Marketing and the Symbolic Value of a Performing Arts Institution: The Case Study of the Czech National Theatre

Abstract

Apart from aspects such as the market orientation or the artistic vision, one possible element that should be taken into consideration when defining performing arts institutions’ marketing is its symbolic value. In this paper we are presenting the case study of the Czech National Theater, which has had a special position within the Czech national history. We have conducted in-depth interviews and ZMET interviews to explore the meaning the theater holds for Czech consumers. We draw on the notions of the extended self and collective memory to show how through particular rituals the experience of attending artistic performance can form a part of the consumers’ collective sense of self. We consider the implications for performing arts institutions’ marketing.