TRG Arts

The arts don’t just need more audiences; they need more returning audiences. At #APAPNYC2025, Seth Godin and I explored why retention must be as much of a priority as acquisition. 66% of audiences are new, yet 75% never return. The opportunity? Turning first-time attendees into lifelong supporters.

AI in the Arts: Tool, Threat, or Transformation? 🤔 AI isn’t the future; it’s the present. But are arts organizations using it strategically, or just scrambling to keep up? TRG’s Stuart Nicolle explores AI's role in the arts and asks: 🔹 How do we ensure AI tools truly enhance our capacity rather than add complexity? 🔹 What’s the impact of data sharing; can collaboration unlock deeper audience insights? 🔹 How can AI complement artistic and audience engagement strategies without replacing the human experience? AI won’t replace the magic of live performance. but it will shape how we connect with audiences. It isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, but it has the potential to support mission-driven work in new ways. The key is to integrate it with purpose. How is your organization approaching AI? 💡 Read more: https://hubs.li/Q03bNCfW0

Are you giving your audiences something worth climbing the ladder for? No industry has been disrupted quite like the performing arts. Post-pandemic habits, streaming competition, shifting consumer behaviors, increasingly uncertain political landscapes—everything has raised the bar for audience engagement. At #APAPNYC2025, Seth Godin and I explored a question at the heart of TRG’s counsel: Are we creating an experience that builds lasting audience relationships? Sustainability in the arts isn’t just about presenting blockbusters that attract new audiences, it’s about turning attendance into repeat visits, frequency into loyalty, and loyalty into advocacy. It’s about understanding that your most valuable audience is the one that comes back. It’s about crafting a cohesive strategy, on and off the stage, that cultivates recency, frequency and loyalty. “If you want to get someone to come, you’re going to need a ladder. You’re going to need something that’s worth climbing up for.”

"Your job isn’t to get a new generation to love your institution. Your job is to become an institution that a new generation wants to love." This insight from Seth Godin during our chat at #APAPNYC2025 stuck with me. Too often, we spend our energy defending legacies instead of shaping the future. In a time of social, economic, and political uncertainty, the arts aren’t a luxury—they’re a necessity. They connect us, inspire us, and create the shared experiences that communities need more than ever. Yet, if we focus solely on preservation instead of evolution, we risk becoming irrelevant at the moment when we are needed most. Seth put it plainly—leadership isn’t about convincing audiences to love what exists. It’s about reimagining our institutions so they remain essential for the next generation. Sustainability isn’t about protecting the past, it’s about evolving with purpose. That means: 🔹 Letting go of sunk costs and focusing resources where they create real impact. 🔹 Designing for the audiences of tomorrow, not just the expectations of yesterday. 🔹 Embracing change even when it pushes us outside our comfort zones. 💡 If you were building your organization from scratch today, what would you do differently?

🚨 The Last-Minute Ticket Buyer Crisis: Myth or Reality? 🚨 For years, arts leaders have been concerned about more and more patrons waiting until the eleventh hour to buy. It sounds like a nightmare for forecasting and revenue planning… but what if the problem isn’t actually about audiences booking late? What if the real issue is how we’re shaping audience behavior? 🔍 Why Do We Think It’s Happening? ▪️Perception Bias: Last-minute sales are highly visible, but early buyers spread out over weeks are easy to overlook. ▪️Marketing Timing: If most campaigns push hard in the final weeks, that’s when people will buy. ▪️Discounting Practices: If audiences expect last-minute deals, they’ll wait for them. 💡 What Can You Do About It? 1️⃣ Optimize your marketing - Engage early bookers sooner, with clear reasons to act. 2️⃣ Rethink Discounts – Avoid last-minute deep cuts that train audiences to wait. Instead, reward the behaviors you want to see. 3️⃣ Segment your audience - Some will always buy late, but others just need the right nudge to book earlier. 4️⃣ Use loyalty programs to secure commitments earlier. 5️⃣ Leverage your data to track trends and make smarter forecasts. Plan proactively, not reactively. By taking control organizations can create a stronger, more predictable revenue model. 🔗 https://hubs.li/Q037vCjF0

