The arts and culture sector is facing growing pressure to reach new audiences, widen access and do more with tighter resources.
Campaign for the Arts recently revealed that government spending through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is projected to be around a third lower per person than it was in 2010.
For many organisations, digital is becoming an increasingly important part of the answer. Yet despite its potential, it is still often treated as a campaign tool rather than a long-term strategic asset.
For Miruna Sfat, Marketing Director at Brandwidth, organisations that embrace digital as a platform for engagement, revenue and accessibility will be far better placed to build resilience for the future.
The arts and culture sector is evolving from multiple directions at once. Audiences are behaving differently, expectations around access continue to grow, and organisations are exploring new ways to reach people beyond traditional spaces.
Campaign for the Arts has shared the eye-opening figure that government spending through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is projected to be around a third lower per person than it was in 2010.
That reality has strengthened the focus on resilience, particularly for organisations already managing their resources carefully while looking for ways to grow their reach.
Digital should be seen as part of the answer. Yet in practice, it still sits at the edge of many strategies. Websites, newsletters and social channels are frequently built to support exhibitions or drive footfall, then allowed to quieten down again.
Success is often measured in attention rather than contribution, and as organisations explore more resilient models, that gap is becoming clearer.
Digital can’t sit in campaign mode forever
Across the sector, digital activity is still heavily shaped by campaigns. Exhibitions, performances and seasonal moments dictate bursts of output, followed by longer periods of relative silence. That approach can generate interest, but it rarely compounds value over time.
Organisations seeing stronger results tend to treat digital as an ‘always on’, strategic channel, rather than reactive. Instead of asking how to promote the next event, they ask how digital supports the wider organisation throughout the year.
That shift brings data into sharper focus. With a clearer view of how online behaviour connects to visits, donations or purchases, digital becomes a tool for learning and growth rather than simple reporting.
Culture inside the organisation matters just as much. Digital teams are often small and siloed, disconnected from programming or commercial decision-making. When digital is treated as a shared responsibility rather than a support function, that alignment tends to show externally. In those cases, digital feels less like an add-on and more like part of the organisation’s core.
The revenue gap
Generating income through digital can still feel like a second thought for some organisations. Yet with funding under sustained pressure, diversification increasingly represents opportunity rather than compromise.
During the pandemic, necessity encouraged experimentation. Organisations tried new formats, launched online experiences and explored alternative income streams when physical doors were closed. Once those doors reopened, many of those ideas were deprioritised.
In hindsight, some of that momentum could have been carried forward.
Digital remains an effective way to reach people who cannot visit in person, whether due to geography, accessibility or preference. It also supports revenue streams that sit comfortably alongside cultural and charitable missions.
Ecommerce works best when it reflects identity. Shops that draw directly from collections and values can generate income without mimicking the high street.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is often referenced for this reason, with products that feel distinctive rather than generic. Print-on-demand offers a similar opportunity, allowing organisations to monetise collections without taking on unnecessary risk.
Membership and subscription models can also grow in relevance when paired with meaningful digital experiences. The National Theatre, for example, launched its National Theatre at Home platform, allowing audiences around the world to stream recorded productions through a paid subscription, extending access to performances far beyond the theatre itself.
Where experience really begins and ends
The strongest digital strategies recognise that experience is not confined to physical visits. What happens before someone arrives, how they engage while there, and what they take away afterwards all shape perception.
Institutions such as the Tate and the Natural History Museum are using digital touchpoints around the visit. These range from online content and programming to ticketing and audience engagement that begins well before someone walks through the door.
The British Museum has also introduced practical digital features, including QR-enabled shopping that lets visitors move from discovering something in the gift shop to buying it online.
For smaller organisations, particularly outside major cities, the challenge can feel sharper. Limited budgets and smaller teams reduce room for experimentation. Yet focused digital experiences, when clearly aligned to purpose, can still have a meaningful impact.
There is sometimes concern that digital risks diluting cultural value. In reality, its strength lies in extension rather than substitution. Digital deepens understanding, widens access and gives people more ways to engage, even if they never enter the building.
Virtual content and immersive tools such as AR and VR can add context and richness, particularly for audiences who might otherwise be excluded.
Arts and culture will always be grounded in physical places and shared moments. But organisations that treat digital as a platform for growth, rather than simply promotion, are better placed to build resilience and reach new audiences over time.