WORKING PAPER

A Time for Reinvention: How Arts and Culture Organizations Can Elevate Their Customer Experience During the Pandemic

by Stephen Wunker and Charlotte Desprat
Executive Summary

The coronavirus has transformed the way communities interact with nearly every sector, and no more so than in the arts and culture field. While the pandemic has accelerated pre-existing trends, such as the hunger for online experiences, it has also introduced totally new forms of behavior. In this paper, we explain how arts and culture organizations can assess their audience’s reshuffled priorities and design a winning customer experience to weather the COVID-19 crisis. 

THE IMPACT OF THE CORONAVIRUS ON THE ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR

Of the sectors suffering from the coronavirus, the arts and culture industry has been hit especially hard. Efforts to contain the virus have forced organizations to close their doors and cancel events, leading to sustained drops in revenue. Funding is increasingly difficult to secure, with donors facing financial pressures or prioritizing COVID-19 relief. And to complicate matters further, no one knows when the pandemic will end or what society will look like afterwards.

How can arts and culture organizations withstand these disruptions? Some institutions have decided to wait and see before taking action. Others have transferred many of their activities online, leaving their content otherwise intact. Unfortunately, neither of these strategies will be effective in the long term. Even as we (optimistically) consider lifting restrictions on gatherings before 2021, people might take time to resume their pre-coronavirus outings. There is no guarantee, either, that some behavior changes won’t last well after the crisis. This is not a time for paralysis or business as usual. Instead, organizations need to rethink the way they engage with their audiences.

USING JOBS TO BE DONE TO UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE

So what can arts and culture organizations do to rethink their community engagement? The first instinct is to observe how other institutions are reacting to the pandemic. You might even look up case studies from past recessions or natural disasters. Another method would be to take stock of your assets and see how they might be re-purposed. These are all valid sources of inspiration. But the unique times we live in also call for a deeper understanding of your audience to determine how you can best serve them.

​In the wake of COVID-19, a new set of priorities drive customer behavior. We at New Markets Advisors call these priorities Jobs to be Done – the functional and emotional tasks that customers are trying to get done when going about their lives. Some of these Jobs revolve around a shared theme, which we call North Star Jobs. Focusing on your audience’s Jobs gives you a much broader understanding of their behavior: it shows how they might achieve these objectives not only via culture and the arts, but also through a host of other approaches. The grid below shows a handful of these approaches drawn from our research. 
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So much innovation fails because it is tempting to design solutions before we even understand the problem. But the Jobs to be Done approach works because it focuses on getting the questions right. By digging into the “why” of audiences’ behavior, instead of the “what,” organizations open up a much wider range of opportunities for creative engagement. Below are several real-world examples of how arts and culture institutions have addressed these Jobs. Some of these are responses to the pandemic, while others arose from different contexts. In each example, we will show how these institutions designed a successful strategy by focusing on their audience’s real needs. 


NORTH STAR JOB #1: HOW ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS CAN HELP AUDIENCES IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE
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Job to be Done: Retain control over my life in the midst of uncertainty

​Caught between remote work and business shutdowns, people are eager to preserve a sense of normalcy while in confinement. In response, many arts and culture organizations offer online access to their content, from virtual tours to live-streamed performances. Thanks to the San Diego Zoo’s live webcams, audiences can watch elephants, penguins, baboons, and other animals from the comfort of their couch. The Monterey Bay Aquarium also set up its own live cameras showing jellyfish and sea otters during set hours. 
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​While these initiatives are a step in the right direction, most organizations need to go beyond that when engaging with customers. If left unaltered, a virtual tour can give the impression of a second-rate experience; audiences are reminded of how much better it is to visit a collection in person. To address this issue, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam enhanced its virtual tours with other material: the website offers short videos on unconventional topics (e.g., the relationship between classical art and pop culture, the art conservation process) and several YouTube series on curators’ favorite pieces (e.g., “Jane’s Addiction” focused on Jane Turner, Head of the Print Room). Other organizations focus their virtual tours on aspects that visitors don’t typically get to see: that was the aim of the Guimet Museum in Paris when it offered a virtual tour of its underground art inventory.
Arts and culture organizations need to make their online content feel unique, instead of positioning it as an alternative to the in person experience
The same line of thinking goes for performances. Organizations can try to re-create the authentic experience of an in-person show. That’s what TheaterWit in Chicago set out to do with its live-streams by removing the bottom track bar, which meant viewers could not skip, rewind, or start over when the live-stream was finished. Organizations could even draw inspiration from movie theaters by offering curbside pickup of food and beverage to supplement the performance. But what can arts and culture leaders do to turn these online performances into a standalone event, rather than an alternative to the in-person experience?

