The Experience Economy in the Dutch Performing Arts sector

Experiences have always been at the heart of arts organisations however during the last decades a clear change has been noticeable in the delivery of artistic products by arts organisations. Most art institutions have shifted from focusing on core products (artistic works) to the enhancement of the experiences of customers by supplying additional services. This phenomenon has manifested itself in the currently prevailing ‘experience economy’. This research explores the experiences individuals undergo when attending the performing arts, their satisfaction with the services offered and the extent to which services influence consumer’s experiences and their buying decision process. The research consists of two studies, both complementing each other. The studies were conducted in two theatres: Chassé Theater and Stadsschouwburg Utrecht and two concert halls: de Doelen and Dr Anton Philipszaal/Lucent Danstheater. The first study is a qualitative study where focus group interviews were held with small groups of loyal customers at the four different venues. Semi-structured questions were posed with regard to customer’s experiences with auxiliary services. The second study concerns a quantitative research in which questionnaires were send to a large group of visitors of the four venues. The surveys measured the level of satisfaction with services and their impact on customer’s buying decision process. From both studies it can be concluded that when attending a performing arts venue, consumers choose primarily for the programme and secondary for the additional services. The latter are in most cases of additional value to the experiences of consumers and provide an extra boost to customer’s consumption choices. Furthermore, the results show that auxiliary services have a positive influence on the audience’s buying decision process.