Gifts & Ticket Sales Revenue Analysis: US, Canada, and UK – December 2023
The final 2023 edition of our ticket and gift analysis helps us to where the arts market in the UK, US, and Canada is at heading into 2024. This analysis covers the latest trends in sales and philanthropic giving, comparing the current data with previous years to gauge shifts and changes in these sectors.
Key Observations:
- United Kingdom: A mixed scenario with sales up from 2022 but down from 2019. Celebrating a record-breaking year in philanthropy, with the highest numbers ever in both gifts and revenue. This unprecedented growth presents an opportunity for the UK to further cultivate its philanthropic culture.
- United States: Shows resilience despite a decline in ticket sales. A difficult end to the year in philanthropy. The significant drop in gift totals and revenue, especially in December, could partly be due to delayed updates in donation records.
- Canada: Continues to face challenges, with sales declining compared to 2022. Marks its most challenging year in philanthropy, with record lows in both the number of gifts and revenue. This highlights critical areas in the Canadian philanthropic sector that need strategic intervention and innovative approaches to rebound in 2024.
United Kingdom: A Dip in Tickets Compensated by a Record-Breaking Gift Year:
While tickets rose from November to December, the total has failed to match 2019 numbers, down -16% in tickets sold and -6% in revenues.
With the best year ever recorded for both the number of gifts and gift revenue, The UK stands out with a record-breaking year in philanthropy. Heading not 2024, the UK has a chance to build on this philanthropic boom and develop individual donors in a way more typical of the United States market.
United States: Mixed Signals in Sales and Ending 2023 on a Down Note in Gifts:
The US market sold less tickets this December from 2019 by -11% but managed to far surpass 2021 and 2022. In terms of revenue December beat 2019 by 5%! This could mean ticket prices have risen since 2019 or that there was a higher preference for premium tickets this December.
US gift totals and revenue in December took a plunge, especially in revenue, falling -31% behind pre-pandemic numbers.
It was a poor philanthropic year for the United States arts venues, especially in the latter part of the year. Some organizations might not have updated their CRMs with recent large donations yet. The potential delay in updating donation records could mean that the situation is better than it appears heading into 2024.
Canada: Also Breaking Records but in the Wrong Direction:
Canada’s downward trend in sales compared to 2022 indicates ongoing challenges in the market, possibly due to economic factors or shifts in consumer preferences. December was significantly better than 2021, but compared with 2019 Canda tickets are lagging -32% and revenues are down -25%.
Canada’s end of year was disappointing for philanthropy. 2023 ended as the worst year ever recorded for the number of gifts and gift revenue. Canada’s philanthropic sector has experienced a most challenging year, in both the quantity of gifts and the revenue generated. This downturn highlights critical issues or shifts in the Canadian philanthropic landscape that will require strategic attention to improve in 2024.
Conclusion
The latest edition of the ticket and gift analysis reveals a complex picture across the UK, US, and Canada. While the US shows mixed results in sales and a challenging philanthropic environment, the UK emerges as a strong performer in philanthropy. In contrast, Canada faces difficulties in both sales and gifts. These insights are crucial for stakeholders in understanding the evolving trends and preparing for future strategies in the coming year.