A quarter of Canadian culture lovers are still hesitant to go to performance halls, more than two years after the start of the pandemic.
This is what emerges from a survey conducted by the Business-Arts group, with the National Arts Center and the Nanos group.
“There is good news and less good news,” comments Aubrey Reeves, President and CEO of Affaires-Arts. The good news is that the public has returned to attend cultural events, especially outdoors. And it’s not a surprise, during the summer, we are better outside. »
Attendance at indoor shows has also increased since last May, she notes, but only by 9%.
“But there are 24% of culture lovers who are still hesitant and who do not know when they will return to see shows,” she adds.
The reasons for this hesitation are undoubtedly multiple, and are not necessarily related to the fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus.
“A lot of people have changed their habits over the past few years,” says Ms.me Reaves. There are also pressures induced by inflation. But this is indeed “a very large percentage of cultural activity enthusiasts” who have not returned to pre-pandemic attendance.
“This also occurs at a time when cultural companies and institutions can no longer count on government assistance which was linked to the pandemic. “says Aubrey Reeves. According to her, the price of tickets for shows or art galleries has not necessarily increased, “because cultural organizations know that they have trouble winning back the public”. “But the other things are more expensive,” she says, reducing the public’s ability to spend. Another conclusion of the survey, 11% of those polled said that lower prices, more than wearing a mask (7%), would motivate them to return to sit in a theater.
Of all age groups, young people, aged 18 to 34, were the most likely to return to attending cultural events, according to survey data.
Fewer advance reservations
Moreover, culture lovers are also less inclined to book their tickets for shows well in advance. In Quebec, 49% agreed to book their tickets well in advance before the pandemic, and today, they are only 37% to do so.
To obtain these results, the pollsters contacted people who are considered to be lovers of cultural activities, and who are therefore more likely to return.
“If we manage to bring the amateur public back to the same level as before the pandemic, that’s good. The problem is that this is only a small percentage of the public. »
In general, the cultural activity enthusiasts who were most eager to resume their activities did so. But for others, new habits have been taken during these long years of pandemic. And it will take time to welcome them back.
Finally, donations from amateurs intended to support the cultural community have remained stable, with 30% of this public donating an average of $138 in 2021.