Value Creation of Electronic Music Clubs in the Experience Economy: The Perspective of Club Stakeholders

Electronic music has become increasingly popular and economically profitable. Compared to the consumption of other music genres, electronic music has always been predominantly focused on its live experience at events and in the club. The involvement and active participation of the audience are considered to be major contributions to the atmosphere and overall experience of the events. However, past research has taken limited account of the contributions of the audience and the experiential aspects to the value of events. Since the roots of electronic music lie in underground club culture, its actors are assumed to be motivated by their shared passion and non-commercial aims. Additionally, the value of cultural events has been notoriously reduced to their economic contribution because of the inherent difficulty of assessing the value of cultural products. This is particularly true for electronic music as clubs are part of the nightlife, but also the cultural industry. Yet, thereby the contribution of social and cultural values to economic value is concealed. Previous findings have indicated that industry exchanges of actors in the cultural industry are characterized by personal relationships, trust, and exchange in network reputation. Yet, it is still unclear how industry actors construct the values underlying their events. Therefore, this study aims to explore how the social, cultural, and economic values of electronic music events are constructed by venue stakeholders in the context of an experience economy. For the purpose of this study, 10 expert interviews were conducted with club stakeholders in the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium. Findings indicated that venue stakeholders predominantly construct the value of their events around their success in executing their artistic vision. The development of personal relationships and a community within the industry was conducive and necessary for success in the industry. Yet, the increasing professionalization of the industry and the increasing use of practices from the record industry among DJs presented additional barriers to becoming economically viable. In addition, the fragmentation of audiences around subgenres presented another challenge for club owners. Concerning their audience, club owners promoted inclusiveness, diversity, and freedom, whereby participants could engage in alternative social dynamics at the club. The club experience was considered to stand in contrast to a restrictive experience of the self in public space. It was concluded that actors in the electronic music industry operate within a distinct industry network marked by informality, which supports the exchange of cultural knowledge and the execution of their artistic vision. Further research is needed to verify the exchanges and diversity of audiences at electronic music events. In addition, the impact of professionalization, commercialization, and genre fragmentation on the social and cultural value of electronic music events deserves further attention.