In the “The Live Performance Industry” substream led by Beata Dubiel-Stawska and Malgorzata Kucsmowska, GLI Fellows first approach the challenge of audience development by mapping the motivations that drive audiences to come together. What follows are some key takeaways to give arts leaders a starting point to this vast and complex subject.
What is Audience Development?
For Beata Dubiel-Stawska, a frequent consultant to European Arts institutions, audience development means —
• Reaching new audiences.
• Deepening connections with existing ones.
• Delivering the right content on the right channel at the right time.
• Knowing what people want and where to reach them.
• Creating experiences that capture attention and spark curiosity
To support the audience development process, Dubiel-Stawska — a mentor in The Global Leaders Institute’s Arts Innovation MBA — advises mapping the behaviors and motivations that drive attendance. This means acknowledging that artistic experiences often fulfill people’s free time needs.
Dubiel breaks these “leisure goals” into six categories —
• Recharging and relaxing.
• Spending time with friends and family.
• Connecting to a community.
• Experiencing new things.
• Growing knowledge.
• Signaling identity.
In an age of data-driven decision-making, Dubiel-Stawksa cautions against viewing audiences as mere customers. Instead, meaningful relationships can be built by working qualitatively to understand the complexities of audiences as real people.
