanLaanen, Executive Director,
(360) 393-7818, ceaee123@gmail.com
Mojo Music | Bob McDonald, guitar instructor, (360) 671-0674
Uptown Art | Robert Mishkin, owner, (360) 733-1471

OTHER

Menchies Frozen Yogurt | Dayna Penney, Lakeway & Bakerview Owner, (206) 356-4890
Bellingham Public Schools | Jaqueline Brawley, District Communications Manager, (360) 6766470, Jaqueline.Brawley@bellinghamschools.org

33

PRINT COLLATERAL FOR BATTLE OF THE BANDS

Battle of the Bands

Showcase

POSTER
11x17

HOSTED AT MAKE.SHIFT ART SPACE

WHEN: JUNE 24, 2016
FOOD TRUCKS AND GALLERY SHOW BEGINNING
AT 6PM
MUSIC AT 8PM
WHERE: MAKE.SHIFT ART SPACE
306 FLORA ST
STUDENT BANDS, FREE ADMISSION

Make.Shift presents...

BATTLE OF THE
BANDS
SHOWCASE
WHO? Student bands of all genres!
Make Art. Make Sound. Make Shift.

WHAT? Student music performances, local food trucks

and band poster sale.
WHEN? Saturday, June 24, 2016

HANDBILL
5.5x8.5

WHERE? Make.Shift Art Space 306 Flora St.

Make Art. Make Sound. Make Shift.

34

PRINT COLLATERAL FOR MIDNIGHT AT MAKE.SHIFT

MIDNIGHT AT MAKE.SHIFT
Join us every Friday night at Make.Shift
for coffee and artistic creation!
What is it?
A weekly event where coffee and art
supplies will be provided for creative
minds to gather and create.
When is it?
Every Friday in June from midnight
to 3am.
Where is it?
306 Flora St.
Make Art. Make Sound. Make Shift.

POSTER
11x17

Midnight at Make.Shift
Join us every friday for a night of
coffee and art in a comfortable and
creative space.
Black Drop provides the coffee and
we provide the supplies, so come
as you are, we'd love to see you.
Every Friday in June from midnight
to 3 a.m.
306 Flora St.

Make Art. Make Sound. Make Shift.

HANDBILL
5.5x8.5
DOUBLE-SIDED

35

ABOUT US
RIKA WONG is currently a senior at Western Washington University studying journalism with a focus in public relations. She is a food
enthusiast originally from Seattle, Washington. She hopes to begin
her own food business and utilize her public relations experience
to promote her business. In her time at Western, Rika has worked
for multiple student publications as both a writer and an editor as
well as been employed by the university for several years in several
different capacities. Rikas true passion is cooking and when shes
not working or in school, you can find her in the kitchen whipping
up a meal.

BETH CARLSON is a senior studying public relations and political science at Western Washington University. Beth is currently
wrapping up her two-year-long stint editing The Planet magazine,
Westerns award-winning environmental science publication. Hailing from Portland, Oregon, she is committed to fostering supportive local communities. When shes not spending late nights finishing up work on campus, she can be found backpacking through
the North Cascades or doing all things creative, from drawing to
making music.

PALOMA PIROTTE is a senior in the journalism department

with a focus in public relations. Whether its searching for new
local gems or keeping up whats trending, the music realm is her
public relations aspiration. She is the co-president of the Public
Relations Student Society of America at Western, as well as a social
media manager for a startup branding company in Bellingham. She
hopes to work for a small agency after graduation and continue
on to work in-house at a corporation. Aside from public relations,
Paloma can be found meandering around Seattle with her Brittany
spaniel.

