A Less Experienced Era for Arts Attendance?
Below is an extended version of an earlier May 2024 piece with further background and, more importantly, additional insights into attracting audiences.
Perhaps "The Pandemic" has had an impact beyond the health implications. Newspapers have continued to have articles about lower museum attendance, with implications leading to long-term changes. Orchestras have changed ticket prices and have played in halls with more empty seats. As of spring, Broadway attendance was still down 17% from pre-pandemic levels, and gross profits were down 14%. The Broadway show lineup is churning so quickly with failing shows that some new ones are opening without the time for previews.
As federal relief funds gradually ended, assuming business was back as usual, many arts organizations found that those assumptions needed to be revised. As a director at one Philadelphia theater noted in the Philadelphia Inquirer, "People are really happy with their yoga pants and Netflix."
Attendance isn't always a problem—there are apparent winners and losers, as arts gatherings seen as "events" have been awarded a strong showing of attendees. Smaller, "regular" occasions have taken the brunt of the change in attendance. "America's oldest playhouse," the Walnut Street Theatre, had an impressive 34,764 pre-COVID subscriptions, but last season (2022-2023), it was only 18,858. Philly isn't alone; Baltimore's theaters have also shared those struggles.
Opera companies are struggling with an overall 22% decrease in ticket dollars. Emily Zeck, Philadelphia Theatre Company’s managing director, noted, "Everyone thought 2020 and 2021 were the hardest times to lead a theater, but the most challenging times I think are around the corner."
Museums are taking a hit as well. The Guggenheim's visitor number was still down 26% last year, while the Met and the Art Institute of Chicago were both down 15%. Interestingly, the Art Institute notes that they did well with local sales but not for sales from travelers.
Advance commitments are also impacted, with ticket sales starting slower and only building closer to the performance date. Locally, organizers asking for predate registration for free or low-charge fees are finding more people not showing up. The 2023-2024 PA Humanities CultureCheck Report notes that organizations with subscriptions are finding a rising preference for single-date ticket sales. Even Broadway is seeing delays in ticket buying until the last moment.
That same PA Humanities report noted above shares that "the median organization still reports an approximately 20% decline in attendance compared to 2019, with museums and historical organizations finding stronger returning numbers than those for performing organizations. Fresno State Department of Theatre and Dance's Sandi-Diaz shared in the university's The Collegian, "We live in an era that rewards instant gratification in the sense that if I want to watch something, I can just get online and watch it."
Advances in tech now bring even local music performances to our homes, and online "galleries" of artworks seem to lead to some feeling like they have seen the works. Online sales are impacting brick-and-mortar galleries, just as we see similar shifts in traditional retail. An April 2024 Hyperallergic article noted that at least six galleries closed in Manhattan alone in 2023, and the trend is being seen elsewhere, with some complete closures and others going to an online-only presence.
Kelley Gibson, President of south-central Pennsylvania's Cultural Alliance of York County, is quite aware of similar situations locally and across the state.
"We're still seeing audiences lag behind pre-pandemic levels, which means recovery for our cultural sector is taking longer. We're still 30% down in attendance on average, and the revenue that comes to our organizations, artists, and communities from each of these audiences is also down."
"Showing up also has tangible economic impact. In the latest CultureCheck study by PA Humanities, audiences are still lagging 20% behind 2019 attendance. Online art sales can't replace the impact of buying in person. Since the average arts event attendee spends $27 over and above their price of admission in local shops and restaurants, not showing up also keeps those dollars out of the pockets of our local businesses."
There are ramifications beyond economics as well. A three-by-eight-foot painting has a presence that empowers the work, one that disappears when an art viewer looks at it via an online gallery on their 6 1/2" screen. Related issues exist in the music realm, as individuals listen only on their earbuds, with limited fidelity, and are physically and socially cut off from all other listeners.
Matt "MC" Hyser understands this frustration as a musician, promoter, and owner of York's Skid Row Garage in the WeCo district of the city.
"For my band, people showing up means the world. Music, in my opinion, is a very interactive thing. It's a performance. It's a bonding experience. It's sharing an idea, sharing a feeling.
