It’s that time of year again! Many of us are saying goodbye to our offices, workshops, rehearsal rooms and stages for a well-deserved summer break. Our thoughts turn to the beach, the mountains, ice cream and picnics… while here at Opera Europa, we’re all about data!
Yes, Opera Europa’s annual survey is doing the rounds. Here’s a snapshot of what it’s about and why it’s important.
In 2023, Opera Europa launched a study of the sector that is standardised, longitudinal and quantitative. In brief, that means we are collecting figures on the same set of indicators year on year. The survey captures key data on finances, staffing, productivity and audiences, enabling us to identify important developments and trends in the sector. But why does that matter?
- We can share key data with member companies and other key stakeholders, building a deeper understanding of what is going on in the sector.
- The data contributes to Opera Europa’s advocacy and lobbying efforts on behalf of the whole sector, strengthening the story we can tell about opera and ballet.
- We can use the insights from the survey to inform Opera Europa’s future plans, which enables us to meet members’ needs as effectively as possible.
- When enough data is gathered, we can undertake benchmarking, for example, across different national contexts or scales of company.
Not only that, but five companies who complete the annual survey will win the option to bring a second participant for free to our autumn 2025 or spring 2026 conferences!
Very few people enjoy filling in forms – we understand! But a small investment of time from each company can make a significant difference to us all. We are grateful for data as soon as you are able to return it; the final deadline is 14 September.
Thanks to the companies who have already returned the survey and to everyone else – enjoy the beach, the mountains, ice cream and picnics, and be sure to send us your survey results too!
For any queries about the annual survey, Hannah will be happy to help: hannah@opera-europa.org
