Author: Johnson, Alton C. and Prieve, E. Arthur

Publication Year: 1974

Media Type: Report

Summary:

The authors discuss some barriers to senior citizen participation in arts audiences. Older Americans, survey data indicate, are three times less likely to attend an arts performance than the thirty-something crowd. The authors present the results of a nationwide study of arts administrators about older people as audience members.

Abstract:

The authors discuss some barriers to senior citizen participation in arts audiences. Older Americans, survey data indicate, are three times less likely to attend an arts performance than the thirty-something crowd. The authors present the results of a nationwide study of arts administrators about older people as audience members. They next discuss audience development techniques, focusing on senior citizens. Finally, they offer an overview of selected programs targetting older people.

The focus of this study is a group that currently includes every tenth American and that continues to grow proportionately larger each year. This population of individuals over 65 years of age is a particularly significant segment for arts administrators in general and for audience developers. Rich in life experience and often possessing substantial leisure time, the older American would seem a natural addition to an arts audience. Yet, in fact, older Americans are less than a third as likely to attend arts events as those in the early 30s age bracket.

The older individuals discussed in this study do not usually reside in nursing homes and hospitals - under 5 percent of all elderly are institutionalized - nor are they destitute, for they are estimated to control an aggregate purchasing power of some $45 billion each year even though their average incomes tend to be low. Reflection on the implications of these statistics made the present study possible. Under a provision of the Older Americans Act, a grant was received by the Center for Arts Administration of the Graduate School of Business, University of Wisconsin-Madison from the Administration on Aging of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare to explore and develop an awareness among arts administrators of the potential for audience development among senior citizens.

While many sources have recently indicated the values of cultural pursuits for the elderly, the approach of this survey is a pragmatic one aiming to identify the characteristics of senior citizens as a specific marketing target group for the arts and to answer such questions as these: what approaches are presently employed to reach over-65 groups? How can these approaches be developed into an advantageous resource for arts organizations? Specifically, is the attraction to the arts of older Americans viewed as a way of increasing audiences, and hence income, or is it viewed simply as a community service to be absorbed financially? Is the prevailing view that of one administrator who candidly remarked, We'd like to help them, but we're not running Goodwill Industries here, you know.

The focus of this search for answers is the practicing arts administrators and this monograph is designed to reflect their perceptions and concerns. This monograph is divided into three major sections plus a brief introductory summary of significant findings. The first section presents the results of a nationwide survey of arts administrators on older Americans as an unrealized audience for the arts. The second section provides a general discussion of the factors that must be considered in attempting to develop any audience group, with special attention given to the new audience of senior citizens. The third section offers an overview of selected programs directed toward senior citizens. Throughout the monograph are 28 tables and 3 exhibits that give survey results in statistical form.

The purpose of this presentation is to serve as the basis for a working conference and a follow-up monograph to identify the research issues as well as the social and financial implications in developing the older-American audience. It is intended that the result of this research will encourage further development of a mutually beneficial relationship between older citizens and arts organizations.

Summary of findings: Senior citizens represent less than 10 percent of the audience in nearly 80 percent of all arts organizations surveyed. Although administrators are not pleased with current audience composition, almost half would like a younger audience while only 7.7 percent are interested in increasing the senior citizen audience.

Nearly three-fourths of all organizations surveyed are involved in some form of audience development and promotion. Although most spend under 10 percent of their budgets on this area, nearly 75 percent are at least somewhat satisfied with the results. Slightly over half report that they are satisfied with the attendance level produced, although a variety of factors such as having the artistic staff participate in promotion does have an impact on satisfaction. Individuals under 21 and over 65 years of age are more difficult to attract than any other age groups. Nearly 60 percent of the organizations report that senior citizens are the most difficult audience to attract. At the same time, while most organizations offer ticket discounts to attract the young, only 43 percent have such a policy for the elderly. Special funding for senior citizen programming is unavailable nearly half of the time. However, 85 percent of the respondents would initiate special programming were funding available and particularly if it would be financially advantageous.

A variety of barriers, both real and perceived, act to prevent older Americans from attending arts events. Among them are poor public transportation, reluctance to go out at night, dislike of attending alone, ticket price, and various physical problems with arts institutions. Although the importance of these barriers varies both by location and by type of arts organization, they are significant obstacles to attendance.|Arts administrators have widely differing views of audience development in general and senior citizen programming in particular. While the majority are in favor of both, significant numbers either have reservations or are opposed to these efforts. In some cases the objections are real, but in others a number of stereotyped views are presented, views which must be overcome before progress can be made.

CONTENTS
Introduction.
Summary of findings.

Chapter 1. National survey of arts administrators:
                      Introduction.
                      Description of the sample.
                      Nature of the current audience.
                      Audience development.
                      Audience development for older Americans.

Chapter 2. An audience development model: 
                      Active arts participants.
                      Social/personal factors.
                      Education.
                      Social identity.
                      Family and contacts.
                      Personal factors.
                      Opportunity factors.
                      Physical access.
                      Information.
                      Available time.
                      Available money.
                      Perceived rewards.
                      The environment.

Chapter 3. Illustrative senior citizen programs:
                      General comments on senior citizen programs.
                      Attendance at arts events. 
                      Older Americans as artists.

References [bibliography].

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Accessibility