Kendall Smith on programming at TACAW and the art of bringing a community together
Interview by Bryan Welker and Stefan le Roux | For The Aspen Times
As Director of Programming at The Arts Campus at Willits (TACAW) in Basalt, Kendall Smith operates at the intersection of taste, instinct, and analysis, trying to predict what audiences will show up for, but also what might move them once they’re in the room.
His atypical arts career trajectory provides a surprisingly functional foundation for his curated programming at the arts nonprofit.
With TACAW’s 5th birthday celebration fast approaching, Bryan Welker spoke with Kendall to explore what it’s like to run programming at the nation’s first net-zero performing arts campus.
Bryan: How did you get to the Roaring Fork Valley?
Kendall: I grew up in a military family and was born in England, but we kept coming back to the same Air Force base in Texas. I studied finance at the University of North Texas, then started a career in manufacturing doing managerial accounting, budgeting, and corporate planning.
I had a good career going, but I realized I wasn’t going to be CFO—and I didn’t really want to be.
Around that time, I started volunteering with arts and culture organizations. That led me to the Underground Music Showcase in Denver. I volunteered for a couple of years and eventually was hired to run it, which I did for seven years.
From there, I went to a startup news organization, Denverite, to build a revenue function and manage events, and then to Colorado Public Radio, where I handled partnerships and events. That’s when this opportunity came up, and I ended up relocating to the valley.
Bryan: What have you learned in your time here?
Kendall: Change is inevitable. And this is an atypical semi-rural community. The people here are incredibly intelligent and discerning, and there are a lot of entertainment options for a place this size.
Bryan: How would you describe your job?
Kendall: I’m responsible for filling our stage. That can mean developing programming partnerships, conceiving events, or booking talent across music, comedy, and ideas.
Bryan: When you say “booking,” it sounds simple, but it’s not. What goes into that?
Kendall: There’s definitely an art to it. There’s an art to curation and to understanding what will work here. But there’s also a lot of math involved. You have to structure deals that make sense.
We’re fortunate to be a donor-supported organization, so we’re not living and dying by every ticket or drink sold. That gives us a little flexibility, as well as the ability to provide lower-priced ticket options than some of our typical for-profit peers, plus some free programming.
To that end, our goal is to gather the community for shared experiences. That means sometimes you book something you know is going to work—a known quantity—and there’s a reason artists come back year after year. But we also want to lead. We want to challenge people and give them something that might push them just outside their comfort zone.
Bryan: Can you think of a show that surprised you?
Kendall: Chaparelle is a good example. I heard their record a couple of years ago and really loved it, so we booked them. We had a good crowd, but the performance itself was so engaging that it caught me off guard. Catch them here on October 31 and see if you agree.
Bryan: Is there something about the venue that you find noteworthy?
Kendall: The amazing listening room. When we do acoustic or songwriter shows, people sit down and are completely focused on the artist. Sometimes it’s so quiet and attentive that it throws performers off a little bit.
Bryan: What makes a good show?
Kendall: The connection between the artist and the audience, and the audience back to the artist.
Bryan: What are your goals for TACAW?
Kendall: I’d like to keep growing the audience and continue gathering people for shared experiences. I’d also like TACAW to be a cultural leader not just in the mid-valley, but across the entire valley.
When I first got here, I thought of the whole valley as one community. What I’ve learned is that each town can be a little insular. One of our roles is to try to shrink the valley a bit, to bring people together across those lines, and that’s been more challenging than I expected.
Bryan: For someone interested in this kind of work, what advice would you give?
Kendall: Go volunteer. Spend time around these organizations and learn how they work. There’s a lot of nuance to arts and culture, especially in nonprofits, and you pick up a lot just by being around it.
Bryan: What makes nonprofits different from the for-profit world?
Kendall: They’re mission-driven. That doesn’t mean you don’t have to build a sustainable model, but the culture is different. People are there by choice. Many of them could earn more money elsewhere, but they’ve chosen to do the work because they believe in the mission.
Bryan: Why did you choose this path?
Kendall: I’ve always loved live performances. There’s something about being in a room with other people watching something happen—whether it’s music, theater, comedy, or sports.
Seeing people leave the theater smiling, or talking about what they just experienced—that’s good compensation.
Bryan: What would you like to see more of from this community?
Kendall: Curiosity. I understand how challenging it is to live here, and that people have to be selective with their time and money. But I’d encourage people to step outside their comfort zone and try something new.
Not even just with us. If you don’t go to live theater, go see a play. If you’re not into classical or jazz, give it a shot. Sit down, experience it with others, and see if you come away changed.
Kendall Smith’s work sometimes leverages an audience’s willingness to take a chance on an unfamiliar artist or a different kind of performance, but his measure of success is simple: people leaving the room changed by what they experienced together.
Bryan Welker lives and breathes business and marketing in the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond. He is President, Co-founder, and CRO of WDR Aspen, a boutique marketing agency that develops tailored marketing solutions. Who should we interview next? Reach out and let us know bryan@wdraspen.com
