Webinar Recap: Understanding Audiences: Early Results from Culture and Community in Time of Crisis Survey
June 17 (Replay at end of page)
Soon after Coronavirus started spreading in the United States, The Advisory Board for the Arts collaborated with Slover Linnet and LaPlaca Cohen to launch a special COVID edition of the Culture Track survey. The goal of the survey, which was fielded between April 29-May 19, was to help arts organizations understand the role arts and culture would play during this time of crisis and help arts organizations make better and more informed decisions about their audiences. The need and demand for this type of insight was made abundantly clear by the overwhelming interest from arts and culture organizations willing to participate in the survey - more than 650 arts and culture organizations in the United States provided their audiences lists to include in the survey. Additionally, the survey includes responses from more than 2,000 Americans who did not have an association with an arts or culture organization to understand the broader population’s sentiment towards arts and culture during this time.
We were fortunate to have Jennifer Benoit-Bryan, VP and Co-director of Research at Slover Linett, Madeline Smith, Project Director at Slover Linett, and Michael Crowley, Chief Marketing Officer LaPlaca Cohen join our webinar to share preliminary findings from the survey. The full data will be released on the Culture Track website at the end of June.
Key Findings from the Survey:
COVID-19 has taken deep toll on the American public.
Compared to before the current crisis, nearly half of Americans reported they feel more bored, more worried or afraid, and less connected to others. Additionally, 40% of the survey population has experienced a change in their income, and more than 10% report they have no income at all as a result of the crisis.
Audiences most miss the connection they receive from arts and culture experiences.
When asked about what they want cultural organizations to help them with right now, staying connected was the number one choice selected by those individuals who have some sort of connection to an arts and culture organization (meaning, the sample of respondents that came from arts and cultural organizations lists). Other top choices included laugh and relax, educate kids while not in school, and offer distraction and escape.
This desire for connection in the current environment was made even more evident in responses to the question, “what are you missing most while cultural activities are shut down?”. The number one choice selected by both the general population as well as those more arts-affiliated respondents was spending quality time with friends and family—even higher than experiencing art in person.
Digital content from cultural organizations delivers on fun, but not connection.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, nearly all arts and culture organizations have increased their presence on digital channels. Awareness of these new digital activities is high – more than three quarters of the general survey population responded that they have personally seen arts and culture organizations offering digital content during COVID-19. Usage is also strong – more than 50% of respondents have used or participated in digital offerings. The highest participation rates for the general population were live stream or pre-recorded performances. The data shows that arts and culture organizations have yet to tap into digital as a source of revenue: less than 5% of respondents report having paid for one or more digital offerings during the pandemic. Interestingly the most cited source of digital content by both the general population and our more arts-affiliated survey sample was individual performers or artists.
Respondents who participated in digital arts and culture activities rate them highly across the board, but unfortunately they do not say that the digital content is delivering on what they miss most about arts and culture activities in the pandemic: connection. As stated earlier, spending time with friends and family was what people said they missed most about cultural activities in the pandemic, yet only about one quarter of respondents say they are getting this from digital cultural activities. Survey data shows that current digital offerings are delivering on fun, relaxation, and education. Arts and culture organizations have a significant opportunity to provide value to their audiences by creating opportunities for connection through their digital offerings.
Most Americans are not making plans to return to arts and cultural experiences yet, but organizations can play a role in making their audience feel comfortable.
Survey findings show that while respondents are most excited to gather with friends and family coming out of the pandemic, few are making plans to attend arts and cultural experiences. Given the survey was launched more than a month ago, sentiments could have changed, but at the time of fielding more than half of respondents said they were not making any plans to attend.
Respondents reported the following five factors as most influential in determining their decision to resume attending arts and cultural activities: increased cleaning for all surfaces, availability of a vaccine, reduced admission levels to limit crowding, enforcement of masks for visitors, and an announcement from public health officials or governments that it is safe to return. Given three of these factors are in the control of organizations (cleaning, masks, admission levels), organizations should focus on creating protocols and procedures that will make audience members feel comfortable returning.
During our webinar, we polled participants to ask which safety measures they were considering at their organization. Results showed:
Increased cleaning measures for all touch surfaces: 83%
Reduced admission to limit crowding: 75%
Enforcement of masks for visitors 75%
Enforcement of masks for staff 83%
Health screening measures prior to entry 40%
Other 16%
Not sure 9%
Americans understand that arts and culture organizations are struggling financially but may direct their giving toward other causes.
Nearly two-thirds of survey respondents worry that arts and culture organizations in their area are really struggling financially. However, less than 20% disagreed with the following statement: during the crisis, we should support other kinds of nonprofit organizations in our area before supporting arts and culture organizations. Our survey showed that those respondents who have some affiliation with an arts organization were 3x as likely to have donated to an arts and culture organization during the pandemic compared to the general population. Given how critical donors are to sustaining arts organizations through the crisis, The Advisory Board for the Arts has hosted two different webinars on the topic of engaging donors during this time, which can be found here and here.
Complete survey findings will be available on the Culture Track website at the end of June.
