Audience development: between theoretical concepts and realities of Lithuanian theatre institutions

In the guidelines of the EU cultural policies, institutional frameworks and missions of cultural organizations, cultural communication, and art marketing theories the concept of “audience development” indicates not only the integrated approach towards the cultivation of the demand for the arts, but also the shift in the understanding of the notion of the recipients of art as well as the audience. On the conceptual level the prioritizing of audience development (public engagement with arts) in the agendas of cultural policy makers signals the acknowledgment of art audiences as the equal participant of the aesthetic communication and legitimation of the equation of the process of art perception to that of art creation. The focus on the demands of the audience and its development is embedded in the guidelines of Lithuanian cultural policy, criteria of project funding on the national and municipal level as well as the missions and documents of the Lithuanian theatre institutions. However, the detailed analysis demonstrates that the declarative attention to the building of theatre audiences is only partly reflected in the “real politics” of theatre institutions or their practical activities. Empirical research indicates that in case of particular theatre institution theoretically justified synergy among marketing communication, education and programming in practice means sharing of the influence and responsibilities of different departments, which is often neither easily achieved nor effective. Moreover, costly time and work consuming and unpredictable projects for the attracting of the new audiences do not always seem beneficial or financially sustainable for theatre organizations. [...]Menotyros katedraVytauto Didžiojo universiteta