Armstrong Auditorium Staff Attend Tourism Conference
Marketing director, head usher gain insight and promote auditorium
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EDMOND—Two Armstrong International Cultural Foundation staff members represented Armstrong Auditorium at the 2015 Oklahoma Conference on Tourism at Oklahoma City University on May 19. Foundation marketing director Shane Granger and head usher Edwin Trebels attended workshops and keynote addresses ranging from the top trends motivating travelers to using storytelling in digital marketing to hitting a “hospitality home run.”

Trebels briefly spoke to a group of 150 to 200 tourism professionals about Armstrong Auditorium and one of its long-term goals: to display significant artifacts in addition to those from Jerusalem’s first temple period currently on display.

Granger said the insight he gained from the conference was to optimize Web content for mobile devices since phones and tablets account for 60 percent of Web traffic, up from 25 percent in 2012.

“We have entered a post-PC world,” Granger said. “Mobile has exploded, and the message is clear: We either adapt and engage with consumers on their mobile devices or we get left behind and our business dies.”

He also said the conference compelled him to find new methods to attract a new audience.

“We continually need to attract new people to the auditorium because the audience for classical subscription series is aging,” he said. “Without younger audiences, our attendance will naturally decline every season.”

The Armstrong International Cultural Foundation wrapped up its 2014-2015 season with StepCrew on April 23 and begins its 17th season with “An Evening With Joshua Bell” on October 22. Granger said the auditorium offers FlexPasses for three performances (at a 10 percent discount) or for five performances (at a 15 percent discount).

He said that full-season subscriptions for all 10 events offer a 20 percent discount, advanced seating privileges, preferred parking and free ticket exchanges. Full season packages start at $218 (balcony) and $549 (orchestra).

Subscriptions to the Armstrong Auditorium 2015-2016 performing arts series are available at (405) 285-1010 or ArmstrongAuditorium.org starting June 1. Single-event tickets go on sale July 1.