Back in April 2019 I was asked to contribute to a piece which appeared on the Australian Major Performing Arts Group’s (AMPAG) website. In celebration of National Youth Week, I penned my responses discussing the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s student program, youth volunteer program, 30 & Under initiatives and my views on the future of audiences for our orchestras which can be read here in full.
To see the edited version which appeared on the AMPAG website, click here.
In what ways has their involvement with the ASO Advocates program affected the participants?
The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s Advocacy program is designed to deliver a holistic view of the organisation. The program is transparent in its approach, equipping our young members with the knowledge to really understand the environment that our orchestras operate in. They become members of the big ol’ ASO family, and meet artists, our staff, attend concerts and organise engagement events for our younger audiences. The transparency of the program and their exposure to all that we do helps to equip them with a sense of responsibility and a deep connection to the organisation. They start to understand the challenges faced not only by the ASO but the arts on a broader scale and are able to frame their contribution and efforts in a really meaningful way.
This program equips them with a community to strengthen their voice. I like to equate it to the way that sports fans support their team. This, for young people, is how they can be involved to support their orchestra.
Through the broad exposure offered by the program to our activity, the impact that this has had on a number of participants is really exciting. One of the members from the first year of the program, Yundi Yuan, is now doing some work at the ASO in the role of Artist Liaison. Another member from the first year discovered their love of the fundraising and philanthropy side of the business and has gone on to become the Development Executive with the State Opera of South Australia at a really exciting time for that organisation. Most of the past members continue to be very engaged with our concert activity and a number of them are now subscribers. Given the broad skill set and interests of participants, we’ve also been able to engage past members in other ways (such as a DJ) for some of our other youth programs.
You don’t need a background in music to become an Advocate, and in fact, the majority of the time members don’t come from a musical background, they just want to contribute and help make a difference to the future of the orchestra (which itself is so exciting!). At the end of every year when members of the group finish their term they roll over into our Advocate Alumni pool where they remain engaged with opportunities and ways of staying connected to the ASO beyond concert activity.
What is it about the program that appeals to young people?
I believe that what appeals to young people about the Advocates program is the sense of purpose and the sense of contribution in a non-monetary way that drives the initiative. There’s a big gap in the way that we believe young people want to interact with our arts organisations. For a generation that isn’t on super salaries and yet wants to contribute, the way they want to do this isn’t necessarily through donating money but instead through offering their time and skills to causes that they care about.
I also believe that this program appeals because it opens the door, it says to a younger generation that you’ve got a place here and we want you to be involved – your voice is important because you are the future.
It invites them to have their say and to leave their mark on our activity, and this is something that is really exciting. We’re seeing a big shift in the young people that engage with us as a result of being invited in with this program.
How has the program affected audiences? Do you, for example, find there has been more engagement with you or a longer term or deeper engagement with younger audiences?
Yes, I am noticing a shift in longer-term and deeper engagement from our younger audiences as a result of the Advocacy program. We currently have a pool of 18 alumni, and 11 active members for 2019. A number of these Alumni members are still deeply engaged with our activity either through our Live Pass student membership or now as subscribers. Their presence and involvement also help to dampen the stigma around “who goes to the orchestra” and encourages other young people to get involved.
Parallel to this is the activity that the Advocates drive such as pre-concert meetups for our student Live Pass members, and their involvement at our ReMastered events for 30 & Unders. This is enabling them to connect on a deeper level with their peers and to be ambassadors for the organisation in the 30 & Under space. In turn, this kind of activity invites others in for deeper engagement. The outcomes of this activity have been really wonderful to experience: new friendships formed, and the emergence of social circles that attend the orchestra together through meeting at these events. Being able to connect the dots for these younger audiences is a real key to the success of the program.
Seeing this demographic connect with each other through the orchestra, then witnessing that trickle over into their experience at concerts when they bump into familiar faces is so rewarding and really builds a wonderful sense of community.
How has the program affected the way that ASO interacts with young people and how has the program changed the way young people interact with the ASO?
ASO’s interaction with young people has shifted substantially over the years. The organisation isn’t just a source of entertainment or artistic stimulation, but a welcoming place where they are able to influence the conversation, get up close and personal with what we do and help to drive our engagement with audiences both new and existing. ASO is a place that young people are able to find a niche, to find a space that resonates with the way they would like to engage with the organisation whether that be as a concertgoer or as an active participant in our operations.
I believe that the narrative is beginning to shift. I believe young people are beginning to realise that the orchestra isn’t a closed door that only opens for the privileged few.
An orchestra is a place where everyone is welcome and with the help of programs like the Advocates, they’re able to identify with an audience that they can see themselves belonging to.
