Author: Brownrigg, W. Grant

Publication Year: 1975

Media Type: Report

Summary:

In June 1975, under the auspices of Heublein, Inc., a market research survey was conducted on awareness and attendance of arts events in the Greater Hartford area. The purpose of this study was twofold: 1. to provide information on public use of and attitudes toward the arts. 2. to develop a data base for constructing a strategic plan for the arts. This report summarizes the findings of this survey. In addition, results of national studies in the same areas are used to supplement and corroborate the conclusions of the Heublein survey.

Abstract:

In June 1975, under the auspices of Heublein, Inc., a market research survey was conducted on awareness and attendance of arts events in the Greater Hartford area. The purpose of this study was twofold: 1. to provide information on public use of and attitudes toward the arts. 2. to develop a data base for constructing a strategic plan for the arts. This report summarizes the findings of this survey. In addition, results of national studies in the same areas are used to supplement and corroborate the conclusions of the Heublein survey.

The focus of this report is on the arts institutions in Greater Hartford that receive major funding from the Arts Council. However, the survey did include questions on other cultural/entertainment organizations; the resultant statistics are included in Appendices C through E, along with those for the major arts institutions. Appendix R contains information on the annual operating budgets of the major Hartford arts institutions.

This report makes no attempt to examine all the aspects and ramifications of the Heublein and other studies. It seeks merely to highlight some of the important results, calls attention to available research, and present a body of data for use in subsequent studies. Extreme care should be taken in making comparisons between the studies presented. The nature, scope and methodology of each survey was different. Therefore, the results are not directly comparable. The findings of the three national studies (Ford Foundation, Associated Councils for the Arts, and National Endowment for the Arts) should serve as general indicators or guidelines - a broad background - against which the Heublin survey results should be considered. The most significant findings of this report may be summarized as follows:

1. The arts, both in Hartford and the as a whole, are not attended by the majority of people.
2. Education and income are key factors in arts attendance; persons with high degrees of each are more likely to attend than those with low.
3. Arts attendance in Hartford may be below the average for the nation.
4. Most people in Greater Hartford are aware of the existence of the major arts institutions, although most do not attend specific arts events.
5. People who have attended an arts event are very likely to come again.

From the data presented, several key conclusions can be reached:

1. The major arts institutions are probably not fully penetrating the prime high-education, high income market segment.
2. Combined appeals to attenders of each arts organization should result in increased attendance for all the major institutions.
3. Attendance frequency, in terms of numbers of times per year, and attendance turnover can and should be improved.
4. Making the arts more accessible, in terms of increasing convenience in getting there and ease of planning, should greatly increase attendance.

In conclusion, the results of this report indicate an exciting and highly optimistic future for the arts in Hartford. The major institutions are already earning a larger share of their total income than the national average. By using the research presented in this report to develop a comprehensive, focused marketing strategy, these institutions should be able to significantly increase their attendance and impact.

CONTENTS
Section 1. Introduction.

Section 2. Arts attendance:

  1. Education, income and age attendance factors.
  2. Current arts attendance.
  3. Average annual attendance.

Section 3. Attendance factors:

  4. Arts awareness and attendance.
  5. Estimated net changes in attendance.

Section 4. Conclusions:

  6. Current attendance comparison.
  7. Ford study: Multi-arts attendance.
  8. Heublein survey: Multi-arts attendance.
  9. Net multi-arts attendance.
10. Average interval between attendance years.

Appendices A-R.
Table of appendices:

A. Heublein survey methodology (1975).

  1. Sample questionnaire.
  2. Population of towns surveyed.
  3. Map of sample area.

B. Heublein survey sample (1975).

  1. Sample profile.
  2. Demographic detail.

C. Heublein survey: awareness analysis (1975).

  1. Major performing arts groups.
  2. Minor performing arts groups.
  3. Museums and institutions.
  4. Festivals and events.
  5. Performance centers.

D. Heublein survey: attendance overview (1975).

  1. Major performing arts groups.
  2. Minor performing arts groups.
  3. Museums and institutions.
  4. Festivals and events.
  5. Performance centers.

E. Heublein survey: Current attendance analysis (1975).

  1. Major performing arts groups.
  2. Minor performing arts groups.
  3. Museums and institutions.
  4. Festivals and events.
  5. Performance centers.
  6. Attendance at movies in past year.

F. Heublein survey: reasons for attendance (1975).

  1. Reasons for attending entertainment or cultural activity last.
  2. Likelihood of repeat attendance.

G. ACA survey sample (1973).

  1. Sample profile.
  2. Demographic detail.

H. ACA survey: attendance at cultural events (1973).

  1. Cultural attendance profile.
  2. Frequency of attendance.
  3. Frequency of museum visits.
  4. Average attendance.
  5. Profile of frequent attenders.

I. ACA survey: Attendance factors (1973).

  1. Sources of information on cultural events.
  2. Importance of cost factor.
  3. Dinner and companionship factor.
  4. Inconvenience involved in attending cultural activities.
  5. Reasons for not going to theatre more often.
  6. Reasons for not going to ballet more often.
  7. Reasons for not going to opera or concerts more often. 
  8. Decision factors on attending a play.
  9. Decision factors on attending a movie.

J. ACA survey: Arts education and exposure (1973).

  1. Views on arts courses in schools.
  2. Exposure to art and music appreciation courses.
  3. Percent of respondents who never attended cultural events
      when growing up.
  4. Exposure to cultural events.

K. Ford study: Sample (1971-72).

  1. Sample profile.

L. Ford study: Attendance overview (1971-72).

  1. Current attendance of arts activities.
  2. Current attendance by education and income group.
  3. Current attendance by age group.
  4. Audience composition.
  5. Circumstances of attendance.

M. Ford study: Estimated effect of changes in perception (1971-72).

  1. Dress, audience composition and atmosphere.
  2. Physical factors.
  3.Ticket and planning.
  4. Price changes.

N. NEA study: General characteristics of museums (1971-72).

  1. Total museums by category.
  2. Museum types by category.
  3. Purposes and functions of art museums.
  4. Frequency of education and cultural activities.
  5. Collections and exhibitions.

O. NEA study: Museum attendance overview (1971-72).

  1. Annual museum visits by category.
  2. Annual museum visits by museum type.
  3. Use advertising or publicity to attract larger attendance.
  4. Types of advertising/publicity.
  5. Membership by museum type.
  6. Number of paid members.
  7. Membership fee for category with largest membership.

P. NEA study: Accessibility of museums (1971-72).

  1. Admissions policy by museum type.
  2. Free days.
  3. Number of months museum was open.
  4. Months when museums closed at least 2 weeks.
  5. Average open hours per week.
  6. Open days.
  7. Evening hours.
  8. Days when had evening hours.
  9. Why not open in evenings.
10. Museums which tried evening hours.
11. Why stopped evening hours.

Q. Art museums: comparative 1973 statistics.

R. Operating budgets of major Hartford arts institutions.

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Fundraising