Webinar: 2021 International Perspectives

Get an insight into post-vaccination audience sentiment in this International Perspectives webinar with Alan Brown and Megan Bander from WolfBrown USA, leaders of the Audience Outlook Monitor internationally.

Tandi Palmer Williams from Patternmakers and Rebecca Mostyn from the Australia Council for the Arts interviewed Alan and Megan about developments in the USA, where the vaccination roll-out is well progressed and arts organisations are actively planning their return. The webinar is Auslan interpreted.

Read on below for some of the key insights.

Key insights

While the impacts of the pandemic have been very serious in the USA, particularly from a health perspective, the country is now opening up.

Through a suppression strategy and closed borders, Australia has avoided the worst of the pandemic, however the challenge now is dealing with ongoing lockdowns, creating an environment of extreme uncertainty. In some ways, this presents a greater challenge for the recovery of the arts sector.

Australian audiences are now less confident than US audiences about vaccination and the ability for things to return to normal within 12 months.

Vaccination alone will not “end” the pandemic - there may still be audience segments who are not comfortable going out

Although we’ve all heard the phrase “post-pandemic,” Megan and Alan point out that the vaccination roll-out in the USA has not heralded a return to pre-pandemic behaviours.

Some audience members remain unwilling to attend arts events in person. The post-pandemic “new normal” may in fact reflect a shift in the way we engage with arts and culture. For example…

Digital is a formative market and as a sector we're still at such an early stage of product development

We learnt a lot about the flexibility and utility of digital engagement during the pandemic, but there is still a way to go to refine the best models of digital presentation.

Digital programming has the capacity to increase the accessibility of arts events for certain audience segments, even post-vaccination. However, we are still at an early stage in the product development process.

As digital arts events become more mainstream, we have the opportunity to explore new programming and revenue models, and to highlight a broader array of experiences and perspectives in digital art – such as First Nations artists, artists of colour, and gender diverse artists.   

It is important to be prepared for new developments – and to come together and debrief on what we learnt during the pandemic

Given the unpredictability of the pandemic, emergency preparedness remains key, and we need to take this opportunity to consolidate what we have learnt about audiences during COVID-19 so far.

For instance, ehat modes of storytelling have worked for audiences, and which haven’t? How can data help us make sense of the pandemic and better understand audience segments and their needs?

It’s important to document how we responded and evaluate what worked and what didn’t, so we are more prepared for ‘unforseen’ events in future.

Strategic and transparent communications will help to build trust when things are uncertain

When it comes to planning events in a pandemic-affected world, there will continue to be uncertainties. Well-communicated ticketing policies will help build audience confidence when it comes to booking events in advance.

Event planners can’t account for all eventualities, but honesty and openness will reduce the likelihood of disappointment. Clear communication can help maintain goodwill and reduce instances of complaints and .

For more information about international perspectives, watch the webinar in full.

About the Audience Outlook Monitor

The Audience Outlook Monitor is tracking how audiences feel about returning to events in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Data was initially collected between 6 and 14 May 2020, forming a baseline against which future changes are being tracked.

Government agencies across Australia are collaborating with research agencies Patternmakers (Sydney) and WolfBrown (USA) to produce this resource. The dashboard is freely accessible and designed to help artists and cultural organisations of all kinds to make the best possible decisions about re-opening.

How to find out more

To receive news and updates directly into your inbox, as soon as they are available, you can opt in to receive Audience Outlook Monitor news below.

If you have a question, or an idea for using this data, please contact Patternmakers at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

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About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

Tandi is Founder and Managing Director of Patternmakers. She’s an arts research specialist and leader of the agency’s research projects.

 

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