Community Database: Ticket Buying by Lifestyle

Erika Sung is an ASU doctoral student in community resources and development where she focuses on non-profit management.  Her analysis of the Arizona Arts & Cultural Census/Community Database is underwritten by a grant from the Lodestar Foundation. 

———————–

Previously, we learned that, at least here in Arizona, arts and culture is not only for the highly educated people. This week we consider that arts and cultural participation engages audiences far broader than those who primarily identify themselves as fans of arts and culture.

According to the Community Database, people’s lifestyles are classified into eight different categories. For example, high-tech living style, representing almost 19% of Arizona households life style means that the household has at least three of the following interests: Computers, PC Internet/Online Service User, PC Modem Owner, Games-Computer Games, Music-Home Stereo, Movie Collector, Games-Video Games, Photography, TV-HDTV/Satellite Dish; also, cultural living style indicates that household has at least three of the following interests: Arts, Collectibles-Art, Collectibles-Antiques, Theater/Performing Arts (see definitions of other category in the end of the blog for more details).

As indicated below, the pie chart shows very interesting results. Look at the cultural living category. Contrary to this expectation, people who have cultural living life style represent only 1.1% of total arts and culture ticket buyers. Turns out that those people who aspire towards different life styles, not focusing only on arts and culture, show higher proportions of arts and culture ticket buying action. Even people who have the money seeker life style account for 10% of arts and culture ticket buyers in Arizona.

The above results give us much room to develop audiences because it means that regardless of life styles, all people can be viewed as valuable marketing assets. people may have many other reasons to attend arts and culture events; for example, people can attend arts and culture event for socialization, or for spending their free time with family and friends, rather than aesthetic appreciation of arts and culture itself. Arts and culture participation is open to anyone regardless of their life styles. Further, because there are so many reasons people are induced to participate, we should broadly approach more people, and market arts and cultural products.

< Note: Definitions of Life Styles by Community Database>

Broader Living: Household has at least three of the following interests: Travel-International, Current Affairs/Politics, Theater/Performing Arts, Community/Charities, Reading-Audio Books, Reading-Magazines, Reading-Science Fiction, Reading-Religious/Inspirational, Reading

Common Living: Household has at least three of the following interests: Religious/Inspirational, Reading-Religious/Inspirational, Natural Foods, Sweepstakes/Contests, Collectibles-Coins, Collectibles-Stamps, Christian Families, Gardening.

High Brow: Household has at least three of the following interests: Investments-Personal, Investments-Real Estate, Investments-Stock/Bond, Community/Charities, Self Improvement.

Money Seekers: Household has at least three of the following interests: Investments-Personal, Investments-Real Estate, Investments-Stock/Bond.

Professional Living: Household has at least three of the following interests: Career Improvement, Self Improvement, Investments-Personal, Career Interest, Education Online.