The world of cultural organizations is undergoing a phase of great transformation, caused not only by the Covid-19 pandemic crisis.
In Italy, in fact, over the last few decades, the evolutionary dynamics have considerably transformed the sector as a whole, accelerating that process of globalization which, despite its dimensional development, has nonetheless highlighted all the criticalities of the cultural production system chain, which have naturally also been aggravated by the health emergency.
According to studies by MIC and SIAE, in 2019 the cultural and creative production system was booming and accounted for 5.7% of Italian added value: over 90 billion euros, an increase of 1% compared to the previous year, providing employment for more than 1.5 million people representing 5.9% of Italian workers.
A survey conducted by Symbola, the Foundation that promotes and aggregates Italian Qualities, showed that in 2020 44% of the operators in the cultural sector – which registers widespread precariousness – suffered revenue losses exceeding 15% of their budgets, and 15% suffered losses that even exceeded 50%.
Naturally, the performing and visual arts sectors suffered the most as a result of the lockdown measures. In order to create new audiences and, more importantly, to maintain established audiences, actions will have to be taken to combine cultural competences with economic and managerial skills.
In order to codify current phenomena and enable us to imagine and anticipate future scenarios, we met with Eleonora Pacetti, lecteur of the International Master in Arts and Culture Management at the Rome Business School, who told us:
“Cultural organisations have finally overcome their anachronistic reluctance towards marketing and the managerial approach in general. The world of theatre was experienced by insiders as a cosmos whose roots had to be rooted solely in a very specific set of skills related to art. I believe that what was missing was a figure who, while obviously possessing skills in the sector, also had an overall vision, with knowledge in the area of marketing and communication, naturally not disregarding the economic aspect, management and human resources management.
For me, this is theatre management: the ability to orient oneself within an organic plan, the ability to understand how project budgets are formed, to be aware of the diversity, dare I say the enormous disproportion, between fixed costs and variable costs for a correct financial supply. Of course, one must also consider the mere aspect of work organisation: constructing a rehearsal plan, understanding whether an appointment holds the potential to become a media event in agreement with colleagues in the marketing and communications department.
In short, a greater professionalisation of individuals in a synergetic key, of industrial intentions and processes, which helps to overcome critical issues, starting with workplaces that are often historical buildings that are ill-suited to current requirements such as technological adaptation. In addition, we have to address the problem of the ageing of personnel within the theatres – which unintentionally reflects on the ageing of the audience – different and important professional skills for which there is no real turnover, a blind spot that needs to be reflected upon.”
The European Agenda for Culture 2030 has indicated cultural crossovers as one of the pillars of the future society: that is, the systemic and systematic relations between different spheres so that culture can become a driver for the social cohesion of every citizen. Cultural institutions can, in fact, represent the real and concrete drivers of change because they are capable of generating a virtuous circuit, promoting intellectual and inclusive development of the community. But for this to happen, the cultural offer must know how to adapt to the evolution of society and the public, through product innovation that can make the user, the true fulcrum of the cultural process, the protagonist.
“In Italy, marketing strategies are needed to reach new audience segments. We must bring young people closer to live performances, without of course losing the already loyal audience. The European Union with the ‘Creative Europe’ project has identified audience development as the most appropriate tool to overcome the fragmentation of audiences.
We need to go back to schools, organise participatory performances and above all promote young talent. In the last 15 years in our country, we have witnessed cultural shake-ups: this is the case of ‘As.Li.Co’ the Italian Opera Concert Association, founded by Barbara Minghetti, which aims to identify and train young singers and produce operas for their debut.
In my opinion, future theatre programming should be very unbalanced towards new targets, with projects that take theatre to the streets, to the suburbs, to the people. This is the case of Opera Camion that I personally curated, as Director of the Young Artist Programme, and launched with the Opera House. It was a profound cultural operation with the intention of an urban contamination of the art of opera, a journey, not only metaphorical, into the most forgotten meanders of the city that are the suburbs. Culture met nature, that is, the city: a winning combination in which more and more must be invested. The New York Times had words of genuine appreciation for the initiative. I would like the Teatro Valle in Rome, which deserves to be rehabilitated, to be dedicated to the production of works by young talents, with spontaneous applications and open calls for artistic projects. This would generate new blood and renewed enthusiasm among newcomers.”
Marketing and communication are two terms that until recently seemed to have no direct connection with the world of theatre and culture in general. Understanding and choosing which show to propose to the public, transmitting its value and communicating it is the new challenge for cultural institutions. The concept of value and the ability to translate it into a compelling and memorable proposal delimits the terrain on which the success or failure of an event is played out. This is why, in recent years, new professional figures with specific marketing, communication and management skills have made their way into the theatrical sphere as well, capable of understanding the behaviour of the target/audience and guiding its decision-making process, because perceived value always relates to the subjective sphere.
“Today, it is more important than ever to know marketing strategies and, let me say, one must, above all, communicate, but not in a didactic way. The language must mould itself and make us part of the knowledge. If we are able to enthuse and engage the public, it will become a formidable brand ambassador. In my opinion, however, it is necessary to unhinge the paradigm of the communication processes: not that of an insider but rather that of an outsider, more like the passer-by who enters the theatre and tells what intrigues him, fascinates him, attracts him. The Royal Opera House Covent Garden can certainly be considered a best case in terms of communication. The London theatre has adopted an almost obsessive communication style, in a positive sense of course, it makes everything it does known. The underground, for example, seems to be its depandance: promos, trailes, well-constructed and evocative films are projected seamlessly, triggering the desire to see what goes on behind the scenes. This represents an effective and efficient marketing and communication strategy. A synergy that benefits the entire management.”
“I am a great believer in small, traditional theatres that are sometimes not valued as they should be and receive, unfortunately, less funding than they deserve. In Italy there are precious realities such as the Teatro Coccia in Novara directed by Corinne Baroni and
the Teatro Regio in Parma with the excellent work initiated by Anna Maria Meo. These are agile structures unburdened by administrative bureaucracy and led by women of the highest calibre who are able to stage top-quality playbills with fairly low budgets. These are theatres that know how to dare, that can count on a well-prepared management team with a common goal: to spread culture and love for art at every level.
As far as I am concerned, I have a utopia: a theatre that gives carte blanche only to young people, a sort of cultural citizenship right. A place of co-working, a ‘dilated’ place where new rules and new codes can be written. If we do not adapt the languages and scenarios, we will hardly be able to keep our talents within national borders.”
Eleonora Pacetti is a musician and cultural manager. A pianist, with singing studies and a master’s degree in Entertainment Management to her credit, she took on important roles in programming and casting management at a very young age in important Italian theatres (Teatro alla Scala, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Teatro Petruzzelli). From 2016 to 2022 she founded and directed the Young Artist Program of the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma. At the same time he carries out music coaching activities, takes part in numerous juries of international competitions and holds masterclasses related to his own method for preparing for auditions and competitions for opera singers, published by Curci. For the Rome Business School, he teaches Theatre Management for the English and Italian masters courses.
