copyright © 1998-2008
Durham Arts Council, Inc.
120 Morris Street
Durham, NC 27701
919.560.ARTS

TODAY'S ARTS MARKET:
THE BIG PICTURE

By Louise Stevens, ArtsMarket, Inc.

15. Diversity and Culturally Specific Arts

The participation patterns of the new generation of arts attenders shows more and more multicultural diversity, far less of a predominantly (or nearly exclusive) Anglo audience. The trend is exciting for the future, and at the same time a challenge for organizations, which have not themselves changed, to keep up with the diversity of their market. Twentysomethings of all races and ethnicities will go to an African-American cultural center for one event, a Latino center for another, attend an Asian arts event, and Anglo/European arts. Their cross over participation is dramatically different from their parents’.

At the same time, the challenge for Asians, Hispanic, and African-American arts organizations is to continue to serve their loyal, culturally specific audiences who don't want change, along with this new racially and ethnically mixed audience that comes in the door. It is another generational, cultural transformation, well under way.

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