Investigating performing-arts organizations between customer education and performance quality

This research project aims to investigate nonprofit performing-arts organizations that currently face several challenges due for example to scarcity of funding and increased competition from the entertainment industry.
With specific reference to opera, this project explores customer education programs (CEPs) in Italy in order to improve their service experience because opera requires a certain level of customer education to be appreciated. Taking into account the Lyric Opera Theatres and Foundations (LOTFs) industry as investigation field, this research investigates both CEPs in Italy and the effect of perceived performance quality and customer education on customer attitudinal loyalty to opera from a cross-country perspective.
The expected results are the following: 1) most CEPs are targeted to young students and teachers and include a variety of activities such as meetings, rehearsals, tours, and laboratories. They are organized mainly from October to April/May, generally in theatres. CEPs pursue cultural, social and educational goals. They present a wide range of prices and use quite traditional learning tools. 2) higher levels of perceived service quality and customer education positively affect attitudinal loyalty.
Practical implications can be provided to performing-arts managers.