Murray Paterson Marketing Group

🍂 As the leaves start to fall, it’s time to be inspired, challenged + entertained by this fall's wide array of arts + culture offerings. Our MPMG clients are gearing up for a busy season brimming with festivals, performances + premieres that’ll make your autumn truly colourful. ✨

We’re thrilled to share with you the events taking place in Vancouver, Toronto, Kelowna + Victoria this fall. Check out the full list on our website at mpmgarts.com/discover-mpmg-fall-client-event-list!

“Summer’s lease hath all too short a date.” The savoured a stunning evening at this week, cherishing the last breaths of summer. We were absolutely enchanted by the inventive, witty, and hilarious ‘Twelfth Night’ on the BMO Mainstage. Bravo on another fabulous season!

Don’t miss your chance to experience a beloved Bard show—get your tickets before September 21!

📚Happy National Book Lovers Day to everyone who finds joy in the turn of a page! Summer is in full swing, and there is no better way to enjoy a sunny beach day than with a good book. 🌞🌊 The MPMG team has compiled our favourite beach reads to share with you. Visit our News page for reviews of each book, listed below.

What is your favourite beach read? Tell us in the comments!

Laura 📚 All Fours by Miranda July
Brian 📚 Bad Cree by Jessica Johns
Angela 📚 This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub
Sijia 📚 The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

What's your favourite summer activity? ☀️ We checked in with our team this week to share some of our top picks during the warm weather months:

⛰ Laura: One of my favourite summer activities is long walks along the seawall or discovering new hikes with a pal.

⛺️ Brian: Pulling on the backpack and tromping off to some remote spot to set up camp.

🎾 Angela: Tennis is my new favourite outdoor activity – so accessible, such a good cardio workout, and so much fun.

🍦 Sijia: I've discovered a new hobby this summer – taking leisurely strolls through my neighbourhood community garden with a cup of coffee or ice cream in hand, surrounded by all the fragrant summer blooms and herbs.

Sending our congratulations to member on the launch of their biggest-ever 4th annual this week! 🎉

This innovative event celebrates the diversity of performing and visual arts in Vancouver’s Eastside, bringing together local artists and the community to explore, learn, and create in Strathcona Park, pop-up locations like breweries, performance venues, and art studios across the Eastside Arts District.

Strathcona Park is the place to be tomorrow July 27th, for a full day of free + ticketed art activities!

WORKSHOP TICKETS + INFO at createartsfestival.ca

📷 Wendy D

It’s been a week of celebrations! We kicked off another season at Theatre Under the Stars Vancouver with two electrifying musicals: ‘CATS’ and ‘School of Rock.’

We’re also toasting to our decade-long relationship with TUTS! MPMG first teamed up with TUTS in 2014, beginning with ‘Shrek the Musical’ and ‘Legally Blonde.' We’re incredibly honoured for our ongoing collaboration, supporting the multi-levels of talent behind the scenes and on-stage.

Cheers to TUTS, to our 10-year collaboration, and to another unforgettable summer season under the stars.

💙 GIVEAWAY! 💙 Make your summer sparkle with arts + culture! From open-air music + theatre set against mountains and the sea, to the reopening of one of Vancouver's most beloved museums, dive into the season with free tickets to some of the most anticipated shows + exhibits in town from MPMG clients Museum of Anthropology , Theatre Under the Stars Vancouver + Bard on the Beach.

Included are:
🎨 Two tickets to Museum of Anthropology at UBC
🎶 Two tickets to Theatre Under the Stars’ 2024 season, featuring CATS and School of Rock, from July 5 - August 25, 2024
🎭 Two tickets to Bard on the Beach’s 2024 season, featuring Twelfth Night, Hamlet, Comedy of Errors, and Measure for Measure, from June 11 - Sept 21, 2024
To enter to win, you must be following and tag a friend you'd like to enjoy this arts prize pack with. Multiple comments will count as multiple entries. Contest closes on Friday, July 5 at 11:59pm!



