Happenings is a platform and service that relates live, classical performance to new
audiences. Designed for Millennial college students, Happenings utilizes social and
multi-media technology that these tech-engaged users habitually turn to in order to learn
about and share interests with friends and peers.
Happenings is designed to enhance the pre-performance, in-performance, and post-
performance experience. Users may filter event listings by favorite arts genres and
companies, share events with friends, preview video trailers, and get a glimpse of
what to expect when first visiting a performance venue. When it’s time to attend
a performance, the app makes purchasing affordable tickets easy. Users receive
discounted ticket offers based on self-selected preferences, ticket purchase history and
the user’s performance ratings. Discounted and “rush” tickets are purchased from the
phone instead of at the box office. During the performance, Happenings augments the
in-theater experience by providing audiences with exclusive performance commentary,
browsable peer reviews, and live conversation streams with both peers and performers,
behind the scenes.
While this solution to attracting new audiences resists many behavioral norms
that surround performing arts patronage, Happenings acknowledges and tests the
extent to which the field needs to adapt to a new generation’s definition of “audience
engagement”.