In Sunday’s (8/12) Columbus Dispatch (Ohio), Michael Grossberg writes, “As the new season approaches, the culture consumer is king. Those looking to attend concerts, plays and dance performances are finding—and taking advantage of—greater ticket flexibility and perks. Beyond traditional ticket subscriptions, central Ohio arts and entertainment organizations are seeking fresh ways to bond with patrons. … ‘It reflects a change in our culture,’ said Jesse Rosen, president and CEO of the League of American Orchestras, a nonprofit national service organization for symphony orchestras. ‘People don’t plan so far ahead. They’re more eclectic in their tastes, wanting to try different things. There’s been an explosion of opportunities for people to spend their leisure time in arts and entertainment, so there’s a lot of competition out there.’ … An increasing range of ticket options—such as CATCO’s ‘flextix’ or ProMusica Chamber Orchestra’s Compose Your Own program—allow patrons to tailor subscriptions and exchange tickets for performances or shows. … Last year, the Columbus Symphony experimented with discount offers on the daily-deal website Groupon. ‘We thought it would help us acquire a much younger audience, and it worked,’ said [Columbus Association for the Performing Arts President and CEO Bill] Conner, who is also managing director and CEO of the symphony.”
Posted August 13, 2012
