| Abstract [eng] |
There is a unanimous agreement that audience engagement (AE) is currently and will be one of the most important challenges for cultural organisations. Thus, the aim of this thesis is to determine the impact of different tools used by cultural organisations, expected gratification and prior knowledge on audience engagement. The thesis includes the conceptualisation of the concept of audience engagement using the systematic analysis method in the context of cultural organisations while identifying not only the constituents of the concept of audience engagement but also the importance of their interaction. Audience engagement tools are systematised and classified, and a prototype of their map was created. Prior knowledge (cognition and expertise) and audience engagement tools are analysed as antecedents of audience engagement. Using the uses and gratifications theory, an original, mixed method-based empirical research methodology is prepared; it allows determining and evaluating the impact of audience engagement tools, prior knowledge and desired gratification on audience engagement in cultural organisations. Three studies are carried out by integrating the methods of qualitative content analysis, Q methodology and quantitative study (online survey based on experimental design). The studies help to identify practically used audience engagement tools, their categories; experts assess their weight. The thesis bases the suitability of the uses and gratifications theory to analyse the choice of audience engagement tools, distinguishes 5 factors and determines that they usually seek functional and hedonic gratification by participating in theatre activities, and the gratification is different from a person's familiarity and expertise. It has been determined that the intensity of using audience engagement tools and expertise have a positive impact on audience engagement. Meanwhile, functional and social gratification and familiarity have impact on the intensity of using audience engagement tools. It has also been determined that the type of a tool is also important (context expanding tools have greater impact) but its form (online or offline) is not important. |
