Audience Development Playbook

• Discover: Singapore Ballet recognised that conventional arts marketing was not enough to reach audiences beyond their core dance community. To grow meaningfully, they needed to connect with people who had never considered attending a ballet performance.

• Define: Singapore Ballet identified an opportunity to layer strategic storytelling through a partnership with Catch.sg (opens in new tab) alongside their existing production marketing, shining a spotlight on the people behind the art to make ballet feel more human and accessible. They also made a deliberate decision to apply for the SG Culture Pass eligibility, opening their doors to audiences who might not have otherwise considered spending on a ballet ticket.

• Develop: Singapore Ballet partnered with Catch.sg (opens in new tab) to product authentic, people-centred content across articles, Instagram and TikTok. They also pursued cross-industry media collaborations with lifestyle publications. Cross-genre KOL activations and a structured multi-layered discount architecture (including an exclusive SG Culture Pass Bundle), further broadened their reach and lowered barriers to entry.

Outcome (Deliver)

• The 2025 season saw SG Culture Pass eligible event Passages sold out completely while Ballet Under the Stars had 35% of tickets paid through SG Culture Pass credits. This grew ticket sales by up to 18%. The collaboration with Catch.sg (opens in new tab) also grew new users with 1.22 million views recorded across Catch.sg (opens in new tab) social posts. This strengthened Singapore Ballet’s overall digital marketing efforts resulting in new user website traffic by 137%

The TENG Company Utilised the 4-step Audience Development Cycle from the Playbook to achieve successful audience expansion through innovative programming.

• Discover: Identified wellness-focused individuals as an untapped segment who would not typically engage with traditional Chinese music.

• Define: Recognised the growing wellness trend in Singapore and defined an opportunity to connect traditional Chinese music with wellness principles, targeting Culture Seekers beyond their existing audience base.

• Develop: Created Singapore's first immersive lie-down wellness concert, fusing Chinese musical elements with ancient wellness principles in a 360° listening experience for modern wellness seekers.

Outcome (Deliver)

• 59% first-time attendees

• 83% rated the experience as excellent

• 72% very likely to return

The Storytelling Centre utilised the 4-step Audience Development Cycle from the Playbook to achieve exceptional ticket sales and positive feedback.

• Discover: StoryFest's traditional indoor folklore programming primarily reached families with children. Identified an opportunity to engage Social Seekers and Discerning Connoisseurs — young adults, heritage tourism enthusiasts, and audiences willing to pay more for quality experiences.

• Define: Spotted six underutilised public art Benchmarks along the Singapore River as an activation opportunity. Strategy: introduce current audiences to outdoor formats while developing new adult segments through higher-priced, longer-duration programming.

• Develop: Created Story Walk, a 90-minute outdoor roving storytelling experience combining local history and folklore around the Benchmarks. Grew from 3 stories in 2023 to 6 in 2025, with evening sessions, multi-channel marketing, and partnerships with Arts House Limited, heritage societies, and educational groups.

Outcome (Deliver)

• Sold out in Year 1

• 96% tickets sold in Year 2, despite a 50% price increase

• 88% first-time attendees; attendance improved from 79% to 95%