Are Arts Organizations Leading or Following Audiences?

This was an interesting article that was posted posing the question of whether or not arts organizations should be as concerned as they are about audience opinion. The idea of arts organizations following audiences as opposed to leading audiences is one that has become an issue as audiences start to dwindle at some organizations. There is no doubt that audiences need to feel connected to the organization that they are participating in. The question lays in how they feel connected and why. Adam Lerner head of MCA Denver suggested that organizations are misguided in their search for direction from audiences. He suggests that "the answers lie inside the organization, not outside." Posing the thought that museums need to look more carefully at themselves. This would lead to arts organization's interaction with audiences being about selling audiences more of what the organization offers and not re-thinking what the organization should offer as suggested by audience members. I think this is a very interesting way of looking at things, I'm not sure it is best for every arts organization and that specific organizations should thoroughly examine their mission before approaching audience interaction in this manner. Still, something to think about.
http://www.sloverlinett.com/blog/2012/march/good-research-isn-t-about-asking-audiences-what-they-want