This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook or Instagram. Entries accepted via Facebook and Instagram. Multiple entries accepted. Winner will be randomly selected and notified via DM and must respond within 48 hours to claim the prize.

It was an absolute pleasure to develop Tsuga Beach Inn’s logo and brand guidelines with owners Patrick and Kevin. Tsuga Beach is a relaxed waterfront luxury accommodation, nestled in the trees above a secluded beach cove.

The brand was informed and inspired by the integration of the lush surroundings of the Sunshine Coast, with the logo abstractly reflecting the modern architecture and sophisticated design details of the breathtaking property.

Huge shout out to our designer, Kyra Wittkopf, whose incredible vision beautifully captured the artful interplay of nature and design.

Book your visit now at tsugabeach.com

Ending the season on a high note! 💙 MPMG team member Brian Paterson shared a fantastic season finale celebration this month with Victoria Symphony. It’s been a sensational year partnering with Victoria Symphony; the Symphony saw more than 36,000 patrons attend an in-person performance–the largest audience total in six years, according to CEO Matthew White.

Adds Maya Lohcham, VS Director of Marketing and Communications: “MPMG is a guaranteed return on investment, and then some. Of all the budget lines I won’t cut, it’s the digital marketing spend, realized through the great work of Brian and his team. We rely on their expertise to help exceed our goals and without fail, their work has an immediate and measurable impact on our sales.”

Check out Victoria Symphony’s exciting 24/25 season, featuring iconic cellist Yo-Yo Ma; popular U.K. pianist Angela Hewitt; Inuk throat singer Tanya Tagaq; live film scores for the films ‘Home Alone’ and ‘The Princess Bride,’ and more!'

In recognition of Asian Heritage Month, we are celebrating the creative contributions of two Canadians of Asian descent we have the immense honour of partnering with this month.

Nikkei-Canadian artist Luka Kawabata has established himself as a rising star in Canadian opera, passionate about diversifying the definition of performance and highlighting languages that are seldom heard in classical music.

He’ll bring his ‘The HAFU ハーフ Project’ to the live stage for the first time on May 25 & 26 with City Opera Vancouver.

Hong Kong/Canadian pianist Vicky Chow has been described as “brilliant” (New York Times) and “one of our era’s most brilliant pianists” (Pitchfork). As a member of the Bang on a Can All-Stars, she has performed with countless ensembles and orchestras, and has toured to over 40 countries.

She’ll perform Philip Glass’ Piano Etudes Book 2 to a sold-out crowd on May 28 with Music on Main.

Wishing our member Carousel Theatre for Young People a whirlwind of joy and success on of their world premiere "The Papa Penguin Play."

Written by Vancouver playwright Dave Deveau and directed by Zee Zee Theatre's Cameron Mackenzie, this visually spectacular, family-affirming show about two male penguins celebrating their baby penguin's first birthday is filled with puppetry, drag performance, musical numbers, and audience immersion.

Co-presented by Carousel Theatre for Young People, Zee Zee Theatre + Vancouver International Children's Festival.

📷 by Ryan Alexander McDonald

MPMG team members were brainstorming in the warmth of the spring sunshine this week at our co-working space in Gastown. We look forward to sharing about an exciting summer season ahead, brimming with arts + culture events. 💙

"The body says what words cannot." – Martha Graham

To all of our endlessly inspiring dance clients, we wish you a happy International Dance Day!

📸 Naomi Kawamura, Emily Murray, and McKeely Borger as The Three Witches in Ballet Kelowna's 'Macbeth,' choreographed by Alysa Pires Dance Projects - APDP. Photo by Emily Cooper Photography. On stage in Kelowna on May 3 + 4.

🎭 Happy ! On the birth & death anniversary of the immortal wordsmith, we raise our goblets to MPMG long-time client & friend Bard on the Beach. Our summer wouldn’t have been the same without the Bard stage!

