SHEN YUN PROMOTION: ARTS MARKETING IN THE REALM OF THE DIVINE

Frank Tian Xie
University of South Carolina Aiken

Xia Zhou
Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania

ABSTRACT

A study by Rand Corporation in 2001 showed that between 1982 and 1997, nonprofit
performing arts organizations proliferated. But their average revenues had declined, and the
average size of nonprofit performing groups was getting smaller as well. In the meantime, federal
government spending on arts has shifted to the state and local levels while the philanthropic
giving to the arts has been increasing. This suggests that the arts groups are getting smaller in
size and less capable of generating revenue on their own to support their artistic missions.
However, since 2006, a new performing arts group based in New York, Shen Yun, has achieved
tremendous success through its own unique marketing and promotional strategies, attracting over
one million audiences a year with its seven companies. This study uses data collected from field
studies, interviews, media reports, and Google Trends analysis in an effort to uncover the secret of
Shen Yun’s success and propose a unique business model for its arts marketing.
Keywords: Nonprofit, art groups, business model, Shen Yun, marketing