The Guardian just published an article about a theatre company , specifically ARC, who tried something pretty radical and awesome: Pay What You Decide ticket prices.
Audiences still had to reserve tickets and could do so online but they were under no payment obligation until after they had seen the show, at which point they were able to pay whatever amount they were able or desirous of paying. After a six month trial, the results were in!
Yes! Viability!
How crazy cool is this??
Not only did it result in a rise in audience attendance, because it removed the pressure of knowing if the show was good before attending, but it also resulted in a rise in revenue! Income up by 82% hell yes!
Coming off of reading Amanda Palmers fantastic book The Art of Asking, in which she discusses how a career in busking led her to the passing the hat instead of the bill, my partner and I devised a production of 448 Psychosis by Sarah Kane. We didn't expect high attendance and decided to do a pay what you can jar for the end of the show, since most of our friends (expected audience) are broke performers like us. We were excited to absolutely break even, and after the shows and talkbacks we had friends offering to donate more to keep the production running for further audiences to see and engage with!
It was the most wonderful, engaging, and exciting experience of generosity on the part of our small but present audiences. The action of spending time with them in a talk back after and then simply asking them to pay what they could turned out to be both more rewarding (in terms of connecting with them) and more financially legit than we expected.
To see this kind of experiment not just for a single show but for a theatre company over 6 months is such a joy!
Words like Accessibility and Viability flash in my head, but I think it ultimately comes down to what Amanda Palmer describes as taking the doughnut.
We make ourselves vulnerable by spending time and energy creating something. Then we want to share it, when people are willing to give back to us we can take the doughnut. It's part of how audiences give back to us for the time and love we spent on what we are sharing with them.
(Awesome Right?!)
Audiences still had to reserve tickets and could do so online but they were under no payment obligation until after they had seen the show, at which point they were able to pay whatever amount they were able or desirous of paying. After a six month trial, the results were in!
"Six months on, I’m pleased to say it has been a huge success, with some startling results. Audience numbers are up by 58% on the same period last year and income is up by 82%, increasing our average ticket yield by 15% – all way beyond our expectations."
Yes! Viability!
How crazy cool is this??
Not only did it result in a rise in audience attendance, because it removed the pressure of knowing if the show was good before attending, but it also resulted in a rise in revenue! Income up by 82% hell yes!
Coming off of reading Amanda Palmers fantastic book The Art of Asking, in which she discusses how a career in busking led her to the passing the hat instead of the bill, my partner and I devised a production of 448 Psychosis by Sarah Kane. We didn't expect high attendance and decided to do a pay what you can jar for the end of the show, since most of our friends (expected audience) are broke performers like us. We were excited to absolutely break even, and after the shows and talkbacks we had friends offering to donate more to keep the production running for further audiences to see and engage with!
(Talk back with audience post show)
It was the most wonderful, engaging, and exciting experience of generosity on the part of our small but present audiences. The action of spending time with them in a talk back after and then simply asking them to pay what they could turned out to be both more rewarding (in terms of connecting with them) and more financially legit than we expected.
To see this kind of experiment not just for a single show but for a theatre company over 6 months is such a joy!
Words like Accessibility and Viability flash in my head, but I think it ultimately comes down to what Amanda Palmer describes as taking the doughnut.
We make ourselves vulnerable by spending time and energy creating something. Then we want to share it, when people are willing to give back to us we can take the doughnut. It's part of how audiences give back to us for the time and love we spent on what we are sharing with them.
(Take the sugar free, craft doughnut!)
Similar, but different, ticketing practices in Minneapolis: http://howlround.com/radical-hospitality-in-conversation-mixed-blood-theatre-and-pillsbury-house-theatre
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