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| Id | 846 | |
| Author | Guachalla A. | |
| Title | Social inclusion and audience development at the Royal Opera House: a tourist perspective | |
| Reference | Guachalla A.; Social inclusion and audience development at the Royal Opera House: a tourist perspective ;International Journal of Culture, Tourism, and Hospitality Research vol:11 issue: 3.0 page:436.0 |
Link to article | https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85028655076&doi=10.1108%2fIJCTHR-07-2016-0071&partnerID=40&md5=abd864101bb9022c86ae5f7c8d8ae3ba |
| Abstract | Purpose: The Royal Opera House, located at the epicentre of Covent Garden, stands as the UK’s leading provider of opera and ballet performances. Having been extensively redeveloped, its front facade is not visible from the area’s central market place and the perceived exclusivity and elitism commonly associated with its art forms also impose a challenge. This study aims to analyze the influence that the Opera House exerts on the tourist’s perception and experience of the world-renowned London’s “Theatreland”. Design/methodology/approach: In all, three hundred and six semi-structured interviews with domestic, international, first-time and repeat tourists were conducted in six different locations throughout the area and inside the flagship building using a convenience sampling approach. These were then analyzed with the assistance of qualitative data analysis software (QSR N*Vivo) in two stages leading to an initial set of categorical topics that derived in a number of findings related to the factors that influence the tourist’s perception and experience of place. Findings: The Opera House’s perceived urban concealment proved to have an impact on its influence on Covent Garden’s sense of place. But its social inclusion and audience development initiatives that foster a new generation of opera and ballet theatre-goers emerged as important findings as the House’s open door policy for daytime visitors along with live relays of current opera and ballet productions in other locations spark an interest in experiencing the building from the inside. Research limitations/implications: This paper focuses exclusively on findings related to audience development and social inclusion initiatives currently used at the Royal Opera House and their impact on the tourist’s perception and experience of place. However, many other factors influence these processes and scope for further research is highlighted. Practical implications: The Royal Opera House’s perceived urban concealment imposes a challenge to the task of developing new audiences for its current and future productions. Its learning and participation unit must endeavor to engage younger and international markets by focusing on the quality of the House’s performances, its heritage and added facilities of the venue such as exhibitions and shop. Social implications: The Royal Opera House’s creed of “excellence, access and artistic development” is implemented by extending opportunities to younger target markets to engage with its cultural produce. Originality/value: This paper addresses the gap in knowledge related to the development of the niche Opera House tourist segment of the cultural tourism market. © 2017, © Emerald Publishing Limited. |
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| (2010) notions on social inclusion in a tourism context have been identified as tourists benefit from audience development schemes that enhance their cultural capital strengthening their social bonds and fostering social capital. . | However, appreciation for certain art forms can also be acquired if the individual is exposed and cultivated until they develop enthusiasm and interest in participating in cultural endeavours. . | The cultural tourist The frameworks above are useful in the understanding of the different phases involved in the task of developing audiences for the arts and the array of elements that influence these processes. . | This legitimises the need to conduct research on the different tools that are used by performing arts institutions to develop their new audiences. . | Given these considerations and to address the overall aim of this study, the conceptual framework presented below discusses the topics of cultural capital, social inclusion, audience development, social capital and different approaches to categorising the cultural tourist. . | The previous statement highlights the importance of audience development and notes how it can succeed in generating awareness of the cultural offer of an institution and the provision of performing arts. . | The audience development tools that the Royal Opera House uses to engage new audiences resulting in social inclusion were emerging themes as some tourists noted the influence that these initiatives exert in their awareness of the theatre and experience of the area. . | In addition to this stimulus, added facilities such as shops, cafes and terraces can potentially engage the areas visitors and embed the Opera House as part of the overall experience of the urban precinct. . | Therefore, it is clear that the benefits of building bridges towards new markets for the performing arts ensures the long term economic sustainability of cultural institutions while making active contributions to social networks and interactions within society (see Aitchison, 2007). . | This confirms that the experience of the building is not only related to the direct appreciation of performing arts, but also to the provision of these services. . | These can be associated with attendance to performing arts events that enable information acquisition of performers, cultural venues and other details of cultural productions. . | In this sense, the role of cultural providers such as Opera Houses and their initiatives to make their cultural produce accessible to new and emerging markets can be fundamental in the process of cultural capital acquisition. . | For example, when there is demand for a particular ballet production but efforts are made to promote attendance to comparable productions. . | From an international tourism perspective, future research could explore how an individuals socio-demographic characteristics including cultural background and nationality influence their engagement with opera and ballet productions. . | This suggests that by enabling different mechanisms to recognise and include previously excluded members of society, they in turn become assets through these developmental processes as they seek to participate and contribute economically to activities that were not originally pursued. . | But its social inclusion and audience development initiatives that foster a new generation of opera and ballet theatre-goers emerged as important findings as the Houses open door policy for daytime visitors along with live relays of current opera and ballet productions in other locations spark an interest in experiencing the building from the inside. . | Cultural consumption and performing arts Tourists that expand the range of cultural events they engage with can be related to the notion of cultural capital acquisition, defined by Honneth (1986:58) as all the learnable skills and competencies that enable individuals to handle the social potentials of scientific information, aesthetic enjoyment and everyday pleasures. . | This related to DiMaggio and Ussems (1978) approach to audience development as arts appreciation is trained and is the result of an educational journey (Kawashima, 2006) that nurtures individuals that connect with and appreciate opera and ballet productions. . |
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