Update for March 21, 2022: Alan’s latest briefing highlights results from this week’s survey deployments to three national cohorts of theatres, orchestras and performing arts centers. With Covid-19 infection rates at or near the lowest levels seen in almost a year, we now have a picture of what demand looks like under what might be called “suddenly optimistic” conditions. How much has demand recovered since February? How much have feelings about mask mandates changed in the past month? How should we be thinking about the pace of recovery of audience demand over the next few months?(30 minutes)
Key Takeaways
Omicron was a 3-month event (Dec.-Feb.) in terms of its affect on demand
We are now back to the longer trajectory of recovery
All indicators continued to incrementally improve from Feb. to March
Orchestras and theatres are currently looking at 65% to 70% of a reactivated customer base, while PACs are looking at 75% to 80% of a reactivated customer base, on average
Very few people are still asking for distancing protocols
Next month will determine if we can break through the pre-Delta “ceiling” of comfortability attending large venues
As of March, between 30% and 40% of all respondents hadn’t returned to the sending organization during 2021-22; however, between 30% and 40% of these non-returners have attended other organizations, which is to say they’ve re-entered the marketplace
Among those who’ve not yet returned, roughly 35% cite health concerns (i.e., 10% to 14% of all respondents); at this point these people are mostly “long-term non-returners” – they will come back slowly, if at all
Attitudes about mask mandates softened a good deal in March
As the BA.2 Omicron sub-variant rises in Europe, infections in the US may be on the rise again in several weeks
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