"As a promoter/venue owner, people showing up create a community. Music venues have always been my favorite "third space" (that term has become so popular lately). They are places where folks share ideas, vent their frustrations, dance (in a wide variety of variations), and generally let loose with no judgment.
"I love seeing people meet 'internet friends' in real life. I love seeing strangers become friends because they both love a song or a band. I love hearing folks discuss ideas with people they may never bump into in normal day-to-day life."
There have been successes in the struggle for eyes and ears, including the popular music touring business. The New York Times reported that in 2023, ticket sales for the top 100 tours were up "an astonishing 65 percent from 2019. Last year's average ticket price was $131, up 23 percent from 2022, which accounts for some of the jump. Concert attendance climbed about 18 percent last year, to 70 million." And all four major sports leagues are announcing increased attendance over pre-pandemic levels.
While some orchestras are struggling, the number of tickets sold in 2023 was up 2% over 2019 for medium to large orchestras, with the Philadelphia Orchestra one of the groups seeing a bounce back. (Others, like the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, are less fortunate.)
South-central Pennsylvania has seen its successes as well. Two of the most obvious are creative events by branding company Older & Wiser and the community-centered creative organization, Silo.
Regarding attendance challenges for many cultural activities, Silo's Austin Gingerich shares, "I've seen this even within my community and circles, this idea of "events" being more fruitful in attendance than "regular" attractions, the standing monthly reoccurring gatherings we put on often have a fraction of the turnout that the larger "tentpole" community events that we throw less often.
"I believe there is a strong positive correlation between the amount of effort put in to make the event stand out and the attendance, which may sound obvious, but now, within the last four years, you are fighting to get people out of their houses rather than just out of their "busy" routines. I think the current media/fiscal landscape also plays a large role in how people engage with entertainment. Many have not recovered financially from setbacks, and so art, being more of a "luxury" in many senses, has been the first thing to go in people's cuts in budget. Being able to see the same movies and art you can see in person without having to leave the house and many times paying way less to see it also contributes to this lack of regular attendance of many artistic spaces."
Older & Wiser's Helen Tafesse concurs, adding, "Yes, people are definitely more of "nesters" than they used to be, thanks to COVID, which can be a good and bad thing. On the one hand, people are engaging less, but in this case, less is more; they're being choosy.
"It can be healthy for us (the people hosting events) to reevaluate "What we are truly offering, and what is the level of value attached?" Are we being strategic and self-aware with the resources we have to spend?
"In 2020, there was a rise in isolation alongside the rise of "selling yourself" online. More eyes than ever were on the internet at once, causing a dramatic shift in marketing anything and everything — events, products, brands, your self-image, etc. Everyone realized they could accomplish any aspiration in this momentary, yet seemingly endless, pocket of time and attention.
"On one hand, this propelled some incredible businesses, entrepreneurs, and artists forward, but it also produced mass consumption and regurgitation. Hardly anything feels new after time slowed down and offered us everything.
"With that shift has come the demand for rethinking "new" and "innovative." Austin is right; it takes more proof of value put in to prove that someone should show up. This refers not just to the execution of a product, service, or event but to the way in which it is described. It must be well thought out, robust in meaning, and authentic in comparison to the over-saturated market. If you cannot prove true value, you cannot validate buy-in, and thus, the people have no reason to come anymore. They are not looking to just spend a night or a weekend out.
"In a world that has seen accessibility at its peak, people are less generous with their time, having realized that the most valuable time is the time you have to yourself. If the host asking you to show up cannot prove its worth, potential attendees may not feel moved to participate."
How did these two leaders find success in such a trying time? Gingerich shares, "Digital consumption is at an all-time high, especially with younger generations, but you are also seeing a new wave of digital natives finding ways to "detox" from what they grew up consuming - actually watching their screen time and making the conscious decision to not take part in media and apps that have now been proven to hurt their mental health.
"I think that is why Silo has seen success; people are becoming aware of what they had lost or never had to begin with and realized how much being face to face with other people impacts everything about who they are as humans, creatives, and their mental health. They are looking for community, connection, and deep friendships. You can't do that over the internet the same way you can in person.
