increasing student engagement on college campuses

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Student Engagement in the Performing Arts

Engaging Next Generation Audiences: A Study of College Student Preferences towards Music and the Performing ArtsAlan Brown, WolfBrown

Michelle Witt and Elizabeth Duffell, UW World Series, University of Washington

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How many of you have specific marketing or programming initiatives for college students?

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We need audiences. Where are they going to come from?

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Insert graph on educational attainment. Less emphasis on music.High school involvement in the arts

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The Hopkins Center study addressed the following research question:

What should campus-based performing arts presenters and their partners be doing to engage more students in the performing arts?

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Research Partners

• Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College• Carolina Performing Arts, University of North

Carolina• Hancher, University of Iowa• Krannert Center for the Performing Arts,

University of Illinois• Lied Center of Kansas, University of Kansas• Texas Performing Arts, University of Texas• University Musical Society, University of

Michigan• UW World Series, University of Washington

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Learning Approach

• A total of 18 staff-led focus groups with students

• Survey of undergraduates on seven campuses

• Case study research on good practices in student engagement

• Pilot projects led by student researchers

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Download the reports at: www.wolfbrown.com/college

More info. for campus presenters:https://hop.dartmouth.edu/online/student_engagement

http://www.wolfbrown.com/college

http://www.wolfbrown.com/college

https://hop.dartmouth.edu/online/student_engagement




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Overview: Most frequent performing arts activities

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High school

band or choir

activity is

highly predic-tive of college music activiti

es

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Music Preferences

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Classical Music is preferred as much as Rap or Hip Hop

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Classical music is equally preferred by male and female students

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Music preference clusters, based on multiple correspondence analysis

Cou

ntry

Hip

Hop

Dance Music

Classic Rock

Indie Rock/So

ul

Classical

Traditional MusicJAZZ

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A word about omnivorousness

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The average student “strongly likes” 5 out of 30 songs and genres

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Preference for classical music moves with preference for other types of music

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Relationship to Classical Music

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As students age, their interest in classical music grows slightly

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76% of students pass the litmus test of interest

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Of those with the highest

preference levels for classical

music, 37% have not

attended a concert

since being at school.

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Why are they not attending?

What are the barriers?

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From focus group research:

• Classical music is primarily a personal listening experience- Used as a study aid, a sleep aid

• Classical music is a background phenomenon- At best, a sort of creative elixir

• Regarded by some as a scholarly intellectual challenge- Where do you start, if you don’t know the way in?

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From focus group research:

• Live concerts lack sufficient interactivity, and lack sufficient sensory stimulation- “If I’m just listening to something, I will probably zone out

and stop paying attention. I need something to keep my eyes busy.”

• High commitment threshold- Duration of concert- Can’t talk, can’t mediate, can’t opt out

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What do college students cite as the #1 barrier?

“I’m too busy.”

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For newcome

rs to classical music,

the first barrier is not price or lack of

social stimulus, but fear of the

unknown.

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What will students pay?

About $10 to $15

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Eight strategies for motivating attendance amongst college students

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1. Assure a minimum level of accessibility through pricing incentives

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2. Offer curated music listening spaces (e.g., a music lounge)

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3. Experiment with new combinations of setting and format

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4. Engage students in the curatorial mode of music participation (i.e., downloading, organizing, editing, making and sharing playlists)

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5. Add visual elements to live music; offering multi-layered experiences

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6. Ensure that students have an opportunity to meet personally with artists

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7. Hire artists who are closer in age to students

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8. Provide social opportunities adjunct to concerts

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Summary:

Six-point approach to increasing student engagement in the performing arts

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Student Engagement in Practice: Additional Discussion


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