How the potential audience of museums perceives art: results of a segmentation study of aesthetic preferences

Abstract

The increase, diversification and complexity of the museum audience in recent years has become the reason for the development of deeper and more targeted approaches to its study based on interdisciplinary research. The article analyzes the aesthetic preferences of the potential audience of exhibition projects according to the results of sociological segmentation based on a quantitative survey conducted in January 2020 on the mail.ru platform on the social network in VKontakte (audience coverage 73.4 million in 2020) with a sample of 1905 people. The filling of the questionnaire and data analysis were carried out by the authors using an art history approach, and the research methodology and statistical data analysis were prepared on the basis of sociological and marketing approaches. The assimilation of sociology and marketing tools by cultural institutions is interpreted by the authors optimistically, as an opportunity to oppose the negative aspects of the commercialization of art, to form a community of active supporters of cultural institutions, increase knowledge about their preferences, increase efficiency and reduce costs for promoting exhibition projects. The study also resulted in recommendations for marketing and PR promotion of exhibitions for a more accurate audience coverage and better satisfaction of the aesthetic needs of visitors. Accompanying information in the form of leaflets, audio guides, visuals should be offered in the format preferred by the largest segment of the audience. Curators can refer to research results and shape the exposition, taking them into account, but without losing professional quality. Data analysis was carried out using the methodologist of the Foreitor research company, Yu.R. Wolfson.