From Audiences to Communities

My experience from working in sales and marketing for a big theatre has sparked many interesting discussions about audience engagement and belonging. The more I’ve thought about it, the clearer it has become that many of us look for community in the arts field. Experiencing live art, be it theatre, music or an art exhibition, the collectiveness plays a big part in the overall experience. We look to others for comfort, someone to shaper our surroundings with and someone to soundboard off when art touches our souls.

This is why live art plays a substantial role in our lives. We look for the humanities in us through art and that’s why I believe in forging long-term communities in arts. People want to feel a sense of belonging, not just a performance. Look at Taylor Swift and her Eras Tour for example. A world wide community exchanging friendship bracelets, dressing up in their favourite Taylor Era and reliving the tour through millions of streams of her music, concert videos and the continuous deciphering of hidden messages. Peak community building, and I’m here for it.

Tips on how to get started
Get to know your audience and be present where they are
Co-create and invite them to be a part of your world
Create relevant, data based personalizations
Create true fans and make loyalty worth something (remember that loyalty programs don’t have to be visible)

The arts thrive when audiences feel they belong and that is the future of customer experience in the arts.