Audience Engagement Outside the Randstad: Six Developments

It is clear that cultural audiences in the Randstad differ from those outside of it. And there are also differences between regions. Reaching tourist visitors by the sea is a different challenge than engaging not only the local audience but also people from the German hinterland. It is important to acknowledge these differences: they illustrate the uniqueness of each region and call for specific solutions. But if you want to learn from each other and engage in dialogue, it is also important to look at what connects you.

Cornelis Serveert, experts in knowledge exchange, mapped out the differences éand the commonalities. How do cultural institutions view audience engagement? Who do they want to connect with and how? Where do they stand in their digital transformation? 

First and foremost: what is audience engagement?

For cultural institutions, audience engagement means that the public knows they are there for them and can easily find them. It means giving your audience a good feeling about your organization, retaining them, and encouraging repeat visits. In short: it is a key to a future-proof organization.

Cultural institutions are more than just stages for culture. They reach new people, connect them, facilitate encounters, and shed light on societal issues. Together with the audience. And that audience is diverse, both in background and visit frequency.

Digital transformation enables the cultural sector to adapt to an ever-changing experience of an increasingly broad audience. Supported by digital tools, you can respond to visitors' needs and keep them engaged.

What we learned: the challenges

1. Old and new audiences in shrinking areas

Whether you speak to an institution in Zeeland or Overijssel: the major challenge that dominates is the effect of population decline and aging. Older generations have always been generous to culture because they were familiar with it from a young age. But has enough been invested in engaging younger audiences as a result?

That younger audience is scarce: everyone is vying for the same group, especially in shrinking areas. Moreover, young people are drawn to metropolitan areas because there are more opportunities there. They plan less in advance, can choose from a world full of entertainment, and want as much information in as little time as possible. They do not automatically see the added value of a cultural institution and do not always connect with the available offerings.

2. Maintaining balance

Engaging a younger audience does not mean leaving older generations to fend for themselves. That generation has contributed significantly to cultural institutions and still has value as loyal visitors. Many institutions cherish them. But it is important to find the right balance between new and existing audiences to remain relevant in the future.

3. Digital inclusion

If you choose to work with such diverse audience groups, you must think just as diversely. For example: people over sixty want a lot of text, while those in their twenties do not. They prefer different language styles, and the channels through which you reach them also differ. One wants paper, another wants to visit in person. One wants to scroll and click quickly online, while another just wants to experience.

The question then is: where does the added value of using digital tools lie? Do they allow you to truly involve everyone? Should you even want that? Or is it mainly a way to make yourself appealing to the audience of the future? In any case, one thing is clear: digital is a means, not an end in itself.

4. Digital storytelling

Engaging people digitally involves telling them your story online and ensuring they can identify with it. It also means communicating on the right platform in the right way. Currently, institutions often rely on the same marketing mechanisms as when everything was still in print. A poster you used to see in the city is now too often placed on the website or social media. That is a missed opportunity because that language does not work online.

What does work online? A video offering a behind-the-scenes look at an exhibition or a group creating a performance, for example. Digital storytelling is seen by many as the way forward.

5. Transformation awareness

Many institutions indicate that they are still too focused on the issues of the day. They do not look ahead enough due to a lack of time, manpower, and resources. Yet, a long-term vision is essential for digital audience engagement. It is about much more than just developing a CRM system or digitizing your archive.

Also, keep in mind that interaction between different departments is necessary. Audience engagement also involves education or programming departments. Developing an integrated strategy does not happen overnight. But it really affects the entire organization.

Ingredients for a successful transformation:

• Urgency: audience numbers are declining, people are not always finding their way to institutions, and the older and younger target groups are drifting further apart due to a rapidly changing digital landscape. The time to create connections is now.

• Long-term thinking: is your organization aligned with the digital society? What does digital transformation mean? Why is it important for your organization? A strong long-term vision is needed, seamlessly incorporating digital transformation.

• Perspective: having a perspective on the financial resources to achieve this makes it naturally more attractive to prioritize it.

• Self-reflection: you serve the goal of others, not your own. It is therefore important for an organization to dare to look at itself and to change. Perhaps even letting go of what you personally enjoy but does not align with your audience's demographics.

6. Collaboration

Currently, there is still a lot of silo thinking. Many organizations are mainly focused on themselves and see others as competition. However, collaboration helps all parties move forward, even though it requires time and manpower.

Fortunately, opportunities are being identified, such as partnerships with organizations that reach other target audiences. Collaborations are a two-way street: you invest something, you gain something. And that investment does not always have to be 50/50. Larger organizations can contribute more, especially financially. But smaller organizations may offer a different kind of capital: a specific niche you do not reach yourself or even just a completely different perspective closer to the audience. That is also very valuable, even if harder to quantify. Always remember: good agreements make good friends!

With thanks to all (cultural) institutions that provided input: Deventer Schouwburg, Discovery Museum, Fashionclash, Huis voor de Kunsten Limburg, Kultureel Overleg Maastricht (KOM), Musea Zutphen, MuZEEum, Oostpool, Productiehuis Zeelandia, Regionaal breed perspectief Provincie Overijssel, Zeeuws Museum, Zeeuwse Marketing Organisatie (ZMO).

Creative agency Cornelis Serveert spoke to the aforementioned institutions and developed this text. All insights are being used to organize the meet-ups.