August 25, 2025 – JCA Performing Arts, a division of JCA that helps arts and cultural organizations leverage data-driven insights to grow audiences and revenue, recently released a new study on Trends in Audience Behavior: What’s Changed in 2025?
JCA Performing Arts analyzed ticket sales and audience trends from performing arts organizations around the United States to see how the 2024-25 season performed relative to previous seasons.
Data for the study was gathered from 35 major organizations in different U.S. regions, including 15 theatre companies, 8 music organizations, 4 opera companies, 7 performing arts centers (PACs), and 1 dance company. The analysis compares ticket sales and audience trends for 2024-25 to past seasons in 2018-19, 2019-20, 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24.
Key findings include:
- Ticket sales have made a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels. Performing arts organizations have not only rebounded in the number of tickets sold per season but have also nearly matched peak pre-pandemic revenue from the 2018-19 fiscal year when adjusted for inflation. Furthermore, performances are once again playing to houses that are consistently full.
- Despite a climate of broader economic uncertainty, performing arts organizations are demonstrating remarkable resilience. Current data indicates strong ticket sales with no signs of audience price sensitivity. This strength is evident across all pricing tiers, with audiences purchasing tickets evenly throughout the venue. Patron willingness to pay a premium for preferred seating has notably increased compared to pre-pandemic levels.
- Subscription sales are steady, and dynamic pricing represents an opportunity to maximize both sales and revenue from single tickets. Subscription packages have demonstrated consistent strength over the past three seasons, providing a reliable foundation for organizations. This stability allows performing arts organizations to strategically leverage dynamic pricing for single tickets.
“It’s been a slow and steady recovery, but the performing arts sector is finally back,” said Steve Jacobson, CEO of JCA. “It’s great to see that ticket sales are strong across all genres and by most measures. Venues should take advantage of patrons’ continued willingness to pay more for premium experiences.”
The full study can be found here.
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JCA (Jacobson Consulting Applications, Inc.) is the first and foremost independent consulting firm dedicated solely to the technical and operational needs of nonprofits. We help nonprofits build aligned, data-driven teams that harness technology to deepen engagement and grow revenue. A trusted leader in nonprofit consulting, JCA has guided more than 2,000 mission-driven organizations across North America and around the world. Learn more at jcainc.com.
JCA Performing Arts, a division of JCA, partners with cultural organizations to develop and strengthen data ecosystems, guide teams in uncovering meaningful insights, and equip them with the tools to execute strategy effectively. Institutions served include dance companies, opera companies, performing arts centers, symphonies, and theatres. Learn more at jcainc.com/performing-arts.