On stage this summer is ‘Twelfth Night,’ ‘Hamlet,’ ‘The Comedy of Errors,’ and ‘Measure for Measure.” Check our their new season + get your tickets at bardonthebeach.org!

When it comes to pitching the arts and creative industries, it's more important than ever to build a strategic approach in order to secure media coverage. Shrinking newsrooms, clickbait headlines, and an increasingly volatile world create barriers to PR success.

The MPMG shares some top tips to help break through the fray:

🗞 Consider a socially conscious or hard news hook
💙 Share personal stories about real life experiences
✍️ Tailor your outreach
📸 Provide "print-ready" materials
📣 Amplify your message through non-traditional formats
📱 Tap into the power of influencer marketing

Read more details at https://mpmgarts.com/learn-pr-trend-forecast-for-2024/

Happy ! Today (and everyday), the spotlight shines on our favourite feline friends Finnigan, Kingsley + most adventurous pupper Ripley! 🐾 Between the purrs, woofs, and the occasional keyboard naps, these four-legged additions to the are the true muses behind our creativity. 💙

What a spectacular night, celebrating the world premiere opening of Robert Lepage and Guillaume Côté's 'The Tragedy of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark,' presented by Show One Productions at Toronto's historic Elgin Theatre from Apr 3-7.

We are thrilled to announce that MPMG will be working with Show One Productions Presents on the Western Canadian tour of Hamlet in 2025. More details coming soon!

Take a walk down memory lane with our members, Brian and Angela, in celebration of ! For these two, it was musical theatre that sparked a lifelong love of the performing arts. 💙

Brian made a splash as Riff in a 2001 production of ‘West Side Story,’ with Comox Valley’s Rainbow Youth Theatre 🌈

And Angela wowed audiences as a nine-year-old munchkin in her local high school’s 1993 production of ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ 🧙

“We’re doubling down,” Matthew White, CEO of , shares with the Times Colonist: “The last year has been our most successful year in about a decade. We’re sensing a renewed interest in the orchestra, and people are really responding to the quality.”

The MPMG team are delighted to have collaborated with Victoria Symphony these past several years. Cheers to a starry 2024-25 season ahead! ✨🥂

Arts organizations have always relied upon news stories to inform and educate their audiences about upcoming work. However, following the Government of Canada’s passing of the Online News Act (or Bill C-18) requiring large search engines and social media services to negotiate payments with news businesses or groups of news businesses, Meta has made the move to block all news content on all Meta platforms.

How is this impacting the digital marketing field? What implications does it have for our clients? MPMG team shares some takeaways:

1. Know your outlets: It can be surprising to see the sites that circumvent the Meta block. On the west coast, for example, Vancouver Sun or Daily Hive coverage cannot be shared on newsfeeds – but The Georgia Straight articles can. Rather than assume all sites are blocked, always test and see if your coverage is running on an outlet that is exempt from the ban.
2. Pay to play: While organic posting from news sites remains unavailable, coverage can still be published when run as advertisements. It highlights the importance of an integrated digital marketing and media relations plan, where coverage can be strategically delivered into the news feeds of your targeted audiences.
3. Own your audience: These developments once again highlight the importance of first-party data in the form of a robust, segmented email database – as organizations cannot necessarily rely on outside parties to inform audiences about upcoming works. A constantly growing privacy compliant list always has been an arts organization’s most powerful tool in educating audiences, generating awareness, telling stories, and ultimately selling tickets.

Read more on our website at mpmgarts.com/news/.

📣 WE ARE HIRING! 📣

We are looking for a dynamic communicator to join our team of arts-loving professionals in the following role:

💻 Media Relations Contractor

If you or someone you know are looking for a communications role in an agency dedicated exclusively to servicing the arts + cultural sector, we want to hear from you!

