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Our recent work and research has revealed some recurring themes that are subtly, yet increasingly impacting the cultural sector and the way that organisations operate within it.

Here, we break down some of the trends that have come to the fore since emerging from the pandemic.

Nostalgia - engaging with new things born out of old

Amongst the explosions of all things new, like NFTs, cryptocurrencies, and the metaverse, people are increasingly returning to the comfort of their roots, and the ‘old world’.

Nostalgia, and its representation in modern content, is engaging global audiences more than ever.

Here are three key stats to underline the importance in nostalgia in driving consumer behaviour:

1. Despite the availability and inexpensive nature of Spotify, vinyl records sales are the highest they’ve ever been

The return of vinyl isn’t a short-lived ‘bubble’ - it’s here to stay

2. Despite Netflix churning out more modern day series than we can watch, Friends was Netflix’s most watched show after the first three months of being added to the streaming service

3. Despite modern or futuristic box sets available en masse, 80’s set ‘Stranger Things’ is breaking streaming records left, right, and centre, with over 12.34 billion minutes streamed within a two week period this year

Stranger Things is taking people back to the 80’s with a modern twist

What this means is that not only do people enjoy re-engaging with old things, but they also love engaging with new things that are born from the old. Cultural organisations are already tapping into this, with Arnim’s Art Galleria in Trinidad showcasing the work of toy photography specialist Reisha Seebaransingh-Sookwah. Reisha shoots candid, nostalgia-invoking portraits of your favourite childhood toy characters interacting with the real world. The exhibition is lighting up visitors of all ages as they enjoy the subtle mix of art and play, combined with reminiscing.

Toy Photography is gaining traction with exhibitions worldwide

How many of your team are looking to move on?

The data: 40% of workers are considering leaving their current jobs

The pandemic has taken its toll in many ways, but for the public and non-profit sector the wish to move on is more acute. For the cultural and wider experience sector it is likely that up to 40% of the workforce are planning or thinking about leaving their current jobs.

The data comes from McKinsey’s global tracker across multiple sectors. Hardest hit is the public and non-profit sector with 72% of employees globally looking to move. Many readers will recognise this level of uncertainty within their own teams and communities.

The survey goes on to talk about why people have quit over the last year. While compensation and career development are high on the list, so too are issues with uncaring and uninspiring leaders, a lack of meaningful work and unsustainable work expectations. This feels worrying but given attention, could be turned around to retain talented teams.

Mobility between industries is also high and this offers an opportunity for those recruiting at the moment. Exploring wider recruitment channels away from the typical cultural sector methods may well provide an interesting pool of talented individuals.

Impactful, meaningful work is high on the agenda for the modern workforce

Conditions are ripe for a leap to the metaverse

A quarter of the population will spend at least an hour daily in the Metaverse by 2026.

As prophesied for a long while, the virtual world is now directly competing with our physical reality for human engagement. The metaverse is set to shape, and reshape identity and interaction, and organisations are already starting to reap the benefits of being first movers in the space.

Unlike what you might gather from overheard coffeeshop conversations or Reddit forums, this doesn’t spell the end for the physical world, or the organisations that have typically only existed in a ‘real-world’ way. Museums and art galleries alike are already doubling down on digitising their collections, developing virtual realm communities, creating immersive experiencing and gamifying engagement.

Gucci is one of the most significant movers in the space, having invested in ‘Digital Real Estate’ and created its metaverse space named ‘Vault’. They consider it an experimental space capturing the old and the new. They say it is “many different things at once, a time machine, an archive, a library, a laboratory, and a meeting place.” An interesting one to watch as it evolves.

Gucci Town is intended for those ‘exploring the unexpected’

If you’d like to discuss any of the themes and trends mentioned in this article, please do reach out to Rosalind at [email protected] where she’d love to continue the conversation.

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