36

APPENDICES

37

MENCHIES FUNDRAISING FLYER

EXAMPLE

CONTACT MENCHIES TO MAKE A FUNDRAISNG FLYER

Lakeway & Bakerview Menchies Owner

Dayna Penney (206) 356-4890

38

SURVEY
GENERAL SURVEY ABOUT ARTS VENUES IN BELLINGHAM
What gender do you identify with?
Female
Male
Other
Prefer not to answer
What is your age?
18 to 24
25 to 34
35 to 44
45 to 54
55 to 64
65 to 74
75 and older
What is your level of education?
Some high school
High school diploma
Some college
Bachelors degree
Postgraduate degree
What ages are your children? (Check all that apply)
0 to 5
6 to 10
11 to 15
16 to 20
21 and older
I do not have kids
What is your occupation? __________________________________
What school do you or your children attend? ____________________________________
In general, what art spaces and music venues in Bellingham are you familiar with? (List all)

39

Rank these venues (1-8) based on how often you visit them:
___ Shakedown
___ Green Frog
___ Wild Buffalo
___ Make.Shift
___ Mount Baker Theater
___ Western Washington University
___ The Roost
___ Other (please specify):___________________
How often do you attend arts-related events (i.e. concerts, plays, dance, art shows)?
Never

Once a month A few times a month

A few times a year

In general, how do you hear about events in town? (Rank 1-6)

___ Facebook/Twitter
___ Bellingham Herald
___ Whats Up Magazine
___ Word of mouth
___ Individual venue websites
___ Other (please explain): ________________
How often do you attend the following events?
(1 = Never, 2 = Rarely, 3 = Sometimes, 4 = Often, 5 = Very often)
___ Art walk
___ Downtown Sounds
___ Block party
___ Concerts/cover shows
On a scale of 1 to 5, how interested are you in the following?
___ Performance art (music, theater, dance)
___ Radio
___ Film
___ Visual (photo, sculpture)
If you wouldnt participate in these events, why not?
___ No time
___ No interest
___ Lack of transportation
___ Other (please explain): _____________________________

40

RESEARCH PAPER
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Make.Shift Art Space is a DIY art space that acts as a home for innovative artists in all mediums, from
painters to sculptors to musicians and everything inbetween. Since its beginnings in 2008, Make.Shift has swiftly
grown. It began with the Magic Van project, which provided a biodiesel van free for musicians who needed a
means to make their tour stops. In 2011, the organization acquired its current space in downtown Bellingham,
including 18 studio spaces and a basement venue. Make.Shift is looking to create stronger connections and provide services for students and youth in Bellingham.

In order to gauge audience and community awareness of Make.Shift, Polaris Communcations conducted
a convenience intercept survey of 100 people in various locations around central Bellingham. The survey results
showed that younger audiences were more likely to know about Make.Shift than older audiences. Performance
art was more popular among younger people and students, while visual art tended to be more popular among
older people and parents. Concerts and cover shows have the widest appeal across all demographics. In order to
appeal to both students and their parents, Polaris Communications aims to highlight both the visual and performance art elements of Make.Shift.
METHODOLOGY

This survey was developed to understand community interest in art and music events and venues, with
the ultimate goal of understanding both audience awareness and how to draw audiences to an art space.

The survey was conducted in person by Beth Carlson, Paloma Pirotte and Rika Wong, the personnel
of Polaris. Rika surveyed at Western Washington University on Thursday, April 30 from 4:30 p.m to 6:15 p.m
and Friday, May 1, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., receiving 31 responses out of a total of 41 people approached
for a response rate of 70.5%. Paloma surveyed at Menchies Frozen Yogurt on Lakeway Drive, receiving 11
responses out of a total of 13 people approached for a response rate of 65.6%. Beth and Paloma surveyed at
the downtown Bellingham Community Co-Op Friday, May 1 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m., receiving 29 responses out of a total of 53 people approached for a response rate of 54.7%. Beth and Paloma also surveyed at the
Downtown Art Walk on Friday, May 1 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:10 p.m., receiving 29 responses out of a total of 40
people approached for a response rate of 72.5%. The response rate for the survey as a whole was 67%, with 100
respondents out of 150 approached. Polaris conducted surveys at Menchies, the Co-Op and Art Walk to seek
responses from a wide variety of community members from many backgrounds and on Westerns campus to
gauge awareness among students.

