Measures to Promote Activities of the Public Theatrical Venue: Based on the Audience Survey of the Hyogo Cultural Center, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan

Abstract

We conducted an audience survey, profiling attendees to identify factors which encourage and discourage theater attendance, based on the case of the Hyogo Cultural Center, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The survey shows that many attendees are heavy repeaters, tending to be of senior age, well educated, and in the high income demographic. The Center has succeeded in establishing a good relationship with such attendees. However, income and education are not correlated to whether attendees become heavy repeaters, which suggests that some people who have not attended performances might become potential frequent attendees if exposure to an initial theatrical experience was properly provided. Also, the younger generation has difficulty in finding time to visit theaters, and this is a serious obstacle in developing potential attendees from this group.