Music concert ticket scams soar by over 500%

28 Apr 2023

Music ticket fraud increased by 529% last year, with the average victim losing £110.

The findings come from a study by Lloyds Bank, which also found scams targeting comedy and theatre tickets are on the rise, albeit by smaller amounts.

Scammers are targeting concerts and festivals where tickets are scarce or sold out more often, with scams involving fake websites, emails and social media posts increasingly prevalent.

Liz Ziegler, Fraud Prevention Direction at Lloyds, said audiences should always buy tickets from reputable platforms, and pay by debit or credit card to give the greatest level of protection.

“With demand to attend live events soaring as the warmer weather approaches, they will waste no time in targeting music fans as they rush to pick up tickets for the most popular gigs and festivals.”

Eurovision has brought me out in a cold sweat

Eurovision banners on Liverpool's St George's Hall
25 Apr 2023

Europe, Eurovision, pressure-selling, ticket queues and… Candide?  Robin Cantrill-Fenwick examines what goes wrong when tickets go on sale for popular events.

Income generation is harder than ever

Royal Shakespeare Theatre view over River Avon, 2015.
18 Apr 2023

All arts organisations are under pressure to diversify income. In the latest in our series of case studies looking at strategies being adopted to tackle this, Catherine Mallyon shares her insights from the RSC.

Partner Pod: Surviving permacrisis

On stage at Conway Hall, London, are Robin Cantrill-Fenwick, Iain Christie, Penny Hansen and Katie Moffat
15 Mar 2023

Are the arts locked in a permacrisis? How do we survive it if so? How long until we get back to 'normal'? Join Robin Cantrill-Fenwick and his panel of guests in Arts Professional's first Partner Pod.

West End ticket prices stay at pre-Covid levels

Shaftesbury Avenue in London, on the West End. The photo shows an advertisement for production Les Misérables
14 Feb 2023

Society of London Theatre’s member venues have seen their nominal revenue increase since 2019, with developing the audience experience highlighted as a key opportunity for 2023.

The making of future leaders

'Leadership' concept: lots of people in the bottom half of the image. Sun is shining to create many shadows. They are all following one person who is slightly ahead.
13 Feb 2023

Leadership in the arts has always been a vital component of the creative process. But, as Sean Hanly says, the key to successful leadership is laying the foundations for future leaders.

The price is wrong

People giving a standing ovation to a performance in a theatre auditorium. Visible are the stalls, dress circle, upper circle and balcony.
06 Feb 2023

With ticket price differentiation reaching new extremes, David Reece considers the longer-term consequences and asks if we should be entering a new era of pricing.

Banks blamed after venues experience secure payment issues

Exterior of a ticket office. A black and white building with three windows that have the word 'tickets' printed over
16 Jan 2023

Arts venues report failed payments after an updated online verification process was made mandatory, due to banks being unprepared to facilitate the switchover.

'Ticket Bank' to offer free theatre shows in London

Ticket Bank founders Caroline McCormick and Chris Sonnex
14 Dec 2022

Seven cultural organisations have so far signed up to be part of free theatre ticket initiative, offering those most affected by the cost-of-living crisis the opportunity to attend shows across the capital.

Independent theatres 'face closure without strong Christmas'

A Christmas performance at a theatre
07 Dec 2022

With ticket sales still below pre-Covid levels and cultural spending taking a hit due to the cost-of-living crisis, this Christmas could be anything but merry for many of the UK's small, independent theatres.

Theatre woes deepen

Empty theatre hall
06 Dec 2022

With the wide-ranging problems facing the theatre industry, Ruth Hogarth thinks it time for a review to safeguard its future.

Mayor of London launches theatre campaign

06 Dec 2022

Tickets for popular theatre shows are to be sold at discounted rates as part of efforts by the Mayor of London to boost tourism in the capital.

As part of the mayor's Let's Do London campaign, a "12 Shows of Christmas" promotion will see tickets for London West End shows are to be sold at a discount by Transport for London (TfL) to try to attract people into the capital on the Tube.

For 12 consecutive days, 100 tickets will be sold for £30, a 35-45% discount on the usual price.

It is hoped the campaign will boost sales and tourism after the industry took a hit from the pandemic.

Entertainment company acquires London theatre app

18 Nov 2022

Trafalgar Entertainment has acquired London theatre app Stagedoor.

The app is considered London’s most comprehensive theatre guide, featuring audience and critic reviews and a booking process.

Terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but Trafalgar Entertainment Group Chief Operating Officer Helen Enright has said the acquisition will allow for expansion of the app’s reach and offering.

“Crucially, this acquisition and investment in Stagedoor will add greater value to producers, and the additional sales channel will enable us to reach a broader audience and gather valuable data from committed theatre goers,” she added.
 
As part of the deal, Stagedoor’s staff along with its Co-Founders, Chief Executive Michael Hadjijoseph and Chief Technical Officer Alex Cican, will remain with the company to “ensure that future business ambitions are fulfilled”.

“Our vision for Stagedoor is completely aligned with the capabilities of a larger organisation like Trafalgar Entertainment, and the synergies between other portfolio companies in Trafalgar Entertainment’s group gives us confidence that we will be able to realise Stagedoor’s full potential in becoming the new home of theatre,” Hadjijoseph said.