What’s the outlook for the next generation of audiences? Given the competition for young people’s attention and in light of concerns about audience figures declining, how will you reach the next generation? Do you see any trends emerging in terms of future/young audiences?
We’re at a crossroads nationally and globally with the next generation of audiences. There are very different competing sets of values between an older generation and a younger one. I think that the outlook for the next generation of audiences is positive, although not one that comes without work from our orchestras. Culturally established beliefs of what the orchestra represents, or who it exists to serve, can be a real barrier. I firmly believe that working with our audiences, listening to them and implementing ways for greater inclusion and accessibility will help to shift where the orchestra sits on their cultural radar. In a far more global, multicultural society it is important that we don’t ignore the changing mindset of emerging generations. Should this dictate what we do? Not entirely, but it should play an important part in helping us to remain relevant and inclusive to people from all backgrounds. The saying goes that if you can’t see yourself somewhere, you’ll never be there, and I think this is at the core of audience challenges for orchestras.
Reaching the next generation of audiences is going to require a multi-faceted approach. Systemically we have an issue with music education in schools across the nation and with access to quality orchestral music experiences for young people.
In South Australia, the new Music Education Strategy has the potential to fulfil part of that puzzle, and I believe can play an important role in exposing young people to orchestral music. Time and time again research proves that exposure to the orchestra at an early age helps develop an appreciation for orchestral music and increases the likelihood of continued engagement throughout a lifetime. If we think of this multi-faceted approach to engagement as a pipeline or funnel then there needs to be a coordinated progression of experiences offered for differing stages of familiarity to grow, nourish and enable discovery of a love of the art form. At the ASO we often talk of the “cradle to grave” span of engagement and how we can continue to develop the patron journey for a lifetime of enjoyment with the orchestra.
There is A LOT competing for young people’s attention (and, declining attention spans), and for a generation largely fed on social media and pop content, the orchestra and its “traditions” seem a far cry from their realm of enjoyment. The commercial activity being undertaken by our orchestras (think Harry Potter in Concert, Star Wars and pop-culture oriented experiences) is helping us to attract broader audiences, but this isn’t necessarily seeing them transition over to our core product, being the presentation of symphonic repertoire in streams such as our Master Series. I’ve often pondered what this looks like for the future of our core orchestral activity. That, however, is a whole other conversation.
I performed some analysis on one of our youth initiatives, ReMastered, last year and the results were very encouraging. This initiative involves an 18 – 30-year-old audience attending one of our Master Series concerts which include core orchestral repertoire followed by a post-concert event. These events include drinks, food and entertainment all included in the ticket price of $75. The function of this initiative is to expose attendees to our core orchestral music offering and concert experience, and then provide a space that they can relax and unwind in while meeting others and unpacking their night. The analysis revealed that of the patrons that had begun their engagement with the ASO through ReMastered, 30% have gone on to engage with other concert product (the majority of these being our core orchestral concerts) and in a majority of cases also return visits to ReMastered.
For our first ReMastered event of 2019, I was struck that 52% of ticket buyers had attended ReMastered in the past, and a further 32% of ticket buyers had previously attended ASO activity but this was their first time purchasing ReMastered. I’ve been finding that engagement from our established 30 & Under audience with ReMastered is on the increase. I think this speaks to an experience they may be looking for to supplement their enjoyment of the art form or meet other like-minded people. I definitely see the “importance of the experience” trend on the rise and think this will play a very pivotal factor for orchestras in attracting future audiences. The rise of technology is shifting the way audiences engage (and want to engage) and we don’t yet fully understand the extent of how this is going to shift expectations of the concert experience in years to come. The social aspect, as we know, is also an important factor across generations in attending our activity. Finding ways of accommodating or incorporating these interactions has helped connect our audiences with one another in very rewarding ways.
On a final note, the underpinning of all of this is going to be an ability to create and engage a community, and to reframe the orchestra as a welcoming space in spheres of dominant culture that view it as intimidating or inaccessible to “people like me”. The Advocacy program grew out of a belief that there was a young and diverse community out there who wanted to engage. It grew out of a belief that meaningful interaction with this 18 – 30 year old demographic would help to slowly shift attitudes around who it is that enjoys and attends orchestral music, and would also demonstrate that there is an emerging generation that cares about our orchestras. This is a really powerful thing.
This growing community of young people that want to support the orchestra absolutely give me hope. They are a firm reminder that we have to be prepared to listen and to speak the language of a new generation.
We have to be prepared to meet them where they are (online, in person and on a culturally relevant level) and never underestimate the important role they play in our wayfinding. It is imperative that we as arts organisations find the time to remain curious, to learn, to listen and to include. By doing this, we’ll stay relevant and be equipped to tackle whatever challenges come our way.
Kane Moroney 