Finding the Elusive Missing Audience

We read a lot about the audiences arts and culture organizations are leaving behind these days. How many theaters have huge education programs serving students of all demographics, but leave these humans outside the theater doors as they grow up. We find ourselves in thriving communities with empty seats in the theater on a Thursday night,  and EVERYONE working in the arts has a 10 minute speech about why.  

However, they often miss the first question.

WHO EXACTLY IS THE AUDIENCE YOUR ORGANIZATION IS LEAVING BEHIND?

“Diverse audiences” are not a monolith.  Neither are “Younger” audiences. If you program one play, the entire BIPOC population of your city is not going to come see it.  They come from myriad backgrounds, socio-economic conditions, countries and cultures, and have different interests.  

A great exercise to conduct with your organization is to name the audiences you think you underserved in your last few seasons BEFORE you make sweeping plans to “bring in diverse audiences”. Here are a few easy ways to start the process:

Start with your staff

Oftentimes when we have roundtable discussions with staff about season post mortems people keep them executive level.  DON’T! Your box office manager knows way more about what your patrons think than your GM.  Your concessions sales hears all the intermission scuttlebut.  Your ushers are on the ground with your audiences every day. They answer the phones for them and hold the doors.  Ask them what they’re hearing.  Ask them what they’re seeing.  I promise- they have an opinion. 

Ask your current audience

Your current audience is invested in your long term success.  Assume they like your work and want to bring new and dynamic audiences into the mix.  Your current regular audience is also embedded in your community in sectors you aren’t.  They want you to thrive.  Ask them what they think about your audiences and current programming. 

Canvas your immediate community

Be a part of your community.  Go to events that cater specifically to communities you think you are not serving and meet people.  Learn about where they are going and what they are already doing.  Those of us making art often spend 5-7 nights a week checking out other art.  What if one or two of those were spent going to the Haitian community center and playing cards or the LGBTQ center to check out their book club.  As you enter other communities- listen to what they have to say.

Talk to other arts and community organizations in your area

Arts organizations often operate from an old fashioned model of scarcity.  We still believe that we are fighting each other for the same audiences.  In actuality, we are in the fight together.  So, find crossover.  Help each other to cross pollinate your audiences.  No one can program specifically for every group, nor would we want to. Part of the beauty of the arts is to create empathy by exposing people to work from different cultures and viewpoints.  So help each other bring your audiences to other venues.  Work together to keep all your audiences out and about 2-3 nights a week instead of just one.  

Refinery Arts can work with you to create a robust season post mortem system that will help you deepen your connection to your community and audience. 

Let's Collaborate!