DEVELOPING THE YOUTH AS ARTS AUDIENCES, Part I

During the production party of a play that I was part of recently, conversation drifted to arts marketing and audience development.  I have been threatening to write and publish a Manual on Arts Marketing for Filipinos, but have not gotten around to putting it together.  It was suggested that, perhaps, articles on Arts Marketing made more accessible might be of help at this point.  I've decided to take on the suggestion, and will be posting articles based on lectures and papers I have presented over the years.

This first article, in several parts, is taken from a Keynote Address I delivered during the First General Assembly of the Association of Cultural Offices of Philippine Educational Institutions (ACOPEI).  Comments are welcome.

What is audience development?

According to the Arts Council of England, audience development is a planned process which enhances and broadens specific individuals’ experiences of the arts.   The Canada Council for the Arts defines it as the long-term process of encouraging and assisting people in a community to become engaged in the arts and more deeply involved in the arts.  

Audience development can be aimed at first time attenders, or it can serve experienced audience members who want to learn more about genres or styles, or become familiar with a particular artist’s work.  It involves improving both existing attenders’ and non-attenders’ understanding, knowledge and appreciation of particular art forms. It can include aspects of marketing, commissioning, programming, education, customer care and distribution.

           

The objectives of audience development can be classified as:

1)      Broadening participation: increase the number of people in the community who are participating in the arts;

2)      Deepening participation:  encourage those who are attending to participate more frequently and/or in a broader range of arts experiences; and

3)      Diversifying participation: encourage specific constituencies (such as children or specific cultural groups) to participate.

The following factors are said to affect a person’s arts attendance. 

1)      Cultural factors – everything in society

2)      Reference groups – any groups with which an individual identifies

3)      Social class – similar rank in society

4)      Personal factors -  age, gender, income, education

5)      Psychological factors- perceptions, beliefs and attitudes, personality, motivation

A study of arts audiences done in the United States classifies them under four general categories:

1)      INELIGIBLES -  Too old or too young; incapacitated or incarcerated (30%)

2)      NOES – something missing in their background or education; have consciously or unconsciously eliminated the arts in their lives (50-55%)

3)       MAYBES – uncertain whether arts are or can be important to them; “do not know enough”, will go to events that are accessible or intimidating (12-15%)

4)      YESES -  accept the arts as important part of their lives (3-5%)

Why is audience development needed?

           

One way of looking at audience development is that it involves breaking down the physical, psychological and social barriers which stop people participating in or attending the arts.  Physical barriers include the lack of facilities or venues.  Psychological barriers may take the fear of not enjoying a live music performance as much as listening to a recording. Social barriers may be in the form of fear of alienating friends by talking about the arts. And then, there is simply the lack of information, not knowing when or where arts activities are taking place.

           

Arts organizations carry out audience development as a way of achieving their artistic, financial or social objectives.  For educational institutions, audience development requires working with children and the youth.  

           

According to a study commissioned by the Arts Council of England, arts and creative opportunities help meet the needs of children and young people, in the following manner: 

1. The arts can help children and young people be healthy – physically, mentally, emotionally and sexually. 
2. The arts can help children and young people to stay safe—from crime and anti-social behavior, bullying and discrimination, and accidental injury.
3. The arts can help children and young people to enjoy and achieve – attend and enjoy school, achieve education standards, achieve personal and social development and enjoy recreation.   
4. The arts can help children and young people make a positive contribution – develop positive relationships and choose not to bully and discrimitate, engage in decision-making and support the community and environment, engage in law-abiding and positive behavior in and out of school, develop self-confidence and successfully deal with significant life changes and challenges, and develop enterprising behavior.
5. The arts can help children and young people achieve economic well-being – making them ready for employment, engage in further education, employment or training on leaving school and live in sustainable communities.

 (TO BE CONTINUED)

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