The arts are about living an experience. The art itself, the people around and the atmosphere of the venue all participate in the ‘fantasies, feelings and fun’ of the outing. When deeply engaged in this experience, the patron may get into a state of flow meaning an affective state where they are in full concentration obtained through maximum pleasure. This happens when a person is totally immersed in the present moment, ignoring their surroundings, losing their sense of reality and time, and ultimately experiencing an intense emotion. This can happen in front of a painting, while listening to a concert, or at the theatre. These memorable moments will give the participant a sense of satisfaction that will lead them to want to repeat the experience. The more often a person experiences these moments of flow, the greater their satisfaction will be, and the more inclined they will be to return to that museum or theatre.
Source: Lee, Doyeon. 2022. “Factors Affecting Satisfaction with Media Art Experiences and Intention to Re-experience: Focusing on Interactivity, Presence, and Flow.” International Journal of Arts Management 25 (1): 4-20.
Woman captivated by something she sees at a concert. Credit: Valentin Lacoste on Unsplash.
François Colbert is MMIAM Codirector, Remi-Marcoux Chair in Arts Management, author of the book Marketing Culture and the Arts published in 15 langages along its five editions.
For a more complete discussion please see:
Colbert et al. 2018. Marketing Culture and the Arts, 5th edition. Montréal: Carmelle and Rémi-Marcoux Chair in Arts Management, HEC Montréal.
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