Sharing Is Caring, Right?
So here’s the thing, from the 4th of July concert halls and theatres can open. However, they are not allowed to host live performances. This sounds absurd, but I guess they mean they are allowed to show films or streamed content. A lot of theatres and art centres have been doing that for years alongside their live content. So maybe not so absurd after all.
Of course, the capacity of these theatres and halls will be way down and you will have to sit down. Reduced capacity means it will be hard to make events viable. Tickets will have to be more expensive. To be frank, unreasonably more expensive. So that house of cards collapses from the get-go. I mean it still costs to show films right…
“On the 4th of July when concert theatres can open again, you will not be able to sell tickets for fear of a COVID-ridden singer’s throat yodelling aerosol.”
Recently I was talking to the artistic director at the Bury Met David Agnew, who told me about exciting plans to link up with another venue in order to present the same show. One venue can host and broadcast the live event whilst the second venue receives the stream and sells tickets to that as well. Now he can sell more tickets. Neat huh?!
On the 4th of July when concert theatres can open again, you will not be able to sell tickets in the host venue for fear of a COVID-ridden singer’s throat yodelling aerosol. The government will not allow live performances inside for a while yet. Nevertheless, the receiving venue can sell tickets from next Wednesday. Sharing is caring, right?
It would also be possible, he went on to tell me, for other venues in Bury to pick up the stream and sell tickets. A pub’s function room or workingman’s club for example. So the number of tickets being sold for a single event could be increased further still. This would help with so-called wet sales as well. Perhaps the broadcasted stream would also be sold individually into people’s homes increasing “capacity” still further. With careful ticket pricing and control of capacity, the number of sales could be maximised. Perhaps that show can become viable after all.
Arts Centres often get funding from their local authority, along with the funding comes a responsibility to deliver art to their community. This is why they frequently deliver an “outreach” programme which goes into community halls, schools etc. Think about it – I’ve just been talking about a really cool outreach project. Box ticked!
What other ways can venues work together with streaming tech to help themselves by helping each other? Let us know in the comments!