Smart Strategy, Stronger Results: ASO’s Success Story 🎻 ✨ A huge congratulations to Arkansas Symphony Orchestra (ASO) for another incredible holiday season, achieving their fourth consecutive year of holiday revenue growth in collaboration with TRG! 👏 With a focus on smart campaign management, dynamic pricing, and audience loyalty strategies, ASO continues to set a benchmark for sustainable revenue growth in the arts. Their results speak for themselves: ✅ Holiday revenue up 26% compared to pre-pandemic levels (inflation-adjusted) ✅ Holiday ticket sales from subscribers & members up 13% since 2023 ✅ A data-driven approach that’s turning seasonal programming into long-term financial success By leveraging historical data insights and agile pricing strategies, ASO has shown that smart planning, audience engagement, and value-driven experiences are key to holiday success. Kudos to the ASO team for their commitment to building a stronger, more resilient organization—one that keeps their audiences engaged and their mission thriving. We’re proud to partner with you! 🎶🎟️ 🔗 https://hubs.ly/Q037v8zf0

Audience behaviors, marketing strategies, and technology are evolving—fast. So, what does 2025 hold? 🔮 In our latest webinar, TRG’s Eric Nelson and Andrew Cotlar made some predictions about the future of arts organizations. Some may excite you, others may challenge how you've always worked. Either way, these insights should spark fresh thinking. 🤝 Marketing & Artistic Teams Will Collaborate More Silos are fading. Artistic programming will rely on audience data, ensuring seasons are shaped by what drives engagement and builds loyalty. 🎟️ Ticket Sales Will Happen Earlier The last-minute rush? Fading. Audiences are researching weeks before purchasing—marketing strategies must shift accordingly. 🔙 Retention Will Be the Priority First-time buyers? Important. But loyalty-building strategies—dynamic discounts, memberships, and engagement—will take center stage. 📲 Phones Will Become a Key Audience Engagement Tool Distraction? No—an opportunity. From QR codes to interactive content, mobile will be a vital data-capture and engagement tool. ✉️ Email’s Decline Will Accelerate Younger audiences aren’t reading emails. SMS, apps, and community-driven marketing will take over as primary communication channels. Are you ready for these shifts? Which one challenges your thinking the most? 🔗 https://hubs.li/Q037tqkV0

Watch the first clip from Jill S. Robinson, MBA's powerful chat with Seth Godin at #APAPNYC2025, where they challenge us to rethink leadership in the arts. What systems are you ready to let go of? 💬

📊 Are Audiences Spending More – Or Just Keeping Up with Inflation? New data from the TRG Arts & Culture Benchmark shows that per capita revenue has increased across all US performing arts sectors since 2019 – but what does this really mean? 🎭 Theatre: +38% ($38.65 → $53.24) 🎶 Orchestras: +27% ($37.45 → $47.62) 🩰 Dance/Opera: +20% ($46.96 → $56.44) 🏛️ PACs: +52% ($31.07 → $47.37) While these numbers look strong, inflation-adjusted gains are much smaller. The real growth is minimal—sector-wide per cap revenue has risen just $2.69 per ticket beyond inflation. Simply raising ticket prices isn’t enough—audience retention and engagement are key to sustaining revenue growth. 👉 How is your organization balancing pricing strategy and audience loyalty?

🎭 Selling More Tickets… But Earning Less? If ticket sales are up, but revenue isn’t keeping pace, your pricing strategy might need a rethink. Per-capita revenue—the average price paid per ticket—offers a deeper look at how effectively you're balancing demand, discounts, and inventory. Are last-minute discounts eroding your revenue? Is your inventory strategy maximizing value? This key metric acts like 'a canary in the coal mine', signaling whether your pricing strategy is helping or hurting your bottom line, and ensure you’re optimizing every sale. 🔍 Discover how per-capita revenue can transform your strategy. 🔗 https://hubs.li/Q035CBhj0