Click the link below to learn more about the role and how to apply:

https://www.mpmgarts.com/were-hiring-media-relations-contractor/

On this International Women’s Day, we acknowledge the many women and non-binary writers, artists, performers, and creatives whose essential work moves forward society’s collective conversation on women’s rights.

In honour of this day, we asked our team: “What work of art or literature has helped shape your understanding of women’s rights?”

Laura: ‘Run Towards the Danger’ by Sarah Polley is an extraordinary memoir in the form of a collection of essays, each providing a forensic account of life-shaping events. She challenges gender conformity, confronts trauma, explores systemic breakdowns within the film industry, and ultimately, reminds us the importance of sharing our truths.

Angela P: Indigenous artist Sho Sho Esquiro’s first solo exhibition at Bill Reid Gallery was a revelation. Through the subversive combination of couture gowns and striking commentary, Sho Sho uses women’s fashion to call urgent attention to the ongoing, devastating impacts of colonial practices on Indigenous women and girls.

Sijia: When I first saw ‘Sister Act’ in a second-grade English class, the eight-year-old me was astounded by the story of assertive, talented women breaking free from traditional roles. The bold and unconventional sisterhood and solidarity portrayed offered me my very first glimpse into the idea of powerful and dynamic female friendships.

Angela V: Watching ‘Poor Things’ was a liberating experience, observing a woman who can’t even begin to conceptualize shame. Watching Emma Stone’s character be so in touch with her inner child, focused on pleasure, happiness, and growing to understand her own existence pulled, warmed, and stomped on my heart.

Ariane: ‘Periods Gone Public: Taking a Stand for Menstrual Equity’ by Jennifer Weiss-Wolf is an accessible read that covers a lot of ground, and I learned a lot about menstrual health and the politics that surround it. In Canada, one in six people who menstruate have personally experienced period poverty, or one in four within households earning less than $40k/year.

Deborah: The beautifully-written memoir ‘Reading Lo**ta in Tehran’ by Azar Nafisi taught me so much about the resilience and courage women can have even as they witness their rights being stripped away.

Feeling fancy at The Cultch's 50th Anniversary Gala last weekend 💅

Cheers to the next 50 years of creating + presenting immersive, boundary-breaking, intersectional performing arts! 🥂

“How has audience purchasing behaviour changed for your arts organization over the last few years? What strategies have you tested or implemented to adapt to these changes?” Earlier in winter, MPMG asked this question to arts industry leaders.

Three organizations (, , ) shared with us the challenges encountered + opportunities employed since coming out of the pandemic, during these past years of uncertainty.

Read this article, and sign up for our newsletter to receive tailored industry insights + expertise: https://mailchi.mp/mpmgarts/musemarrow

INQUIRE: Experts Talk Ticket Sales + Audience Behaviours - Murray Paterson Marketing Group We asked three arts industry leaders how audience purchasing behaviours have changed over the past few years. MPMG ASKED CULTURE LEADERS: How has audience purchasing… keep reading

Two of our members waiting for the incredibly moving performance of 'Vástádus eana - The answer is land' from Sámi director + choreographer Elle Sofe Sara to start this past weekend at DanceHouse!

It was an unforgettable cultural experience that started outdoors, and led patrons backstage, before taking their seats for the remainder of the performance, in an act of resilience, reclamation + kinship.

A beautiful opening night of ‘The Return Voyage’ at the St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church! Our beloved, talented client reunites with Montreal’s famed ensemble La Nef, bringing to the stage a rollicking night of perfect harmonies. Looking for some sea songs + shanties conjuring the thrill of adventure this long weekend? You still have the chance to see them today!

✨Client Event Round-up! ✨
Leap into February with an array of arts + culture offerings! 🥂Check out the vibrant lineup of shows + performances from our in Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna + Toronto this month! 🎼

Harbourfront Centre & DanceWorks | ‘Deciphers’ (Feb 8-10) – Toronto’s Naishi Wang and London’s Jean Abreu examine the immigrant experience + cultural identity in the thought-provoking dance/theatre hybrid.

