The Seattle Symphony’s efforts to reach new residents in downtown Seattle are the focus of an article and video from the Wallace Foundation. As part of the Wallace Foundation’s Building Audiences for Sustainability program, the Seattle Symphony used market research to more effectively target new audiences downtown, where the population is growing at twice the rate of Seattle’s overall population. To attract these prospective attendees, the symphony developed three informal concert formats and conducted extensive market research, including focus groups and post-performance surveys that yielded fresh insights and some surprises. “Market research has given us essential information to help us understand our audiences and how best to serve them,” said Seattle Symphony President and CEO Simon Woods. “This new understanding will have a huge impact on our ability to adapt as our city continues through this period of extraordinary growth and demographic change.” Check out the article and video free of charge at http://wallacefoundation.org/seattlesymphony. The Seattle Symphony is one of 25 performing arts groups participating in Wallace’s Building Audiences for Sustainability initiative, a six-year, $52-million program aimed at developing practical insights into how arts organizations can successfully expand audiences. Visit the League website for more resources from the Wallace Foundation about market research and audience-building.
Posted October 26, 2017
In photo: The Seattle Symphony and Music Director Ludovic Morlot take a bow at an informal Untuxed concert. Photo: Seattle Symphony
