Think about your last packed house. The energy in the lobby afterward, the conversations, the buzz. Now consider this: roughly half the people in that room were there for the first time. And most of them won't be back.

There are many data points that matter in running an arts or cultural organization. But, if there's one number that tells you whether your pricing strategy is working, or quietly eroding your revenue, it's per capita revenue.

As festival season gets underway across North America, several organizations are already seeing encouraging signs of audience engagement, loyalty, and demand.

Imagine walking into your next budget meeting and being asked a simple question: Where will next year's revenue come from?

There’s no shortage of pressure right now.

The pressure on arts organizations isn’t easing up. It’s shifting, compounding, and in many cases, getting harder to manage.

The numbers are in, and they tell a complex story. Across North American arts and cultural organizations, audiences are returning. Relationships are growing. In many cases, organizations are reaching more households than they did before the...

Across the UK arts sector, the story emerging from the latest Arts & Culture Benchmark data is both encouraging and challenging. Encouraging because audiences are returning. Challenging because the financial recovery is not keeping pace.

“In 2027, we’re aiming for 10% growth.” “£500,000 in additional ticket sales.” “$1m more in subscriptions.”

What can the first half of the season, and particularly the holiday period, tell us about the health of orchestras in North America right now?