SneakPeek: the most intimate form of storytelling

Aging cultural audience

According to Mathijs Schepers, one of the founders of the Antwerp theater collective SKaGeN and co-creator of SneakPeek, the app offers tremendous opportunities for attracting a younger audience. “One of my secret dreams as a theater maker is to address a very big problem in theater; in a theater hall, there are mostly older people. That really needs to change. Young people need to return to theater,” says Schepers.

SneakPeek taps into the world of young people, who are accustomed to the constant use of their smartphones and social media. By telling stories in a way that fits their behavior, the barrier to getting involved in cultural events is lowered.

The National Theater

The National Theater used SneakPeek around their performance ‘Laagland.’ Five days before the theater performance, users could follow the characters through the app. “People sit in your hall and already know some characters very well. They know the arena, understand the themes, and it’s super fun to play with that,” says Schepers. He adds, “It creates a deeper engagement and a richer experience for the audience.”

Another example is ‘The Dumpster.’ A story that unfolds over three days via the app. You follow the characters Tommy and Nina as they go on a date. You look into their intimate conversations as if you are part of them yourself. This creates an intense and immersive experience.

Integration into your own app

The potential of SneakPeek goes beyond just theater. According to Schepers, the app can also be integrated into existing apps of major museums and concert halls. “That would be a real game-changer. It would fit into the environment of the app that visitors are already familiar with,” explains Schepers.

Mathijs Schepers wants to create experiences that people will remember for the rest of their lives. In this video clip, he challenges cultural professionals to return to the sense of wonder and ask themselves questions like: why did you choose this profession? And: how can you extend that initial sense of wonder into your current work?

SneakPeek offers an innovative way of storytelling. According to Mathijs, it is important for cultural organizations to experiment with this new form of storytelling. “It has enormous potential to attract a younger audience and deepen the theater experience.”

Curious about the episode of ‘Cultuurshift’ where a panel of Dutch tech and culture experts discuss this app? In this video, you can watch the entire podcast episode.