Author: National Endowment for the Arts, Research Division

Publication Year: 1980

Media Type: Book

Summary:

This study responds to several specific objectives that have had wide recognition in the arts community; to broaden the audience for the performing arts; to determine the applicability of sophisticated tools of marketing to the problem of generating demand for the arts; to find the best predictors of arts attendance; and to develop strategies that will appeal to those who, by these predictors, are potential attenders.

Abstract:

This study responds to several specific objectives that have had wide recognition in the arts community; to broaden the audience for the performing arts; to determine the applicability of sophisticated tools of marketing to the problem of generating demand for the arts; to find the best predictors of arts attendance; and to develop strategies that will appeal to those who, by these predictors, are potential attenders. Such a study was needed because little has been known up to the present about why some persons become arts attenders and others do not, and about how the arts can attract greater patronage from nonattenders or infrequent attenders.

Also needed were answers to the questions: who responds to which alterations in arts offerings? Are all respondents presently attenders - which would increase an audience without broadening it - or do attenders and nonattenders respond? And, do behavior predictors and strategies apply equally to theatre and symphony, or must different measurements and manipulations be sought for these performing arts? Among the striking findings of the study are the discoveries that the most significant predictors of future attendance are the same for symphony as for theatre, and that interest in the performing arts while growing up is high on the list of predictors of adult attendance.

For arts managers, the pinpointing of manipulations of arts offerings that seem to appeal equally to concert and theatre attenders is particularly significant; also significant is the discovery that almost all manipulations effective on nonattenders seem to work as well on attenders, indicating that nonattenders can be appealed to without discouraging patronage of frequent attenders. The two strategies that appear most promising for broadening both theatre and symphony audiences because of their high impact on nonattenders are offering ticket buyers a second ticket at half price and including well-known performers in the arts events.

The present study, by examining the effects of a number of marketing strategies on regular attenders, marginal attenders and nonattenders, is able to report which group changed and the degree of change, thus providing insights into what will or will not broaden the arts audience and showing the relative effectiveness of various strategies on the several attendance groups.Through the use of recent advances in attitude measurement, life-style analysis, market segmentation, and multivariate statistics, the study yields better predictors of future attendance, better explanations of responses to particular changes proposed for arts offerings, and more information about who responds to these changes - in sum, more specific and better ways to develop audiences.

CONTENTS
Preface.
List of tables.
List of figures.
Summary. 

Chapter 1. Methodology.
Chapter 2. Past and future attendance.
Chapter 3. Associational approach to future attendance.
Chapter 4. Manipulations approach to future attendance.

Appendix:
     A. Varimax rotated factor matrix: Correlations of variables with general life-style
          factors.
     B. Symphony and theatre attendance telephone survey questionnaire.

References.
Bibliography.

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Participation