Northwest Chapter: Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums
Since 2019, I have volunteered as the communications coordinator for the Northwest Chapter of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, who fund restorations in the various Vatican Museums.
Newsletters
My main roll is sending out quarterly newsletters to our fellow Patrons. For this, I work with our board president to find the main topics for the newsletter. If there isn’t anything pressing to communicate, I pitch ideas for what we could include.
Past topics have included: Special Patrons events, updates on restorations, opportunities to get involved, yearly renewal reminders, Patrons trips, and more.
KPI’s: While I was not given KPI goals when I took over communications, I made myself personal KPI goals such as a click-through rate of over 50%, which I have maintained. As we deal with a small number of subscribers, we rarely have data for a bounce-rate or an unsubscribe rate.
Voice: All communications with the Northwest Patrons are formal and professional, and, due to the classic nature of the Patrons, are to give the impression of class. The newsletters are written in first-person from the board president and often include a note wishing good health.
Design: The header is always the logo of the chapter (now merged with the California chapter). The headers are sans-serif and in a deep blue, in order to highlight the below text. Body copy is a serif’ed font, in order to reiterate the professional and classic nature of the Patrons.
Writing Sample:
This past year, some of our NW Patrons were able to visit Rome and take advantage of the Patrons tour of the Vatican Museums. Gina W. and her family—Connor, Sam, Dianne, and Victoria, along with her father Eric*—said the tour of the Vatican Museums was a special highlight to their trip.
Their tour included stops in the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms, the Gallery of Maps, and finished in the Vatican Gardens, where they could see the retirement home of Pope Emeritus Benedict.
Gina's daughter, Dianne was studying abroad in Rome and, while she had visited the Vatican several times before, she had never experienced it as she did on the tour. With rooms and works only available to those select Patrons visitors, and with special after-hours visiting times, the tour offers a special opportunity to withdraw from the crowded museums and see intimately what most tourists are rushed through. Additionally, this tour gives Patrons a first-hand look into the work they help restore with their membership.
"The work that has been completed and continues to be done in order to preserve the Chapel and the art is incredible. We feel so fortunate there is a community able to help ensure these restoration projects continue so future generations can enjoy these works of genius." - Gina W.
For those of you currently planning a trip to Rome, consider taking advantage of the unique Vatican Museums tour offered to the Patrons. It may just make you more appreciative of the art you generously help restore every day.
*All names changed