Time for a new pricing model? Part 2: Subscriptions

Netflix logo on multicoloured background
16 Nov 2022

In a time of rising inflation, affordability and accessibility are at the forefront of arts organisations’ minds. David Reece examines whether a Netflix-style subscription could be part of the solution? 

Increasing numbers 'unsure about future theatre attendance'

10 Nov 2022

A survey has found that theatre audiences who usually buy the "most affordable" tickets are disproportionately concerned about a drop in their disposable income.

The October 2022 UK Performing Arts Survey garnered 1,000 responses from the audiences of 38 theatres. Of those who look for the "most affordable" seats, 41% said that over the next six months they expect their disposable income to reduce a lot, or to have little or no disposable income.

This compares with 20% of audiences who usually purchase the "best available" tickets.

In the next 12 months, only 6% of respondents expected their attendance at live performances to decrease, compared with pre-pandemic levels.

This rises to 8% for those who usually pay less than £15 for a ticket; purchase the most affordable tickets; or have a health problem or disability that significantly limits their activity.

The survey is managed by TRG Arts/Purple Seven on behalf of participating venues.

TRG Arts UK Managing Director Tony Followell said: “It is concerning to that see the numbers who are unsure about their future attendance is growing.

"Venue managers should be acting now to ensure their pricing strategies are fit for purpose in the challenging times ahead.”

ACE sets out digital database plan to improve access

The interior of an auditorium
18 Oct 2022

Arts Council England unveils its vision for improving access for D/deaf, disabled and neuro-divergent audiences, saying the current 'patchwork' of existing services across the UK 'cries out' for a more joined-up approach.

Cost of Glastonbury tickets rises 26%

18 Oct 2022

The price of tickets for next year's Glastonbury Festival have increased by 26% with organisers blaming "challenging times" for the rise.

Festival-goers for the 2023 event will be charged £335 plus a £5 booking fee for standard tickets when they go on sale on 6 November, with a £50 deposit.

That represents a 26.4% increase on the £265 cost before booking fee for tickets that went on sale in 2019 for what should have been the 2020 festival that was ultimately postponed.

The BBC reports that Glastonbury Festival organiser Emily Eavis said "incredibly challenging times" are behind the rise and they had tried "very hard" to keep costs down.

"We're facing enormous rises in the costs of running this vast show, whilst still recovering from the huge financial impact of two years without a festival because of Covid," she said.

"The £50 deposit on ticket sales day in November will be the same as ever, with the balance not due until April.

"And, as always, there will be opportunities for many thousands of people to come as volunteers or as part of the crew.

"In these incredibly challenging times, we want to continue to bring you the best show in the world and provide our charities with funds which are more vital than ever."

Institute of Contemporary Arts plans raves to boost coffers

12 Oct 2022

London's Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) is hoping to plug its annual funding shortfall with a renewed focus on live performances and club nights that finish at 6am.

Speaking to The Guardian, Turner Prize-winning artist and ICA chair Wolfgang Tillmans said new ICA director Bengi Ünsal's programme for the West End venue will “make people aware that there is this spot in the most established place in London that is underground, progressive and also has a really late license.”

Tillmans added that the intention is “to put the ICA back on a sustainable footing with a new mix of programming that brings back evening audiences and activates the bar and uses the late license that we have.”

"Ultimately", said Tillmans, "the goal of initiatives such as a partnership with the ticket app Dice is to make ICA self funding."

The venue currently receives 21% of its funding from Arts Council England, which amounted to £862,441 last year, but Tillmans says that “there’s a shortfall every year”.

Ünsal joined the West End venue from the Southbank Centre, where she was head of contemporary music and in charge of the annual Meltdown festival.  She replaced Stefan Kalmár, whose five years in charge saw programming centred on the visual arts.

Time for a new pricing model?

Silhouettes of three people on a stage curtain
05 Oct 2022

In the first of two articles on innovative pricing practices, David Reece explores different approaches to price setting and asks to what extent the emerging choose-your-own price model is a genuine alternative.

Plymouth theatre hails 'accessible' payment model

22 Sep 2022

A theatre in Plymouth says a year of allowing audiences to decide how much they pay for performances has made its productions more accessible.

Barbican Theatre's Pay What You Decide (PWYD) scheme offers audiences the opportunity to pay whatever they feel an event is worth, even if that is nothing, and was implemented across 52 shows in the 2021/22 financial year.

According to the theatre’s Impact Report, 3,103 PWYD tickets were issued during 2021/22, generating an income of £17,224, resulting in an average yield of £9.

The theatre says 61% of its new audience was made up of under 35s non-arts attendees, with more than 25% of customers stating that the scheme was the reason they booked.

Marketing & Communications Manager Jo Cann said feedback from audiences had been “incredible,” with the scheme “making a huge difference to who can attend and benefit from the experience of culture and live events”.

“We have spent a great deal of time making sure the language used to communicate how Pay What You Decide works is both accessible and transparent and it’s genuinely so great to see how this has really worked for us and our audiences.” 

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