One way of making virtual performances memorable is through collaboration. That was the avenue chosen by the Boston Children’s Chorus when it launched its online choir during the pandemic. By live-streaming joint performances with other children’s choirs in the US, UK, Russia, Ireland, and Estonia, the Boston Children’s Chorus turned its online concerts into a unique experience. Another approach is to broaden access to previously exclusive events. Following the closure of its concert hall in Prague, the Czech Philharmonic decided to give the general public access to live-streamed concerts that were previously only offered to patrons. Finally, some performance groups have embraced teleconferencing as a medium: in the “confined videos” posted by the French dance company EMK, performances are choreographed across multiple webcams showing dancers in their homes. 

Job to be Done: Remain intellectually stimulated

Faced with months of confinement, many people are struggling with cabin fever. In a search for novelty and stimulation, customers are signing up for a host of online classes, including in the arts. To cater to their needs, the Museum of Modern Art in New York launched nine new classes in contemporary art, fashion, and photography, available for free on Coursera. These classes supplement a series of art tutorials they had already released on YouTube, which range from learning how to stretch a canvas to painting in the style of Yayoi Kusama.

Putting online classes aside, some organizations have even launched their own games and contests. In the wake of COVID-19, the Ballet Malandain dance company in Biarritz asked people to submit one-minute videos of an original choreography. As a prize, the five best choreographies would be broadcasted on social media, and the top winner would have the opportunity to choreograph their own work with the dance company itself.

Beyond classes and contests, some organizations have replaced their in-person events with new online content. The Whitney Museum in New York offers “Whitney Wednesdays,” a conversation series where two members of the community discuss their favorite artworks on Instagram Live. Likewise, the Getty Museum in Los Angeles just released a new podcast called “Recording Artists” that delves into the lives of various artists, based on interviews from the museum’s archives. 

Finally, arts and culture organizations could draw inspiration from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art's more automated approach. Back in 2017, the museum launched a text-message service called “Send me SFMOMA”: users typed in the words “send me” followed by a keyword or emoji, and in response would receive the image of a related artwork with a description. This algorithm exposed viewers to the museum’s enormous inventory, only a fraction of which is ever on display. In the process, this creative tool also sparked new discussion and exploration among its users.

Job to be Done: Feel connected to the outside world

​Along with cabin fever comes a painful sense of isolation. As people practice social distancing, many yearn for new forms of interaction. Some arts and culture organizations are directly appealing to this need for connection in their curating efforts. The Public Theater in New York worked with playwright Richard Nelson to set his latest play during the pandemic, as characters converse on Zoom about how they are each managing the crisis. The M WOODS art museum in Beijing launched an online exhibit focused on ecology, nature, family ties and solidarity – themes that powerfully resonate with people living in confinement.
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By posting creativity challenges or inviting contributions to exhibits, organizations are
​pushing audiences to engage with their surroundings
​A few others are going one step further and asking for direct action from the audience. Since its launch last May, the online Festival of Confined Arts in France has asked people to contribute their own artwork and featured a new piece every day on their website. Likewise, the 64 Million Artists group in London has been posting daily creativity challenges since the crisis started, pushing people to take stock of their surroundings and express themselves . 

​​Perhaps the most ambitious take on this approach can be found at The Historic New Orleans Collection. In the tradition of participatory exhibit design, the museum asked its audience to help them document the COVID-19 crisis by archiving online sources and donating related objects, from posters and store signage to medical supplies. The museum is especially interested in collecting restaurant menus to chronicle how these establishments adapted to the coronavirus. 
NORTH STAR JOB #2: HOW ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS CAN HELP AUDIENCES PROVIDE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY

Job to be Done: Support those in need

As the pandemic unfolds, people will prioritize supporting COVID-19 relief efforts, be it through volunteering or donations. Arts and culture organizations can address these concerns by contributing to these efforts themselves. One common strategy is to supplement local schools’ curricula, as educators struggle to continue their work under new circumstances. The Exploratorium in Seattle has an entire website dedicated to online learning: videos and activities range from the behavior of virus membranes to the effect of disinfectant. The museum also offers resources tailored to specific age groups, a newsletter for educators, and low-cost science experiments.

