Arts Month now has a name better suited to the seven weeks focused on arts events.
That time period is now branded as Williamsburg Fall Arts in an effort to cover the variety of arts events scheduled for September and October throughout the Williamsburg area.
Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance announced the new name with Alabama-based Luckie & Company, the Alliance’s new ad agency, on Tuesday.
Arts Coordinator Terry Buntrock said the new name was necessary to aid in defining a long-term arts strategy and to help attract tourists.
“By providing a season-specific, sophisticated and flexible name, visitors understand the diverse options for entertainment, education and recreation that the Greater Williamsburg area provides, while also clarifying common misconceptions about what is formerly known as Arts Month,” Buntrock said.
Shortly after settling into her role as the Alliance’s new President and CEO, Karen Riordan said she wanted to change the name of Arts Month and add a marquee event to the seven-week period. Riordan in April said she was not a “big fan” of the name Arts Month and was considering alternates like Arts in Williamsburg or Williamsburg Arts.
“I feel like calling it Arts Month is a little bit of a misnomer,” Riordan said in an April interview.
Partnered with the month’s new name, www.williamsburgfallarts.com links to www.williamsburgareaarts.com, which allows the Alliance to track site visits by the new name.
The shift toward season-specific arts moniker aids in moving the destination toward hosting arts events during each season, which Luckie officials say is key in establishing a true arts following. Marketing efforts are being targeted at tourists who view the area as being history only in an effort to rebrand the Historic Triangle as a “history-plus” area.
Luckie presented survey results Tuesday to the area’s tourism partners, which supports three “freedoms” that should be used in marketing efforts. The three freedoms – to have fun, be curious and relax – can involve history, but are not history-focused.
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