In Philadelphia's vibrant cultural landscape, theaters and other arts organizations must work hard to cultivate new audiences while delivering excellent shows and experiences for all of their patrons. The Wilma Theater undertook a strategic analysis of its core audiences, including a geographic study carried out by Azavea.
The study used the locations of existing Wilma patrons to identify untapped markets of theater-goers. Utilizing geographic data provided by the theater and specific census variables such as per capita income, household income, number of gay/lesbian couples, percent college educated, average family size, people per square mile, median age, and average household size, Azavea determined areas of Wilma high-density neighborhoods, and used this information to describe a “typical” Wilma neighborhood. We then identified other areas in the Southeastern Pennsylvania region with similar populations and compared the two maps, highlighting the most promising areas for increased attendance of the theater, a procedure also known as “gap analysis”. Read more.