"Attaching art to community is what brings people together. Artists have a hard enough time as is; they need to be with people who go through the same things they face daily. Most hobbyists don't work in an office on their art like accountants would, where they can share common stories and connect naturally through proximity.
"Art is vulnerable and, in some cases, extremely isolating - wrestling with complex emotions and a challenging inner dialogue, but what if you had someone who understood your emotions and could validate them? That's a rare scenario.
"At the end of the day, people need to see something that breaks through the digital noise of everything they are consuming, so marketing something grand and above the "stop in whenever and see this gallery on your own time" is important, not to say there is not a place for standing times, but if you want to get people's attention, they need to be able to latch on to a movement/story that they are willing to invest their time and money into, and sometimes help form an identity around."
Tafesse adds to the importance of narrative.
"In regards to my own events, personal buy-in was extremely high because of my own love for storytelling and my constant rubbing of shoulders with everyday people who would come. (Also, let's be real; social media had less paid ads, and the average person saw more of your content).
"I love crafting a narrative for people to see themselves in, a story that makes them believe in something, with an opportunity to contribute to the experience. My events are very niche, so my perspective does not apply across the board in this discussion, but as someone who has only ever hosted events during or after the pandemic this model has proven successful for me. Make people believe in something. Whether it's themselves, the artist involved, or the impact of the community, just find a way to spark the idea of ‘I matter, and this community matters. It's important that I show up.’”
Visual artist Jeannine Dabb understands both the needs of the artist and the complexities of "showing up."
"Since COVID-19, I give people much more grace about "showing up" mainly because I recognize the danger it poses for some of us. It is the new normal for me to weigh the odds and, more importantly, the danger I face going to events due to physical safety issues. I think about the location, how it will be vented, and whether I will be the only person masked and vaccinated. It is kinda complex when you live being on a medication that leaves you immune-compromised in a world filled with people who question science.
"Regardless, I make it a point to always show up for events that I can; I try to support friends, people I admire in my field, and people I learn from. The art community is important to me.
"My undergrad professors Rye Fryar, Jay Noble, and Pam Hemzik always reminded me of the importance of showing up for your friend's shows, and they will show up for you. I know what it means to have people come and engage with me about my work, to ask questions, and to listen to their feedback, good and bad. I digest it and reevaluate where I might need to shift my work… Get to the openings if you can. It means a lot to us, and for some of us, this is our livelihood."
It's fair to say that experiencing art in person rather than listening or viewing it on the phone is a vastly different experience for the listener/viewer. It will negatively impact both the art itself and the artist.
Regional artist Mary Moores sums up the importance of the issue.
"When people show up at an art event, it can complete a conversation that is initiated by the artist to the viewer. People present can serve as a validation that you as a person and that the work that you are putting out into the world matters. It doesn't mean that art is necessarily made for external validation. For me personally, my creative practice is not solely a means of self-expression, but rather, through my artistic results, I am attempting to call attention to notice the extraordinary in the ordinary. Having people show up to an event enables this possibility."
Resources:
https://www.inquirer.com/entertainment/philadelphia-arts-audience-20230228.html
https://www.inquirer.com/arts/arts-philadelphia-theater-concert-tickets-covid-20230727.html
https://www.inquirer.com/arts/mayor-parker-arts-culture-speech-marian-anderson-20240228.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/12/arts/covid-shutdown-live-audiences.html
https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/05/28/parkway-theatre-reopen-financial-drain
After a 32-year career as a music teacher in Perry County, Andy Smith operates Visual Realia, a clay monoprint studio. This unusual medium combines techniques from pottery and printmaking.
2022 marked the creation of Culture On The Line, an online home documenting the area’s cultural highlights, creators, and artists. The following year brought the opportunity to create the Gallery at the Old Post Office and curate exhibits featuring regional artists throughout the year. Other projects include working as an arts “navigator” to aid creative entrepreneurs with the grant writing process.
Andy has been active in the community through service on several nonprofit boards. His other interests include photography, wildflower gardening, food, his various communities, and the occasional pun. To contact Andy, email him at the linked email address.
All works copyright Andrew T. Smith