When I recently visited the Carnegie Hall website, I expected to find event listings, educational programs and performance information. What I didn’t expect was one of the most surprising and uplifting features I’ve seen on a venue website: a full listing of all leadership and staff, presented almost like movie credits.
It was a small detail, yet it made a big impact.
In an era when many venues remove staff listings to reduce maintenance or avoid unsolicited contact, it was refreshing to see an organization publicly celebrating the people who make everything possible. It felt like an act of recognition, belonging and transparency.
And it raises an important question for every cultural organization:
Do your people feel visible? And do your audiences know the range of roles that keep your venue thriving?
Visibility builds belonging
Many roles that keep venues running, especially operational and behind-the-scenes roles, are invisible by design. However, invisibility can come at a cost. When staff can’t see themselves represented, or when their contribution feels hidden, it can affect morale, connection and pride in their work.
Moreover, for early-career professionals or people exploring the sector, role visibility matters. You can’t aspire to a role you don’t know exists.
Therefore, public recognition isn’t simply about acknowledgment. It also signals:
You belong here
Your work matters
Your role is valued
Your contribution is visible and respected
This kind of cultural messaging strengthens internal identity and, importantly, builds external trust.
Recognition helps audiences understand the complexity of venue work
Audiences often interact with only a handful of people during their visit, usually front-of-house or box office teams. However, hundreds of touchpoints are influenced by roles they never see. These include event coordinators, stage teams, programmers, finance teams, operations staff and technical teams.
Consequently, when venues highlight the people behind the experience, audiences gain a deeper appreciation of the craft, coordination and care involved. It helps bridge the gap between the magic on stage and the systems working behind the scenes.
Why some organizations hesitate
Many venues avoid staff listings for practical reasons. For example:
Keeping pages up to date can be time-consuming.
Organizations may want to limit cold outreach or spam.
Role changes might make updates frequent.
These are understandable concerns. However, the benefits of visibility may outweigh the inconvenience.
There are also practical solutions. For instance, venues can list departments without email links, use role categories rather than individual contact details, or update listings quarterly rather than ad hoc.
Even small changes can communicate recognition.
What visibility signals to your team
Putting your people front and center isn’t only an act of appreciation. It’s also a cultural message. It reinforces:
that your staff matter as individuals
that you value contributions across the organization
that your public-facing mission relies on collective effort
As a result, this can lead to improvements in:
staff engagement
internal communication
sense of purpose
organizational pride
recruitment and retention
Even simple acts of recognition contribute to a healthier staff culture.
What your venue could consider
If you’re thinking about how to improve visibility and recognition, here are a few ideas:
- Share staff stories Spotlight people across departments, not just leadership.
- Publish a team overview Even if not fully detailed, a transparent structure helps audiences understand who does what.
- Show behind-the-scenes moments Photos, interviews or short features help bring unseen roles into the light.
- Celebrate long service and milestones People commit deeply to cultural organizations — honor that commitment publicly.
- Recognize the collective Avoid reinforcing hierarchies by representing the team holistically.
Why this matters at Artifax
We work with venues of every scale, from museums to theaters to multi-purpose cultural spaces. In each one, the people behind the scenes are the heartbeat of the organization.
Therefore, tools that support communication, coordination and visibility aren’t only about efficiency. They also support trust, collaboration and shared purpose, which are the foundations of a thriving venue.
Carnegie Hall’s staff listing reminded me of something important: your people deserve to be seen, and audiences notice when you celebrate them.