Linking the (Un)known : A Case Study of Audience Development and Social Inclusion in an Intercultural Art Project in Finland

Abstract

While European societies continue to evolve culturally, the audience demographic of traditional arts and cultural organizations remains homogenous. This thesis explores how audience development initiatives launched by these organizations through intercultural art projects can effectively address social inclusion in response to the increasing cultural diversity of contemporary European societies, and conversely, how the evolving demands of multicultural societies shape these initiatives.

This research is conducted through a case study of Linking the (Un)Known, implemented in three Finnish cities in 2024 as part of the Swedish Cultural Foundation’s annual Spring Festivities. The project was initiated in line with the Foundation's current strategy, which promotes inclusivity, multilingualism, and intercultural encounters in Finland. Correspondingly, the last edition of the Spring Festivities shifted its longstanding approach from a program primarily focused on a Swedish-speaking audience to one aimed at engaging a broader and more diverse audience.

The findings demonstrate that adopting inclusive audience development approaches can significantly diversify the audience composition. The study also addresses key challenges in inclusive audience development initiatives, such as language barriers, resource limitations, and balancing the expectations of both traditional and new audiences. Additionally, it examines the potential risk that, while such initiatives may diversify the audience composition, they could lead to dissatisfaction among long-time attendees, potentially resulting in disengagement.