From 5 Life Stages to 12 Distinct Personas
As a starting point, the Playbook provides arts practitioners with a common language and understanding of what audience development means. From here, the Playbook moves beyond traditional demographics such as the 5 life stages to introduce 12 distinct personas based on these stages from the public survey. These personas give more colour and deepen arts practitioners’ understanding of audiences based on their interests (e.g. artforms and genres), attitudes (e.g. motivations and lifestyle preferences) and behaviours (e.g. willingness to pay).
The 12 Personas
Students
Young Explorers (3.8%)
- Interests: Pop-Rock-Indie music; new, immersive and gamified experiences
- Attitudes: They value the arts as a respite from academic life
- Behaviours in terms of willingness to pay: When ticket prices are above $40, attendance levels drop drastically
Social Seekers (6.6%)
- Interests: Mainstream art forms, street dance, popular music, and physical events
- Attitudes: They value the arts for social bonds
- Behaviours in terms of willingness to pay: They are highly price sensitive
Adults with No Children
Discerning Connoisseurs (1.3%)
- Interests: Arts lovers who enjoy art fairs and classical music
- Attitudes: They value the arts as an important, intrinsic part of their lives
- Behaviours in terms of willingness to pay: They are regular attendees and would prioritise quality over price
Carefree Explorers (9.2%)
- Interests: Music and theatre programmes
- Attitudes: They participate in the arts for personal and lifestyle fulfilment
- Behaviours in terms of willingness to pay: They seek out value-for-money experiences
Occasional Fans (16.2%)
- Interests: Blockbuster hits, recognisable names, familiar content and formats
- Attitudes: They use the arts for work-life balance but won’t go out of their way for it
- Behaviours in terms of willingness to pay: Price is not a concern, time is the key constraint
Adults with Young Children (Aged below 12 years old)
Supportive Parents (4.5%)
- Interests: Musicals, visual arts, craft
- Attitudes: They see the arts as self-care and actively engage for children’s education purposes
- Behaviours in terms of willingness to pay: They are price sensitive, given that it is cost incurred for the whole family
Preoccupied Parents (8.8%)
- Interests: Child-friendly programmes or nostalgic programmes for a break from child-minding duties
- Attitudes: They will only engage in the arts if it’s to enrich their child
- Behaviours in terms of willingness to pay: They are willing to invest but must see clear value for their children
Adults with Older Children (Aged above 12 years old)
Culture Seekers (1.9%)
- Interests: Diverse range of artforms, on-trend, in-person experiences
- Attitudes: They see the arts as a way of finding renewed enthusiasm for life
- Behaviours in terms of willingness to pay: They are not price-sensitive and will not be deterred by nominal fees
Nostalgia Seekers (11.4%)
- Interests: Music, arts around their neighbourhood, everyday spaces
- Attitudes: They are looking to reconnect with their past
- Behaviours in terms of willingness to pay: They are price conscious
Pragmatic Parents (15.8%)
- Interests: Theatre, heritage events and community-oriented programmes, local artists
- Attitudes: They are not averse to the arts but the arts are not seen as essential; willing to attend if it’s with family and friends
- Behaviours in terms of willingness to pay: They are cautious about spending on the arts
Seniors
Sentimental Silvers (7.8%)
- Interests: Heritage events, musicals, drawing
- Attitudes: They engage in the arts to improve physical, mental and spiritual health, similar to other leisure pursuits
- Behaviours in terms of willingness to pay: They are price conscious
Pragmatic Silvers (12.5%)
- Interests: No preference for artform, as engagement in the arts is mainly incidental and for therapeutic reasons
- Attitudes: They see the arts as providing a sense of local pride and patriotism
- Behaviours in terms of willingness to pay: They are very price sensitive
Aggregated Audience Data
In addition to granular data on the 12 personas based on the five life stages, the Playbook also offers aggregated audience data including their interests and willingness to pay. Findings include:
- Value over Cost: Charging a small fee may not significantly deter arts attendance; in fact, for some personas like “Culture Seekers” (parents with older children), a fee can even increase perceived quality and attendance.
- ‘Gateway’ Genres: Music and Heritage remain the most relatable genres across all audiences. They serve as effective ‘gateways’ to introduce passive audiences to more niche artforms, especially through multi-disciplinary experiences.