The survey asked the following questions:
RQ1: In general, what art spaces and music venues in Bellingham are you familiar with? (List all)
RQ2: Rank these venues (1-8) based on how often you visit them (Shakedown, Wild Buffalo, Mount Baker
Theater, The Roost, Green Frog, Make.Shift, Western Washington University, Other)
RQ3: How often do you attend arts-related events (i.e. concerts, plays, dance, art shows)? (Never, A few
times a year, Once a month, A few times a month)
RQ4: In general, how do you hear about events in town? (Rank 1-6: Facebook/Twitter, Whats Up Magazine, Bellingham Herald, Individual venue websites, Word of mouth, Other)
RQ5: How often do you attend the following events? (Art walk, Downtown Sounds, Block Party, Concerts/
cover shows)
RQ6: On a scale of 1 to 5, how interested are you in the following? (Performance art, Radio, Film, Visual)
RQ7: If you wouldnt participate in these events, why not? (No time, No interest, Lack of transportation,
Lack of funds, Other)

More women (52%) than men (35%) responded to the survey, with 4% of respondents selecting

41

Other and 9% selecting Prefer not to answer. Because the sample of respondents who selected Other
or prefer not to answer was very small, we feel the results from this survey were not representative of this
population. Half the respondents (50%) were 18- to 24-year-olds. One quarter of respondents (25%) were 25to 34-year-olds. This was followed by ages 35 to 44 (10%), 45 to 54 (5%), 55 to 64 (6%), and 65 to 74 (4%). No
respondents were older than 75. Since only 4 respondents selected the 65 to 74 age range, the results from this
survey regarding that demographic are not statistically significant. Half of our respondents (51%) indicated an
education level of some college, followed by a bachelors degree (27%), postgraduate degree (10%), high school
diploma (9%), and some high school (3%). No respondents indicated an associates degree level of education.
Because only 3 respondents indicated a some high school level of education, survey results are not representative
of this population.

The majority of respondents (76%) indicated not having any children. A quarter of respondents (25%)
were parents. Of the respondents who are parents, 9% had children above the age of 21, followed by those with
children ages 0 to 5 (8%), 6 to 10 (6%), 16 to 20 (3%), and 11 to 15 (2%). Because the numbers of respondents
with children were so lownever reaching more than 10 respondents per child age groupwe feel it would not
be representative to break up the parents by the age of their children and instead have split the respondents into
two groups: parents and non-parents.

The largest amount of respondents indicated their occupation as student (44%). Unemployed respondents made up 8% of the surveyed population. Retired respondents were 3%. Respondents in who work in
education were 9%, followed by food service (8%) customer service (6%), administration and management (5%),
artist or performer (3%), health care (3%), financial (3%), other (3%), construction (2%), STEM fields (2%), and
stay-at-home parent (1%). Responses in the other category included librarian and military. Because the numbers of respondents indicating an occupation other than student were so lownever reaching more than 10
respondents per fieldmany of the surveys of these employment categories are not representative of their populations, especially on questions that not all respondents answered. Just under half of respondents (49) specified
the school they or their child attends. Of those respondents, a majority (63%) indicated that they or their child
attends Western Washington University. This was followed by those respondents indicating a school out of the
Bellingham School District (8%), an out-of-town college (6%), Whatcom Community College (6%), Happy Valley Elementary (4%), Wade King Elementary (4%), Sehome High School (4%), Bellingham High School (2%),
and Shuksan Middle School (2%). Because only 42 respondents indicated a school and Western was the most
popular school, we feel this demographic was not statistically significant or informative.

This survey may have several sources of error. Not all respondents answered every question or understood all questions correctly, contributing to lower response rates for certain questions, significantly the school
demographic question. Two of our demographic questions were a write-in response, leading to a large amount
categories with a small amount of respondents each, therefore not providing very representative data. Two of
our questions were rank order questions, which cannot be cross-tabulated. We therefore cannot break these
questions down by demographicalthough we can examine the responses for these questions as a whole.
FINDINGS
RQ1: In general, what art spaces and music venues in Bellingham are you familiar with? (List all)

The most popular response to this question overall was The Wild Bufallo (52%), followed by other
(44%), The Green Frog (34%) Westerns campus (27%), Make.Shift (19%), none (19%), The Shakedown (16%),
The Underground (9%), Alternative Library (6%), Glow Nightclub (3%), Honeymoon (3%), The Roost (2%),
and Up & Up (2%). Repsonses in the write-in other category included Mount Baker Theater, Allied Arts, Redlight, Swillery, and Whatcom Museums. These write-in answers cannot be cross-tabulated.

