The prospects for attendance are a little darker in the cultural sectors. A survey has just revealed that one in four Canadian culture lovers (24%) intend to spend less in 2023 than in 2022 to attend shows. This rate drops to one in five amateurs in Quebec (20.7%).
Canadians aged 18 to 34 report even more decline (33%) than those aged 55 and over (14%). One in five fans (18%) say, on the other hand, that they will spend more. For the others (37%), projected spending will remain stable.
64%
This is the percentage of culture lovers who work full time at their place of work who prefer to go out on Saturdays.
These data emerge from a survey study conducted by the pan-Canadian Business/Arts group and the National Arts Center on the attendance of art and cultural venues. The sample of 1021 people contacted in English and French from December 19 to 22, 2022 only includes people who visited a museum, gallery or performance hall in the last pre-pandemic year.
Here are some other findings from the survey.
Two for one. A third (36%) of audiences say that 2-for-1 promotions remain the most likely incentive to encourage attendance at a cultural event. The second place on the list of incentives is occupied by free parking (13%), followed by interactive or immersive experiences (8%) and family-friendly hours (7%). Dates with artists, networking events or backstage tours have next to no impact.
Drop the masks. Mandatory sanitary masks regain second place in the list of incentives to return to performance halls or museums: 15% of fans make it their main motivation compared to 6.5% in October 2022. The main motivation, and by far (35%), however, remains linked to programming (“something interesting or fun”).
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