The Scene Room

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Join us as we sit down with Alex Sarian, bestselling author of The Audacity of Relevance and President and CEO of Calgary's Arts Commons. Sarian’s innovative approach to cultural leadership has not only transformed Calgary’s Arts Commons but also unlocked over $500 million in funding, reshaping cultural leadership across Canada. This marks the largest cultural infrastructure project in Canadian history.
In this episode, Sarian shares how he leads Arts Commons with a focus on community engagement and a service-oriented leadership model. Learn how his visionary approach has aligned Arts Commons’ success with Calgary’s civic ambitions, reducing government dependency through a social enterprise model.

Sarian also challenges conventional thinking on audience development, arguing that programming relevance must come before ticket price adjustments to truly build value. He reveals how arts organizations can achieve both relevance and financial sustainability by focusing on the needs of their communities.

Throughout the conversation, one key question emerges as central to Sarian’s success: “What does the world need right now that we are uniquely positioned to do?” Discover how this guiding principle has transformed fundraising, programming, and the cultural landscape at Arts Commons.

*Correction: Lizzie says in the video introduction that Sarian is a New York Times bestselling author — while we think he should be, he's a nationally bestselling author. So, here she is manifesting...so, go buy his book!

photo credit: Jeremy Fokkens

All episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube Channel. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman.

Don’t forget to subscribe, share the love, and leave us a review to show your support—it means a lot to us!
Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.
Visit TheSceneRoom.com for more information.

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The digital landscape has transformed how artists connect with audiences, but what strategies actually work in today's crowded online space? Michael Morreale, digital content producer and arts consultant with experience spanning brands like CBC, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and beyond, offers a refreshingly practical approach to arts marketing.
"Our job isn't to pitch stories to media outlets anymore. Our job is to tell our own story," Michael explains, cutting through the noise to what really matters. Drawing from his experience creating content that reached 16 million Canadians during Canada's sesquicentennial celebration, he shares actionable advice that works for organizations of any size.
The conversation explores how to build an effective digital strategy by first understanding your audience deeply. Michael reveals insights about audience research: "Look at your Google Analytics to see what people are searching to land on your website. Sometimes it's things like 'where do I find parking nearby?' This isn't what you may think of first when creating content, but if you're answering the questions your audience has, you'll develop that relationship."
Rather than chasing every social platform, Michael advocates for strategic focus, particularly highlighting LinkedIn's untapped potential for arts organizations. "LinkedIn has evolved beyond what we knew a few years ago," he notes, explaining how individual voices often outperform organizational accounts on the platform.
For artists struggling with content creation, the episode offers practical frameworks to simplify the process, including creating content categories and consistent posting schedules. Perhaps most valuable is Michael's closing advice: "There's no hack to solving these problems, but consistency is the best way to start." If you're looking to elevate your digital presence without getting overwhelmed, this conversation provides the roadmap you need.

All episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube Channel. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman.

Don’t forget to subscribe, share the love, and leave us a review to show your support—it means a lot to us!
Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.
Visit TheSceneRoom.com for more information.

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When David Lomelí's blossoming career as a tenor was cut short by severe health issues, he didn't leave opera—he transformed how it works from behind the scenes. This conversation takes us through his remarkable journey from a naturally gifted singer in Mexico to becoming one of opera's most influential casting directors and artistic leaders.
Lomelí brings remarkable candor to his discussion of opera's business realities. Having seen the industry from both sides of the curtain, he reveals how financial pressures increasingly drive artistic decisions, with programming often shaped more by donor interests than artistic vision (in the bigger houses). His insider perspective on casting illuminates the delicate balance between artistic integrity and economic survival that defines the contemporary opera scene.
As a self-described "specialist shopper" of vocal talent who now consults for multiple major companies, Lomelí takes us into the nerve center of opera production. He shares the challenges of assembling the perfect cast when dealing with complex scheduling, budget limitations, and the competing visions of conductors, directors, and administrators. His stories from the "room where it happens" offer rare insights into how artistic decisions are actually made.
Perhaps most compelling is Lomelí's passionate advocacy for industry-wide transformation. He makes a compelling case for opera to revolutionize its approach to media, marketing, and audience engagement—proposing an "Olympic Committee of Opera" that could unite companies worldwide under collective promotion and corporate sponsorship. His vision for opera's future embraces technological innovation and transparency while honoring the extraordinary artistry that makes this form so powerful.
Whether you're a performer seeking to understand the casting process, an arts administrator grappling with financial challenges, or simply a lover of opera curious about its inner workings, this conversation will transform how you see the art form. Listen now and join the movement to reimagine opera for a new generation.

All episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube Channel. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman.

Don’t forget to subscribe, share the love, and leave us a review to show your support—it means a lot to us!
Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.
Visit TheSceneRoom.com for more information.

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What happens when arts marketers get caught in a loop of generic language like "spellbinding performances" and "timeless classics"? Cate Pisaroni, founder of Lenny's Studio and representative for artists like Joyce DiDonato, Ailyn Pérez, Christian Van Horn, Quinn Kelsey, Stephen Costello, Evan Rogister and many more offers a refreshingly honest take on where arts marketing falls short – and how we can take it to the next level.

Cate brings a wealth of experience to this conversation, sharing how meaningful content emerges when marketers step outside of their silos and immerse themselves in the artistic process. "I feel sometimes the repertoire is so vast and there's so much amazing music... we all benefit from being part of the process and learning more about them," she explains. This philosophy drives her approach to helping classical artists connect authentically with audiences.

The discussion reveals Cate's innovative marketing strategies, including the creation of the Liedstadt Festival, a festival she co-founded alongside tenor Julian Prégardien and musician-project designer Kian Jazdi. Liedstadt is a celebration of song that launched without a marketing budget, yet it managed to flood Hamburg with 56 concerts across 15 venues in a single day. By bringing performances to non-traditional spaces like bars, hospitals, and libraries, they removed barriers of intimidation and drew in younger audiences eager to experience classical music in accessible 20-minute segments.

Beyond event marketing, Cate shares insights on what makes compelling visual communication, from concert posters that capture the spirit of a performance through thoughtful imagery and typography, to social media strategies that balance curation with spontaneity. Her advice on influencer collaborations emphasizes genuine connection over transactional relationships, while her thoughts on community engagement challenge organizations to reimagine how audiences experience performances.

Whether you're a marketer, artist, or arts administrator, Cate's candid perspective offers practical wisdom for creating more authentic, engaging connections with audiences. Her parting advice? "Trust your intuition more, because it's one of the things that is underestimated."

All episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube Channel. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman.

Don’t forget to subscribe, share the love, and leave us a review to show your support—it means a lot to us!
Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.
Visit TheSceneRoom.com for more information.

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In this episode, we sit down with Michael Dobbin, founding director of Quiet Revolution Pictures (Canada) and Peardrop Productions (UK), and founder of JustWatchMe.TV, a platform dedicated to elevating independent films. Michael shares insights on how the platform supports filmmakers by providing visibility and helping them navigate production financing—especially in the often-overlooked realm of Canadian cinema.

We also explore live screening capabilities, where audiences can host their own community-driven viewings, encouraging deeper engagement with stories that resonate. As technological advances shift the focus back to storytelling, parallels between the film industry and the performing arts become clear—both are finding new ways to connect with audiences in a digital age.

Tune in to discover how JustWatchMe.TV is redefining the streaming landscape and how the lines between film and live performance continue to blur, offering new opportunities for creators and audiences alike.

All episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube Channel. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman.

Don’t forget to subscribe, share the love, and leave us a review to show your support—it means a lot to us!
Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.
Visit TheSceneRoom.com for more information.