Women were almost two times as likely as men to indicate the Green Frog as men, with women at 42%
and men at 24%. Women were more than four times (42%) as likely to indicate Westerns campus as a possible
venue than men (9%). Men listed no venues at a higher rate (26%) than women (15%).

42


Among 18- to 34-year-olds, the Wild Buffalo was most popular. Those age 35 to 54 indicated other
most often. 25- to 34-year-olds indicated Wild Buffalo more frequently (67%) than other age groups, followed
by age 18 to 24 (54%), 55 to 64 (50%), 45 to 54 (40%), and 35 to 44 (20%). 45- to 54-year-olds indicated other
most frequently (100%), followed by age 55 to 64 (67%), 35 to 44 (40%), 18 to 24 (38%), and 25 to 34 (33%).
Green Frog was most frequently mentioned by 45- to 54-year-olds (60%), followed by 55 to 64, 25 to 34, and 18
to 24. Westerns campus was most frequently mentioned by 55-64-year-olds (50%), followed by 18 to 24 (32%),
25 to 34 (20%), and 45 to 54 (20%). Make.Shift was mentioned at the same ratearound 25%by both 18 to
24 and 25 to 34, while only 10% of 35 to 44 year olds mentioned it. No one ages 45 and older mentioned Make.
Shift.
Wild Buffalo was more popular among respondents with a Bachelors degree (65%) than other education levels,
followed by respondents with some college (54%), a high school diploma (44%), and a postgraduate degree
(30%). Make.Shift was more popular among respondents with a Bachelors degree (27%) than other education
levels, followed by respondents with a high school diploma (22%), some college (18%), and a postgraduate
degree (10%). Wild Buffalo was the more popular option across all education levels except for those with a
post-graduate degree, who selected the other option most frequently (80%) than any other venue.

Respondents who work in the customer service industry (83%) were the most likely to indicate Wild
Buffalo, followed by food service (63%), students (55%), unemployed (50%) and educators (38%). Respondents
who work in the customer service industry were also more likely to chose Green Frog (83%) than other respondents followed by educators (63%), food service (50%), students (25%) and unemployed (38%). Food service
workers were more likely than other respondents to indicate Make.Shift (50%), followed by customer service
(33%), educators (25%), students (16%) and unemployed (13%). Educators were more likely to select other
(75%) than other respondents, followed by customer service (50%), foodservice (38%), unemployed (3*%) and
students (30%).

Parents were less likely to mention almost all options for venues except for the none and other cagegories. Non-parents were five times more likely (20%) than parents (4%) to mention the Shakedown.
Non-parents were also twice as likely (58%) as parents (29%) to mention the Wild Buffalo and twice as likely to
mention Make.Shift, with parents at 11% and non-parents at 22%.
RQ2: Rank these venues (1-8) based on how often you visit them (Shakedown, Wild Buffalo, Mount Baker Theater, The Roost,
Green Frog, Make.Shift, Western Washington University, Other)

In terms of how often people visit venues, the Wild Buffalo was most popular with a mean ranking
value of 2.98. This was followed closely by The Green Frog, with a mean value of 3.14, and Western Washington University at 3.30. The Shakedown ranked in the middle with a mean value of 3.49, along with Mt. Baker
Theater (4.10) and Make.Shift (4.80). The least popular choices were The Roost (6.89) and Other (7.30). The
most popular other answer was The Alternative Library.
RQ3: How often do you attend arts-related events (i.e. concerts, plays, dance, art shows)? (Never, A few times a year, Once a month,
A few times a month)

The most popular response overall was once a month, with 41% of respondents indicating this
answer. This was followed equally by a few times a month and a few times a year. The least popular answer
was never with only 6% of total respondents selecting this response.
Men were more likely (31.43%) than women (20%) to indicate they attend arts related events a few times a
month, while women were more likely (32%) than men to indicate they attend events a few times a year.

