StillArt supports ambitious leaders in the arts reach bigger audiences, grow earned income, stabilize operations, and pursue greater artistic freedom for their organization. Our current signatory service is Subscription Builder, with which we aim to dramatically increase the base of traditional fixed-seat, fixed-performance subscribers for our partners.
To date, we have helped a dozen organizations consistently sell out whole seasons. Our focus is more and more turning to help our clients that are now sold out benefit from the situation more broadly by tapping into new fundraising, sponsorship, public funding and strategic development opportunities. We are a network of a dozen people, with half of us working with clients and the other half working administratively behind the curtain. We work intensely with approximately ten performing arts organizations annually.
Magnus Still, CEO, Lead Project Manager, Chairperson of the Subscription Advisory Board, and former CEO of three orchestras, including the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. In 2006 Magnus wrote the 100-page study Effective Marketing by Classical Music Promoters. 9 Case Studies in High Level Audience Growth, which strongly influenced how StillArt was structured. Magnus’ books Fill Every Seat – EVERY Week. The Power of Subscriptions And How To Make Them Work Today was published in April 2016, it’s translation into German (Schott Music, Edition das Orchester) in 2020 and co-author of Schott Music’sThe (fr)agile Orchestra in 2021. Magnus was producer of the film documentary Under The Stars with premiere in Berlin 2019.
Maj-Lis Sirén
Administrative Director
+358 40 849 3369
moc.t1732805380ralli1732805380ts@ne1732805380ris.s1732805380il-ja1732805380m1732805380
Christa Degkwitz
Client Campaign Manager
+49 6008 918 738
moc.t1732805380ralli1732805380ts@zt1732805380iwkge1732805380d.ats1732805380irhc1732805380
Jan Strandholm
Development Director, Project Manager
+358 415 132456
moc.t1732805380ralli1732805380ts@ml1732805380ohdna1732805380rts.n1732805380aj1732805380
Christian Weidmann
Project Manager
+4176 576 70 37
moc.t1732805380ralli1732805380ts@nn1732805380amdie1732805380w.nai1732805380tsirh1732805380c1732805380
Eren Yagmuroglu
Brand Manager
+90 535 548 7302
moc.t1732805380ralli1732805380ts@ul1732805380gorum1732805380gay.n1732805380ere1732805380
Vision
A world where the arts plays a proactive role in forming healthy and vibrant local and global communities.
Mission
To provide ambitious leaders in the arts with powerful tools and solutions for building strong, vibrant and dynamic organizations.
Methodology
To identify, code, spread and support best-in-class solutions that deal with foundational administrative challenges in the arts.
Values
Passion: moving hearts, producing actions and creating results. Teamwork: reflected in everything we do. Results: what we live, talk about and produce.
The StillArt Subscription Advisory Board
Senior Advisor
Thomas J Gulick
Specialized in rapid earned revenue growth for performing arts organizations, has over 30 years of experience as CEO, Marketing and Development Director of US symphonies, ballet companies and opera houses. He was responsible for the program that took the San Francisco Opera from a $30M to $60M company within five years.
Senior Advisor
Martin Hansson
Managing and Artistic Director of Gothenburg Grand Theatre. As Director of Communications of Gothenburg SO and CEO of Vara Concert House he created stability for both organizations by building the highest subscription numbers in the history of both organizations.
Honorary Senior Advisor
Robert C Jones (1943-2022)
has over 30 years of experience as CEO of US symphonies, operas and venues, including Washington DC National SO and the Music Department of Kennedy Center. In his 15 years with the Indianapolis SO he managed the building of the endowment fund from $4M to $94M. Bob has developed and executed turnarounds for several medium and large companies.
Senior Advisor
Prof. Dr. Martin Messingschlager
Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Pragma Institut für empirische Strategieberatung. Professor at the Otto-Friedrich-University in Bamberg.
It is important for us to be a reliable partner to you
With a team in 4 countries on 2 continents and Clients in (so far) 8 countries, air transport is StillArt’s main source of negative environmental impact. When possible, we use trains and buses. But when we fly we counterbalance our CO2 emissions by supporting wind mill projects in China and India through CarbonNeutral ®.
The Finnish credit rating institute Asiakastieto has given StillArt Ltd AA rating in 2019, Gold Rating in 2021 and 2022. AA rating means, StillArt belongs to the top 20% and Gold Rating means top 12% of Finnish companies what comes to financial performance and stability.
We are proud that the European Union and the Finnish state have funded several StillArt projects supporting the success of the arts sector:
Marcus Rudolf Axt
Our collaboration with StillArt worked. All our series are now at a high level again and we are selling 97.5% of all our tickets available this season. This is of course a perfect situation, knowing early about the challenging concerts of the next season, having people line up in the morning on the day when we release single tickets, and having the freedom to invite the artists and play the works we want to. Also, our funders are happy that we are making a profit and raising our earned ticket income level. The style of StillArt’s consultancy is trustful, dedicated on music, and focused on the activities that make the biggest impact.
Chief Executive - Bamberg Symphony
Helena Wessman
“I have followed Magnus Still’s work for many years and have collaborated with him on subscription growth on two big projects with different orchestras. The result has been above and beyond expectations. Still’s system is simple but well balanced and efficient. Just what we all need.”
General Manager at Berwaldhallen – Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Choir, Former CEO and Artistic Director at the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Michael Becker
“The work we have done with Magnus Still has been compelling across all Tonhalle departments. The system is logical, easy to understand and practically oriented, and the ongoing support of Magnus is very attentive and cooperative. The results of our subscription collaboration so far resulted in an increase of 110% in subscriptions and more than 50% in concert visits, which is immensely gratifying for all parties involved: the backstage crew, the artists and the finances.”
Intendant Tonhalle Düsseldorf Düsseldorfer Symphoniker
Rikkert Kremer
“I have read two truly life-changing books. The first was Michael M. Kaiser’s The Art of the Turnaround, the second Magnus Still’s Effective Marketing by Classical Music Promoters. I am very excited to learn that Magnus is writing a new book on his very special competence area of subscriptions.”
Former Manager Marketing & Communication and Manager General Affairs, The Hague Philharmonic Orchestra
Robert C. Jones
“After 36 plus years as a CEO and another 10 years as a COO to symphony orchestras and operas, my recommendation is to skip conferences and workshops for the next three years, and instead put the time and effort toward a StillArt collaboration.”
Former CEO of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Opera Pacific, Washington DC National Symphony Orchestra, and VP Music John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, current StillArt Senior Advisor
Urban Ward
… and [reaching the ideal subscription level] also helps us sleep well at night.
Director of Communication at Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Ed Smith
“The StillArt approach is just what arts organizations need at this time. It’s pragmatic, innovative, trustworthy and driven by a genuine desire to share the thrill of great performances with more people. And they produce the goods! From my personal experience of working with them I am very happy to offer recommendation. Their work with the GSO encouraged us to think creatively, challenge our thinking and dared us to do things differently.”
former Managing & Artistic Director Gothenburg Symphony, CEO of City of Birmingham Symphony and CEO of Toronto Symphony
