Audiences are enjoying the buzz of more events, but financial barriers are slowing market recovery

  • Gradual improvements in confidence are evident in the October 2022 data from 5,438 past attendees. 71% say they are ‘ready to attend now’ or whenever permitted, up from 65% in August and 59% in March 2022.

  • Audiences are feeling positive about attending events right now, with qualitative data showing many are enjoying more choice and ‘buzz’ in their areas. 3 in 4 (75%) attended a cultural event in the fortnight before data collection (12-16 October 2022), consistent with August 2022 (76%) and higher than March 2022 (70%).

  • Attendance frequency is yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. For instance, 44% of performing arts attendees are attending less often than they used to, and 52% are attending about the same amount.

  • Spending levels are not increasing. The proportion spending over $50 on arts and culture in the past fortnight (63%) is consistent with March and August 2022 – with the rising costs of living now playing a role in purchasing decisions.

  • Full recovery will take time. While most audiences are feeling confident and many are optimistic about increasing their attendance in future, new barriers are emerging related to economic factors and lifestyle changes.

Download the Live Attendance Update or read on for more of the findings.

The report is also available in an accessible format here.

Audience behaviour continues to evolve in line with lifestyle changes and 6 in 10 are seeking new experiences

  •  Gradual increases in attendances are likely, with half of audiences (51%) saying they expect to attend more often in the next year. However, the situation is complex and some are perceiving a lack of appealing events available (32%) or are prioritising other things in their lives at the moment (24%).

  • Price sensitivity may increase, as financial reasons have now overtaken the virus as the main barrier to attendance. Financial barriers are now affecting 40% of audiences, up from 24% in August 2022. It’s likely to be a bumpy ride, with factors like re-entry anxiety and lacking energy to go out also impacting decisions.

  • Last-minute ticket purchases are here to stay, with August 2022 data revealing most audience members book events within the next seven days (26%) and the next 2-3 weeks (43%).

  • Scheduling preferences are changing for 1 in 5 audience members whether it’s the time, day or location of events. Pandemic lifestyle changes – like flexible work and regional migration ­­– are taking root and venues will likely be feeling the effects in their areas.

  • People continue to favour their local area (65%) or region (45%) when attending the arts, but many are excited for the return of touring and want to see variety in their communities.

  • There is an appetite for new (58%), uplifting (73%) and challenging cultural experiences (42%) — so balanced programs are key. Audiences under 35 are the most likely to want to try new things (74%), confirming the case for innovation for this important group.

4 in 10 participate in the arts online and virtual opportunities have become a vital form of accessibility

  •  Online channels continue have an elevated importance for connecting with audiences.

  • Digital marketing is paramount for live events and 83% of audiences are using online channels, such as e-newsletters (55%), websites (54%), Facebook (24%) and online search (11%) to find out what’s on.

  • Participation in online cultural activities is stable. 4 in 10 audience members (41%) participated in some kind of online arts recently, such as pre-recorded video (21%), online classes/tutorials (18%) and live streamed performances (14%), stable with March 2022 (42%).

  • Spending on digital activities is steady, in line with stability in cultural spending overall: 33% paid for an activity in the fortnight before data collection, consistent with 34% in March 2022. Among those paying, 39% spent over $50 (down from 44% in March 2022).

  • Online cultural participation is highest among audiences aged 75+ (44% participating online), audiences who are vulnerable to COVID-19 (47%), audiences with a disability (49%) and those who are more cautious about the risk of the virus (46%) – confirming digital events as a form of accessibility.

  • Most audiences continue to see a role for digital, with the proportion saying that these experiences continue to ‘play some role’ in their life – though this has declined slightly since March 2022 (68%, down from 73%).

  • Audiences appreciate the value of digital programs in overcoming barriers to live attendance – a topic that will be explored in detail in an upcoming Fact Sheet and set of case studies.

 
 

Use the dashboard to get results for your artform and region

Survey data from over 5,400 respondents has been uploaded to the dashboard, which now contains insights from 100,000 Australian participants.

You can use the dashboard to explore the findings by state/territory, artform and audience segment.

It’s freely available to access, just click the image below and use the login details provided on the dashboard page.

 
 

About the Audience Outlook Monitor

The Audience Outlook Monitor provides the results of a study that has tracked audience sentiment over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Data was collected in six phases throughout 2020-2021 and is again being tracked in 2022.

Government agencies across Australia are collaborating with research agencies Patternmakers (Sydney) and WolfBrown (USA) to produce this resource. The dashboard is freely accessible and designed to help artists and cultural organisations of all kinds to make the best possible decisions.

How to find out more

To receive new releases directly into your inbox, as soon as they are available, you can opt in to receive Audience Outlook Monitor news below.

Subscribers to our regular Culture Insight & Innovation Updates will need to update their preferences to receive all updates about the Audience Outlook Monitor. Just enter your email below and follow the instructions provided.

If you have a question, or an idea for using this data, please contact Patternmakers at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

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About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

Tandi is Founder and Managing Director of Patternmakers. She’s an arts research specialist and leader of the agency’s research projects.

 
 

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