The cultural industry is worried by disappointing audiences: "Surprising"

The crowd rush to events, performances and concerts has been missed in many places.

This is the picture about four months after the pandemic restrictions stopped limiting Swedish cultural events.

In addition, the cultural audience seems to buy tickets at short notice, something that makes life uncertain for many organizers.

- Buying behavior has changed.

You buy a ticket closer to a show and you might go for a safer card, says Maureen Hoppers.

Calle Nathanson, CEO of Folkets hus och parker, has a similar picture.

- The behavior is present in all groups, but above all it is men aged 50 and up who have decided not to return.

They are happy to consume culture digitally, as they learned during the pandemic.

The teenagers do not show up

Linda Zachrison, who led the government's restart investigation and who acted as "restart coordinator" in the spring, says that it was quite expected that the restart would be tough.

- People's behavior, audience habits and consumption habits have changed.

I think the audience has become much more specific about what they want to see and not.

But one thing in particular is surprising, thinks Linda Zachrison.

She had not expected that it would be difficult to attract the younger visitors back to concerts, for example.

- The teenagers who were to throw themselves into the music festivals were too small when the pandemic started.

They have acquired completely different leisure habits.

Here we all have a responsibility to get them out.

"Urgent need for patience"

How then to build a positive audience curve in the future?

Among the cultural organizers in Almedalen, most believe in staying calm, continuing to make good arrangements and following developments closely.

- Our first normal season will now be in the autumn.

Then we will be able to follow the audience's behavioral pattern and see if it changes over time, says Riksteatern's Maureen Hoppers.

Linda Zachrison hopes that Kultursverige will be able to have a long-term perspective.

- There is an urgent need for patience, that you do not think it will go too fast.

And politics need to hold on to their support for a long time to come, perhaps longer than previously thought.