Marketing Strategy Development For Theatre Company Launch

We are seeking a Taproot volunteer to help shape a marketing strategy for the launch year of Freedom House Theatre Company, a new multidisciplinary performing arts organization based in Pittsburgh. This strategy will be key to building public awareness, audience engagement, and donor visibility ahead of our October 2025 premiere.

We’re specifically hoping to receive support in the following areas:

- Developing a high-level marketing strategy that aligns with our mission of uplifting Black, Indigenous, and other historically silenced voices

- Creating a content calendar for newsletter, social media, and press outreach

- Identifying key messaging themes and storytelling angles for engaging different audiences (audiences, donors, press)

- Offering guidance on Instagram growth strategies to reach at least 1,000 followers

- Recommending tactics for getting press coverage, including pitching at least three feature stories to relevant publications

- Advising on email marketing tools and audience growth strategies to help us reach 100+ engaged newsletter subscribers

We anticipate needing about 3–5 hours of support per week over 4–6 weeks, depending on your availability. This work will directly contribute to the successful debut of a company that is re-imagining what sustainable, equitable employment in the arts can look like.

This project will play a central role in helping Freedom House Theatre Company fulfill its mission of building sustainable careers for dancers, musicians, and actors, especially those from Black, Indigenous, and other historically silenced communities.

Over the next year, we are focused on laying the groundwork for our first programs, deepening community relationships, growing our base of supporters, and preparing to offer paid artist residencies along with free or low-cost public workshops. A clear and compelling marketing strategy will help us reach the right audiences such as donors, artists, partners, and local residents so we can build the momentum needed to move forward with confidence.

In the long term, our vision is to transform the performing arts industry by proving that livable wage salaries, creative freedom, and inclusive storytelling are not only possible but necessary. We are working toward a future where historically excluded artists are supported with full benefits, ownership of their work, and creative platforms rooted in care, collaboration, and long-term sustainability.

By volunteering your time and expertise, you will be shaping the public presence of a bold new organization and helping us reach the people who will power this movement. Your support will help us uplift voices that deserve to be heard and contribute to building a more equitable and imaginative future for the arts.

We’re deeply committed to making this a successful and impactful collaboration. Freedom House Theatre Company has already laid a strong foundation for this marketing strategy to take root and flourish:

- Internal Alignment: Our leadership team, including our advisory board, is fully aligned on the importance of clear, mission-driven messaging and is prepared to implement marketing recommendations immediately.

- Materials Ready: We have a live website with an active newsletter list, a visual mood board to guide our aesthetic, and a completed branding guide. While our social media accounts are not yet live, we are ready to launch them in coordination with this project.

- Clear Objectives: We have specific marketing goals in place, including reaching 1,000 Instagram followers, growing our newsletter list to at least 100 subscribers, and securing at least 3 feature articles in major publications.

- Dedicated Point of Contact: Our Executive Artistic Director will be the main contact for this project and is available weekly to provide timely feedback and ensure consistent progress.

- Infrastructure in Place: We are fiscally sponsored by Group 36, who supports us with administrative and financial systems so that our team can stay focused on implementation and strategy.

- Long-Term Implementation Plan: This marketing strategy will guide our outreach to potential donors, partners, and artists, while also expanding our connection to the broader arts community in Pittsburgh and beyond.

Your contributions will directly shape the public launch of a company working to build equity, sustainability, and creative freedom in the performing arts.