Anticipate Widespread Vaccination
Evidence-backed tips and tactics for sustaining audience engagement
Vaccination has become a major factor in the decision-making of many audience members, and some are waiting for themselves or the community to be vaccinated before they resume attendance.
Support for vaccination passports is gathering momentum, but we need to monitor the developments closely, including international data, and be conscious of how vaccine inequity could disadvantage certain audience segments. Tips and tactics include:
Monitor Australian vaccination attitudes by reading the Department of Health’s COVID-19 Vaccine Sentiment Summaries – and keep up to date on the debate around mandates by subscribing to news updates such as The Conversation.
Monitor the situation abroad where vaccine passports are being implemented, for instance by subscribing to updates from WolfBrown’s US Audience Outlook Monitor updates.
Keep an eye out for audience segments who may be excluded by vaccine passports and other developments, and consult with visitor-facing staff to get prepared for changing guidelines.
Consider emphasising high vaccination rates among audiences in strategic communications to increase confidence.
Keep an eye out for new research findings of the November Audience Outlook Monitor, which will have new insights about vaccine sentiment.
The facts
As of July 2021, arts audiences were being vaccinated at a faster rate than the general population – 90% are either already vaccinated or say they definitely will eventually
Most arts audiences believe the vaccination rollout will be successful in allowing regular activities to resume within 12 months
Vaccine passports may be introduced to allow cultural events to move forward, as they have overseas, and the latest Audience Outlook Monitor data from the US shows that arts audiences are becoming more positive about this over time
Preliminary research shows that Australians are generally in favour of adjusting freedoms according to vaccination status, and prefer vaccine passports to other forms of vaccine mandates, but more research is needed
Vaccine access and uptake can be affected by other forms of inequity, and vaccination rates may be lower among some disadvantaged groups.
Key perspectives
Evelyn Richardson, chief executive of Live Performance Australia, says the organisation is currently investigating how vaccine passports would work in practice for theatre and larger live events
John Wardle, Policy Director at the Live Music Office, suggests that there are 'strong arguments' in favour of proof of vaccination requirements.
“I would prefer a requirement in the next year - once all age groups have had access to a vaccination - that only vaccinated people are able to attend. However with the scarcity of vaccine, this is not appropriate yet - so accept the mask wearing as additional protection.”