Those age 55 to 64 indicated they attend events a few times a month at a higher rate (50%) than other
age groups, followed by 45 to 54 (40%), 25 to 34 (29%), 18 to 24 (23%) and 35 to 44 (22%). Those age 25 to 34
indicated they attend events once a month at a higher rate (58%) than other age groups, followed by 18 to 24
(38%), 35 to 44 (33%), 45 to 54 (20%) and 55 to 64 (17%). 35- to 44-year-olds were far more likely to indicate

43

they never attend arts-related events (22%) than any other age group, followed by 18 to 24 (6%) and 25 to 34
(4%). No one from the ages of 45 to 64 indicated they never attended arts events.

One-third (33%) of those with a high school diploma said they never attend arts related events,
followed by those with some college (6%). No respondents with bachelors or postgraduate degrees responded
never. 60 percent of respondents with postgraduate degrees chose once a month, followed by Bachelors
degrees (52%), high school diploma (33%), and some college (33%). Respondents with bachelors degrees (33%)
are three times more likely than those with high school diplomas (11%) or postgraduate degrees (10%) to say
they attend events a few times a month, followed by those with some college (28%). The selection A few
times a year was about the same across education levels. Differences across occupations were insignificant.

Parents (11%) are more likely to never attend arts related events than non-parents (4%). Parents attend
events a few times a year at a higher rate (33%) than non-parents (24%). Non-parents are more likely to go out
once a month at a higher rate (46%) than parents (30%), but attend events a few times a month at about the
same rate (25%).
RQ4: In general, how do you hear about events in town? (Rank 1-6: Facebook/Twitter, Whats Up Magazine, Bellingham Herald, Individual venue websites, Word of mouth, Other)

The highest ranking source for local event information among respondents was Facebook and Twitter,
with a mean rank value of 1.89. This was followed closely by word of mouth, with a mean rank value of 2.12.
Mid-ranking sources were the local traditional print media, Bellingham Herald (3.84) and Whats Up Magazine
(3.92) along with individual venue websites (3.90). The lowest ranked source was other, with a mean value of
5.32. The most popular write-in other answer was Cascadia Weekly.
RQ5: How often do you attend the following events? (Art walk, Downtown Sounds, Block Party, Concerts/cover shows)

When asked how often they attend Art Walk, the respondents most commonly say that they never attend, at 41%. This is followed by rarely (24%), sometimes (19%), quite often (12%), and very often (4%).

Responses were about the same between genders. Over half (60%) of 25 to 34-year-olds said they never attend Art Walk, more likely than other age groups. This was followed by 18 to 24 (48%) and 35 to 44 (22%).
No one older than 45 said they never attend art walk. Other answers were generally the same across ages except
for very often, selected at the highest rate by 55- to 64-year-olds (33%), followed by 45 to 54 (20%) and 35 to
44 (11%). No one younger than 35 said they attend Art Walk very often.

Respondents with a high school diploma were far more likely (89%) to indicate they never attend Art
Walk, followed by Bachelors degrees (48%) and some college (40%). No post-graduate degree holders indicated
never. Postgraduates were also more likely to indicate the quite often attend Art Walk than any other education level, at 40%. No one with a high school diploma only indicated that they quite often attend Art Walk.
Other selections were chosen at similar rates across education levels.

Students were most likely to say they never attend Art Walk, with 65%. Repondents in managment
were least likely to indicate never, with 20%. Only those who are unemployed indicated they very often attend Art Walk, at 14%. Non-parents are twice as likely (48%) to never attend Art Walk as parents (21%), while
parents are more likely (11%) to indicate that they attend Art Walk very often than non-parents (1%).

When asked how often they attend Downtown Sounds, the findings are similar to Art Walk: the respondents most commonly say that they never attend, at 46%. This is followed by rarely (25%), sometimes (15%),
quite often (9%), and very often (4%).

Women were more likely (51%) than men (40%) to say they never attend Downtown Sounds. Men were
twice as likely (20%) as women (10%) to say they sometimes attend the event.