Vancouver Recital Society | Javier Perianes (Feb 11); Juho Pohjonen, Stephen Waarts & Jonathan Swensen (Feb 18): VRS brings to Vancouver audience favourites + rising stars.

Victoria Symphony | ‘Kluxen – Shostakovich Symphony No. 5’ (Feb 11) – Revel in Shostakovich’s triumphant and defiant Symphony No. 5 in D minor.

Carousel Theatre for Young People & Théâtre la Seizième | ‘I am William / Je Suis William’(Feb 13-18) – The origin of Shakespeare’s world famous canon reimagined.

Chor Leoni & La Nef | ‘The Return Voyage’ (Feb 16 & 17) – Set sail with Chor Leoni + Montreal’s Famed Folk Ensemble La Nef for a rollicking voyage of high seas harmonies.

Ballet Kelowna | ‘Turning Point’ (Feb 16 & 17) – Striking storytelling explores love, loss, identity, and power in two contemporary ballet premieres by Canadian choreographers.

DanceHouse | ‘Vástádus eana – The answer is land’ (Feb 23 & 24) – Vancouver Premiere of Indigenous Sámi artist Elle Sofe Sara’s new work is a potent commentary on reclamation + identity

ITSAZOO Productions | ‘The Sunrise Betties’ ( Feb 21 - Mar 10) – Explore East Van’s gritty 1970’s gang era with this immersive, subversive world premiere.

City Opera Vancouver | ‘Song from the Uproar: The Lives and Deaths of Isabelle Eberhardt’ (Feb 29 & Mar 2-3) – The extraordinary life story of the early feminist icon is brought to the stage in this Canadian premiere.

Murray Paterson Marketing Group | Arts & Culture Marketing Agency Murray Paterson Marketing Group is a highly skilled team of forward-thinking professionals with a passion for marketing the arts + creative industries.

The assembled our favourite fiction and non-fiction reads from 2023. Visit our News page below for reviews of each book. Happy reading!

Laura
📚 Yellowface by R. F Kuang
📚 You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith

Brian
📚 Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
📚 Fire Weather by John Vaillant

Angela
📚 Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
📚 Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Sijia
📚 The Book of Goose by Yiyun Li
📚 Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath by Heather Clark

DISCOVER: MPMG Top Reads of 2023 - Murray Paterson Marketing Group The MPMG team assembled our favourite fiction and non-fiction reads from 2023. Happy reading! Laura Murray, Founding Partner: Fiction: Yellowface by R.F Kuang White lies,… keep reading

✨Thrilled to announce that our latest arts + culture newsletter, Muse + Marrow, will be out tomorrow! In this upcoming issue, hear arts industry leaders talk ticket sales + audience behaviours, learn forecasted 2024 PR + digital marketing trends, and exchange ideas for the arts + marketing communities. 🎉

Make sure you sign up for Muse + Marrow today to receive our curated fun and informative resources! Link: bit.ly/3HAwVpW

Muse + Marrow - A Biannual Arts + Culture Newsletter A fun, informative resource offering curated marketing + PR expertise,  promoting meaningful conversations, and celebrating the exchange of ideas for both the arts and marketing communities.

Did you see? 👀 So many clients we are privileged to partner with made Stir Vancouver list of 'standout moments from 2023's stage and gallery scene.'

Kudos to members Bard on the Beach, Vancouver Recital Society, DanceHouse, Theatre Under the Stars Vancouver + Music on Main on making the list. Your work is endlessly inspiring and the reason we get to do what we do every day!

Here's to more celebration + championing of the arts in 2024! 🥂

Check out the story below to read the full list.

Cascading sand and warbling strings: A few standout moments from 2023's stage and gallery scene — Stir Random memorable scenes from the year in arts span 50 dancers swirling in BOLERO X , a powerful Julius Caesar speech, and a cello star’s finale with local string students