Addressing the challenge of audience homogeneity in Australian arts organisations
The homogeneity of arts audience in anglophone countries has been an issue for arts organisations for many decades. This current research brings an organisational behavior approach and examines the organisational practices required by audience development initiatives that aim to diversify audiences. Diversifying audiences, which is the aim of many audience development initiatives, is one of the most significant tasks facing contemporary arts organisations. There is now handful amount of evidence that audiences for many mainstream arts practices are in decline.
Museums are increasingly adapting to social changes such as ageing populations and international migration, as well as catering to new audiences such as digital natives and immigrant communities. This shift towards inclusivity and learning rather than education and exclusivity is crucial for museums to fulfill their mission. To achieve this, museums need to pay greater attention to the multicultural makeup of society and conduct audience research to understand the needs and levels of understanding of different groups, including immigrant communities. Additionally, new strategies for engaging people should prioritize innovative content that caters to varying levels of comprehension in order to remain relevant organizations.