Complimentary tickets are a go-to strategy for arts organizations when demand feels soft, but are they as harmless as we often assume?

Lower-demand performances are a reality for every arts organization. Not every show is meant to sell out. Not every program will appeal to everyone.

Too often, retention is treated as a single-ticket issue. But the truth is more complex, and more urgent. When an organization sees major growth in new package buyers, it’s worth celebrating, but it also signals a risk.

WhenSeattle Repentered FY25, the organization was at a strategic crossroads. A successful acquisition year had brought a wave of new customers. A new Artistic Director had arrived and programmed his first season: one with a distinct vision.

Because your 2026 challenges won’t be solved with 2015 habits.

“Doing it all” has become the default survival mode. Every arts leader knows the feeling: inboxes overflowing, budgets tightening, teams shrinking, but the goals keep multiplying. You’re told to rebuild audiences, increase donations, deepen...

Arts leaders are working harder than ever to attract new audiences, but too often that effort comes at the expense of the relationships already in the room (or database). Across the field, most audiences don’t return within 18 months. And with that...

Leading an arts organization today can feel like walking a tightrope. Rising costs, shifting audience habits, and revenue that swings from season to season make it harder than ever to balance artistic ambition with financial reality.

Across the arts and cultural sector, there’s a common refrain: “We need more new audiences.” But data tells a different story. In most organizations, 80% of customer databases have no future booking.

Data is everywhere in today’s cultural sector, but usable insight is rarer.