While many institutions were already offering educational resources before the pandemic, some have developed entirely novel approaches. The Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa mobilized its staff to deliver groceries to vulnerable members of their community. The Ahoy concert hall in Rotterdam used its facilities to welcome hundreds of hospital beds, as surrounding hospitals overflow with COVID-19 patients. And outside of specific organizations, musicians around the world have agreed to perform live concerts for COVID-19 patients and healthcare workers. 

​Job to be Done: Feel like a good parent

​Living in confinement comes with a particular set of challenges for families. While adapting their own lifestyle to the demands of COVID-19, parents want to make sure their kids are appropriately stimulated. But they might not have the time to supplement remote schooling themselves. This is where arts and culture organizations have stepped in. The North Carolina Museum of History offers History-at-Home learning packets compiling articles, videos and activities on a range of topics. Similarly, the California Science Center live-streams a “Stuck At Home Science” video series with daily science experiments. 
Parents want their kids to be stimulated but don’t always have the time or energy to cater to their needs. Arts and culture organizations can fill in ​the gap

​But learning is only one aspect that arts and culture organizations can help with. With little to do outside during the COVID-19 crisis, options for at-home entertainment are welcome. Some organizations have developed online games as a solution: the Suzhou Museum released four online games through WeChat and Weibo, while the Seattle Gaming Museum designed a “Conquer COVID” video game. Other organizations prioritize activities: the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles offers live-streamed videos teaching kids how to make a balloon car or decorate a license plate.

​The arts and culture sector can also offer unique family experiences that engage parents and children alike. The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. offers a set of conversation starters titled “Looking Together”: the child picks a work of art they enjoy and shares their impressions about it with their parent or sibling. The London Mozart Players now holds Family Fridays, where a concert is accompanied with narration, animated illustrations and poetry. Both organizations strive to create meaningful engagement between family members.
NORTH STAR JOB #3: HOW ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS CAN HELP AUDIENCES ALLEVIATE STRESS

Job to be Done: Avoid negativity

Under the weight of emotional and financial pressures, people are looking for relief. In response, many organizations have used social media as a vector for comedy and positivity. The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago made headlines by sharing footage of their penguins touring the empty building. In a similarly light-hearted way, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston relays the adventures of Riley, the Museum Security Dog, as he wanders in the empty facilities.

Other organizations also seek to reassure their audiences with therapeutic content. In the name of #MuseumMomentofZen, the Rockwell Museum in New York and the Chicago History Museum have regularly posted images of calming artwork. As an extension of its planned “All Wonders” exhibit on miracles, the Museum Catharijneconvent in Utrecht offers a “miracle hotline” that people can call to articulate their wishes. Such ideas provide comfort at a time of uncertainty, if only for a brief moment.

The arts and culture sector can also address customers’ emotional needs by way of distraction. As part of the #MuseumGames global initiative, the Akron Art Museum releases a new crossword puzzle every Thursday themed around its collection. Likewise, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston released its own #TriviaTuesday series centered on its artwork. And in a similarly playful way, the Getty Museum in Los Angeles encouraged quarantined audiences to recreate famous paintings and post the pictures on social media.

Job to be Done: Take care of myself

If the arts can offer reassurance and positivity, they can also provide excitement. While establishing a routine may help people cope with isolation, they will occasionally want to leave room for the unpredictable. That is precisely the approach chosen by the Creative Alliance in Baltimore. By signing up for its “Baltimore Art Box” subscription plan, customers will receive each month a box containing two original works of art, curated by the Alliance. In addition to supporting local artists in these difficult times, this strategy also brightens up life in confinement with a surprise gift.
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Arts and culture organizations can brighten up patrons’ days with an unexpected twist to their routine 
​Treating yourself can also come in the form of experiences. As restaurants turned to delivery and take-out to limit the spread of COVID-19, the Jewish Museum in New York went one step further. Same-day deliveries from its restaurant, Russ & Daughter, can now be enjoyed with a playful audio track about the mural commissioned for the restaurant. The artist walks us through each of the 120 vignettes that make up the mural, sharing her appreciation of good food and her attachment to the restaurant’s character. The result is a food delivery that feels anything but ordinary.

​CONCLUSION

​The arts and culture sector is entering a period of radical change. Without knowing what tomorrow’s world will look like, it is tempting to do business as usual. But this is a key opportunity for organizations to reinvent the role they play in society and strengthen their relationship with the public. By connecting with their audience’s underlying priorities, or Jobs to be Done, the arts and culture sector can find memorable ways to engage and uplift during these difficult times. 

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