Northside Festival

As the definition of culture becomes increasingly expansive and interdisciplinary, organizations must reflect on the new range of experiences that audiences are seeking within cultural spaces today. Technology and entertainment are becoming ever more present in all aspects of daily life, and the factors that motivate audiences to participate in culture is changing rapidly. Particularly within the context of our current socio-political moment, the need to understand and serve audiences’ wants and desires is all the more pressing, as is the need to make space for contemplation, dialogue, or greater understanding of the world around us. For this presentation and panel, LaPlaca Cohen, a strategy, marketing, and design firm for the creative and cultural world, will present new audience insights uncovered in their pro bono study, Culture Track—the nation’s largest tracking study of the behaviors and perceptions of cultural consumers. These findings illuminate the trends that are shaping the current landscape of the visual and performing arts, architecture, design, film, and more, and build the foundation for understanding the cultural landscape moving forward. Following the presentation, a panel of diverse and interdisciplinary leaders within and tangential to the cultural sector will respond to the Culture Track insights and discuss how changing audience preferences and new social realities are transforming cultural experiences today, and share their thoughts on how these trends will shape cultural experiences of the future.