Facilitator(s): Alan Brown, Managing Principal, WolfBrown and Christina Bellevue, Senior Marketing Manager, National Arts Centre

At the 2023 League Conference, many orchestra managers expressed the view that different approaches to creating value for customers are needed to foster affinity for the art and loyalty to the organization. New research from the National Arts Centre of Canada and other organizations suggests important opportunities to diversify the types of relationships that orchestras have with their customers.

This session will delve into research on taste, affinity, and loyalty, and summarize a recent scan of experiments with new types of products, relationships, and sales platforms. For example, younger consumers tend to express affinity for artists, formats, and spaces, and older consumers are more likely to hold feelings of loyalty towards institutions. While the subscription model will continue to be a desirable product for the foreseeable future, it is unable to capture the considerable passion for music that circulates amongst those who aren’t interested in subscribing.

Our conversation will establish the logic and argument for innovative new models for educational, social, and other types of relationships, and allow participants to share approaches that are promising in their own environments.