Keeping Audiences Engaged Through the Winter Months

Winter can be a tricky time for arts and cultural organisations. The festive season has passed, the weather isn’t inviting, and people are often more careful with their spending. It’s not unusual to see engagement dip, even if your programme is strong.

Rather than trying to shout louder or do more for the sake of it, this can be a really good moment to pause and think about who you’re talking to — and why they might choose to come along during this time of year.

That’s where a clearer understanding of your audience can make all the difference. The Audience Agency recently hosted an interesting online session discussing this. Here are some of the key findings.

Look at the people who already come to you

Most organisations already hold valuable audience information, even if it doesn’t always feel that way. Ticketing systems, mailing lists and past bookings all tell a story — not just about what people attend, but about their habits and interests over time.

Tools like Audience Answers help turn this information into something more useful by grouping audiences based on shared behaviours and cultural interests. Seeing these patterns can help you understand which types of audiences are already engaging with you, and which ones might be open to doing so with the right nudge.

This isn’t about labelling people — it’s about spotting opportunities you might otherwise miss.

Think about motivations, not just demographics

Once you have a clearer picture of your audience groups, the next step is understanding what actually motivates them.

Some people are drawn to familiar experiences. Others enjoy discovering something new. Some value a social night out, while others are looking for something calm, reflective, or comforting — particularly in winter.

Understanding these motivations helps you shape messages that feel relevant and respectful. Instead of focusing on selling, you’re simply explaining why an experience might matter to someone, at this particular moment.

Let your messaging sound like you

When you know who you’re speaking to, your messaging doesn’t need to be complicated.

Often, it’s about clarity and tone rather than clever wording. Being straightforward about what’s on, why it might be enjoyable, and what people can expect removes barriers and builds trust. That might mean highlighting flexibility, affordability, or simply the pleasure of getting out of the house on a winter evening.

The most effective messages tend to sound like they were written by a person, not a campaign.

Reach people where they already are

It’s also worth thinking about how and where your messages land.

Audience insight tools can help identify where different groups are based, which can be useful for targeting emails, social posts, or local advertising. This doesn’t have to mean doing more — often it’s about doing less, but with better focus.

Small, well-targeted efforts can feel far more personal than broad messages that try to appeal to everyone at once.

A quieter, more considered approach

Winter doesn’t have to be about big pushes or dramatic reinvention. Sometimes, it’s about taking a more thoughtful approach — understanding your audiences better, speaking to them more clearly, and meeting them where they are.

When engagement is rooted in insight rather than assumption, it tends to feel more natural for both organisations and audiences alike.

Acknowledging the source

This article was informed by Using Audience Answers to Warm Up Winter Audiences, a guide produced by The Audience Agency. The resource explores how audience insight can support more thoughtful, effective engagement during the winter months and is well worth a read for organisations looking to better understand the people they serve.