18- to 24- year-olds were most likely (59%) to indicate they never attend Downtown Sounds, while
no 45- to 54-year-olds said they never attend the event. Those from age 55 to 64 were more likely (33%) than
other age groups to indicate they attend the event quite often, while respondents age 45 to 54 were more likely

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(20%) than other age groups to indicate the attend Downtown Sounds very often.

Most selections for Downtown Sounds attendance was similar across education levels, except for never which was chosen most often by those with only a high school diploma (78%), followed by those with some
college and those with a Bachelors degree (44%). Those with postgraduate degrees selected never the least,
at 30%. No one with either a high school diploma or a Bachelors degree selected very often for Downtown
Sounds.
Attendance for Downtown Sound was generally the same across occupations, with students (5%) and food service industry workers (12%) the only groups to select quite often. No occupations indicated very often for
Downtown Sounds.

When asked about Downtown Sounds, non-parents were more likely (58%) to never attend than
parents (32%), while parents are more likely (39%) to indicate that they attend Downtown Sounds rarely than
non-parents (20%).

When asked how often they attend Block Party, over half of the respondents say that they never attend,
at 54%. This is followed by rarely (31%), sometimes (11%), and quite often (5%). No respondents indicated they
attend the event very often. The results were similar across genders.
Attendance at this event was generally the same across ages, except that 35- to 44-year-olds were twice as likely
(67%) as 55- to- 64-year-olds (33%) to never attend Block Party, and 35- to 44-year-olds were much less likely
(11%) than 55- to 64-year-olds to rarely attend Block Party.

Results were also similar across education levels, except for respondents with high school diplomas,
who answered never most often, at 89%. This was followed by postgraduates (60%), some college (49%), and
Bachelors degrees (44%). No respondents with high school diplomas responded sometimes or quite oftenonly never and rarely.

Educators were more likely (67%) than other occupations to say they never attend Block Party, followed by students (55%), customer service (50%), food service (50%), and unemployed (43%). Differences between respondents who have kids and those who dont regarding Block Party attendance was negligible, however
non-parents were slightly more likely (34%) than parents (21%) to rarely attend the event.

Unlike the other events, when asked how often they attend concerts and cover shows the respondents
most commonly say that they sometimes attend, at 41%. This is followed by quite often (19%), rarely (18%),
never (18%), and very often (7%). Concerts and cover shows received the least never responses and the most
very often responses than the other events listed in this question.
Women were about twice as likely (8%) as men (3%) to indicate they attend concerts and cover shows very
often. Men were more likely (50%) than women (34%) to indicate they sometimes attend these events.

Those ages 34 to 44 were most likely (40%) to indicate they never attend concerts and cover shows,
followed by 18 to 24 (22%), 45 to 54 (20%), and 25 to 34 (4%). 55- to 64- year olds were far more likely (67%)
than other groups to indicate they sometimes attend concerts and cover showsthree times as likely as 35- to
44-year-olds (20%) and a little less than twice as much as the other groups, which all came in around 40%. No
one in the age group of 55 to 64 indicated they never attend these events. 45- to 54- year olds were twice as likely
(40%) as other groups to indicate they quite often attend concerts and cover shows, with other age groups
all at around 20%. 35- to 44- year olds were most likely (20%) to indicate they very often attend concerts and
cover shows, followed by 25 to 34 (8%) and 18 to 24 (20%). No one older than 45 indicated they attend these
events very often.

Sometimes was the most frequently selected answer for all education levels. Never was selected
more frequently by respondents with high school diplomas (33%) than other education levels. Bachelors degrees
selected never less frequently (4%) than other education levels. Respondents with some college indicated they
attend concerts and cover shows very often (10%) more than other education levels. No one with either only a
high school diploma or a graduate degree indicated they attend concerts and cover shows very often.

The occupations most likely to indicate that they very often attend concerts and cover shows are un-

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employed (25%), food service industry (12%), and students (7%). No other occupations indicated very often.
There were no significant differences between parents and non-parents regarding concert attendance.
RQ6: On a scale of 1 to 5, how interested are you in the following? (Performance art, Radio, Film, Visual)

When asked how interested they are in performance art such as music, dance and theater, a little less
than one-third of the respondents answered 5 indicating they were very interested, at 30%. This was followed
by interest level of 4 (24%), 2 (21%), 3 (16%) and 1 (9%). Performance art had the least 1 answers than the
other types of art listed in this question.

