Spotlight on Arts Audiences: Wave 3 Research
Alberta continues to be at a crossroads brought by a pandemic that has changed public life and reshaped our economy. This is especially true in the arts and culture sector, which continues to experience a decline in engagement with events and activities.
With this in mind, the Rozsa Foundation contracted research firm Stone-Olafson to conduct in-depth research on the current engagement of arts audiences in the province. Funding for this projects was also provided by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Calgary Arts Development, Calgary Foundation, Edmonton Arts Council, and Edmonton Community Foundation.
This work was developed for the arts and culture sector exclusively, and builds upon research that began in 2020 (Building Experiences in the New Economy), but is designed to provide specific, relevant and reliable facts to support the leaders in the sector as they build relevance and grow attendance. The project is two years long and will have six waves of in-field research and results.
Research Wave 3
The survey for the third wave of research was conducted between August 5 – 15, 2024, and the results were shared in November 2024 at an in-person event in Calgary. The key topics included:
- Assess interest and engagement with arts related education opportunities
- Understand spending habits and how they’ve altered
- Identify current barriers to last minute engagement
- Understand ad hoc decision variables
You can watch the Wave 3 results presentation and find reports from all regions of Alberta on the Rozsa Foundation website here.
Research Wave 2
The survey for the second wave of research was conducted in March 2024 and the key topics included:
- Exploring arts audiences’ engagement and general perceptions
- Understanding audiences’ preferences for content, programming and ticketing purchasing
- Understanding opportunities for increasing support and engagement through fund development
Learn more and download the Wave 2 reports here.
Research Wave 1
The survey for the first wave of research was conducted in November 2023 and the key topics included:
- Current audience behaviours, habits, and patterns
- Current attitudes and perceptions towards the arts
- Barriers to engagement and support
- Programming and communication preferences
- Perceptions of value in a tight economy
Learn more and download the Wave 1 reports here.