Women were twice as likely (18%) to select 3 than men (9%), while men were more likely (31%) to
select 4 than women (18%). Women were slightly more likely (33%) than men (26%) to select 5.

Those age 18- to 24 were more likely to select a interest level of 5 than any other level when asked
about performance art (33%), while 25- to 34-year-olds indicated 2 at a higher rate (32%) along with those
from the ages of 35 to 44 (30%). 45- to 54-year-olds were most likely to indicate a 5 (80%) while 55 to 64 did
not indicate a strong preference for any level.

Respondents with some college were more likely (41%) than other education levels to indicate a performance art interest of 5, followed by postgraduate degrees (30%), bachelors degrees (15%) and high school
diplomas (11%). Respondents with high school diplomas (33%) or bachelors degrees (33%) were three times as
likely as those with postgraduate degrees (10%) to indicate 4. There were no significant differences
between parents and non-parents regarding interest in performance art. There were no significant differences
across occupations.

When asked how interested they are in radio, 29% of the respondents answered 4 indicating they were
interested. This was followed by interest level of 2 (25%), 1 (19%), 3 (14%) and 5 (13%). Radio had the least 5
answers than the other types of art listed in this question.

Women were much more likely (18%) than men (6%) to select a level 5 interest in radio. Men were
more likely (37%) to select 4 than women (22%). Men were also more likely (20%) to select 3 than women
(10%).

Those ages 45 to 54 were more likely to select a interest level of 5 than any other age group when
asked about radio (60%), while no one in the 35 to 44 age group selected this option. Other selections were generally the same across age groups, except for 1, which is more likely to be selected 35- to 44-year-olds (40%)
than any other age group, followed by 18 to 24 (29%), and 25 to 34 (24%). No one in the 55 to 64 age group
selected 1.

Respondents with high school diplomas (56%) indicated 4 for radio more often than other education
levels. Respondents with postgraduate degrees (30%) indicated 1 more often than other education levels. No
respondents with high school diplomas indicated an interest level of 5.
There were no significant differences in interest in radio across occupations. While interest in radio between
parents and non-parents were generally the same, three times as many non-parents (30%) than parents (11%)
indicated a level 2 interest in radio.

When asked how interested they are in film, 27% of the respondents answered 4 indicating they were
interested. This was followed by interest level of 5 (23%), 3 (22%), 2 (17%) and 1 (11%). Film was the second
most popular in terms of 5 answers.

Women were more much more likely (14%) than men (3%) to be uninterested in film. Those 45- to
54-years-old (60%) were most likely to indicate 5, followed by 55- to 64-year-olds (33%), 18 to 24 (26%), 25 to
34 (12%) and 35 to 44 (10%). Respondents 18- to 24-years-old were more likely to indicate 4 (40%) than any
other answer.

Interest in film did not vary much between education levels except for a few differences: Respondents
with high school diplomas (55%) indicated 4 for film more often than other education levels. No respondents
with postgraduate degrees indicated an interest level of 5. No respondents with high school diplomas indicat-

46

ed an interest level of 2.

Parents were much more likely (32%) than non-parents (19%) to have a level 5 interest in film.
Non-parents were more than twice as likely as parents to indicated a level 4 interest, with parents at 14% and
non-parents at 32%. For occupation levels, the data was too inconsistent to determine significant differences.

When asked how interested they are in visual art such as photography and sculpture, more than onethird of the respondents answered 3 indicating they were somewhat interested, at 38%. This was followed by
interest level of 4 (18%), 1 (17%), 2 (16%) and 5 (11%).

Women were more much more likely (23%) than men (9%) to be uninterested in visual art. Men were
more likely (31%) to select 4 than women (10%).

Respondents from the ages of 45 to 54 (60%) were most likely to indicate 3, followed by 55- to
64-year-olds (50%), 35- to 44-year-olds (40%), 25- to 34-year-olds (38%) and 18- to 24-year-olds (36%). Respondents 45 to 54 (40%) were also more likely to indicate 5 for visual art than other age groups, followed by 55 to
64 (17%), 18 to 24 (13%) and 35 to 44 (10%)

Regarding visual art, those with high school diplomas selected an interest level of 5 more often (18%)
than other education levels. No respondents with Bachelors degrees or postgraduate degrees indicated an interest level of 5. Those with postgraduate degrees were more likely than other education levels (55%) to select
3, followed by Bachelors degrees (48%), some college (35%), and high school diploma (11%).

Respondents in the food service industry were more likely to indicate a level 5 interest in film than
other occupations, with 33%. This was followed by educator (25%) and unemployed. No other occupations
indicated an interest level of 5. No educators or unemployed respondents indicated an interest level of 1.

Non-parents were more likely (20%) to indicate a low 1 level of interest in visual art than parents
(11%). Parents were more likely to select 3 (50%) and 5 (18%) than non-parents, who selected 3 36% of
the times and 5 7% of the time.
RQ7: If you wouldnt participate in these events, why not? (No time, No interest, Lack of transportation, Lack of funds, Other)

Most respondents indicated lack of time as the reason why they wouldnt attend an arts-related event,
with 62%. This was followed by no interest (15%), other (11%), lack of transportation (7%), and lack of funds
(5%). Among the write-in other answers, the most common response was lack of awareness, with 3 respondents.

Men were more likely (7%) to indicate lack of funds than women ( 2.5%), while women were more likely (15%) to select other than men (7%).

34- to 44-year-olds were far more likely (100%) to indicate lack of time than other age groups, followed
by 18 to 24 (69%), 25 to 34 (53%), 45 to 54 (40%), and 55 to 64 (25%). Other selections were similar between
age groups, except no interest which was most frequently selected by 25- to 34- year olds (29%) followed by
55 to 64 (25%), 45 to 54 (20%), and 18 to 24 (5%). No 35 to 44 year olds selected no interest. Other was the
most common answer for respondents from age 55 to 64.

Respondents with some college were most likely (75%) to select no time at their reason for not
participating in arts events, followed by Bachelors degree (52%), high school diploma (50%), and postgraduate
degree (25%). Post graduates were more likely than other education levels to indicate other (37%) and no
interest (37%). Respondents with some college were the only respondents to indicate lack of funds.

Students (6%) and unemployed (20%) respondents were the only occupational categories to list lack of
funds as a reason why they wouldnt attend arts events. Students were the only respondents to indicate lack of
transportation, with 15% selecting this option.

Both parents and non-parents selected no time most often, with 65% and 61%, respectively. However,
no parents indicated lack of transportation or lack of funds as reasons for not attending events, while 9% of
non-parents selected lack of transportation and 7% selected lack of funds.

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CONCLUDING INTERPRETATIONS

Make.Shift ranks somewhere in the middle in terms of which venues respondents visit most often.
This means we must raise awareness of Make.Shift for all demographics. Respondents in this survey generally
used social media and word-of-mouth to find out about local events, meaning Polaris Communications should
bolster these modes of communication when formulating a campaign. Younger audiences were more likely to
know about Make.Shift than older audiences, but Art Walk was most consistently attended by parents and those
older than 35; increasing an already robust Art Walk presence could bring these demographics to Make.Shift.
Performance art was more popular among younger people and students while visual art tended to be more popular among older people and parents. Concerts and cover shows were the most attended eventsmore people
indicated they attend these events very often than any other event, and no one indicated they never attend these
events. Increasing the visibility of Make.Shifts concerts and cover shows could have the widest appeal and bring
in more students, while increasing knowledge and attendance for Art Walk and gallery shows could bring in
more parents. In order to appeal to both students and their parents, Polaris Communications should highlight
both the visual and performance art elements of Make.Shift.

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THANK
YOU
from Polaris Communications
Rika Wong: rkwong92@gmail.com
Beth Carlson: bethgcarlson@gmail.com
Paloma Pirotte: palomap88@gmail.com

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presented by
communications