What does membership look like in 2026? A Line-Up x Indigo Share Hot Topic

Why we are partnering with Indigo Share to ask audiences what they really want.

‍By Emily Childs, Head of Community at Line-Up

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What does membership mean today? Are people joining as members of your venue because they love what you do, because the perks are good… or because they forgot to cancel the direct debit?

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We talk a lot in our industry about loyalty, belonging, and audience relationships. But the way people spend their time and money has changed. Membership programmes have been a cornerstone of cultural loyalty for decades. But where do they fit in a world where we can now subscribe to a myriad of products and services? From the gym to streaming services and cinema passes, Patreon creators to Podcast exclusives, coffee memberships to beauty box subscriptions, even toilet roll and cleaning products. Memberships and subscriptions are everywhere.

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Despite the cost of living squeeze hitting households across the UK, younger generations are still signalling that they value experiences more than material items. Research from Barclays shows that around 29% of Gen Z respondents say they plan to prioritise spending on “fun and memorable experiences” over the next three years. Meanwhile, UK consumer spend data indicate that spending on entertainment and experiences is growing faster than spending on physical goods.

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So when our audiences “join” a membership scheme, what are they really joining and why? Is it  identity? Access? Community? A set of perks? And if younger people are still willing to prioritise the “experience”,  how should arts organisations (and the tools they use) adapt?

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I approached Katy and Kerry asking if there was any data from their research around audience motivations for memberships. Out of that conversation the Indigo Share Hot Topic: Membership Matters research project was born. Alongside our co-sponsors, Substrakt, we’re  exploring what membership means for UK arts audiences today. We will be asking audiences directly - people aged 16+ from all backgrounds - what and why they join, and what they expect from their membership. Whilst I’m sure many of us involved might imagine we think we have most of the answers, it is probably time to test some assumptions.

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Beyond benefits: what job is membership really doing?

Behaviour economics tells us people rarely make decisions based purely on logic. We join things because they:

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• make us feel connected
  
• help us behave the way we wish we did (hello, gym)
  
• reduce hassle or costs
  
• signal something about who we are
  
• give us access, status or discounts

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But in a cost of living crisis, does that shift? Are people cutting back on recurring donations or memberships? Or do they cling more tightly to what brings a sense of community and joy? Has subscription fatigue started to bite? Or do people still find room in their budgets for the experiences that matter most?

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That’s what we want to find out..

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Arts membership meets the real world

This research will explore membership behaviour everywhere, not just in theatres and museums. We’ll dig into:

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• Philanthropic models vs purely transactional benefits
  
• Unlimited access vs flexible usage vs discount-based models
  
• Community and belonging vs perks and exclusivity
  
• What loyalty feels like to audiences (which may not be what organisations expect)
  
• The gap between what’s offered and what is actually valued
  
  

And we’re curious about what we can learn globally, especially from North American models where loyalty, philanthropy and VIP experiences often sit much closer together.

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Because maybe cultural memberships are still great for one group of superfans… but what about first timers or occasional attenders? Do they even know what membership is?

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Why Line-Up is doing this now

We are about to begin developing membership and donation tools on the Line-Up platform. We want to build them responsibly by listening first, understanding real motivations, prioritising flexibility and creating tools that audiences actually enjoy using.

“User-centred design starts with listening. Before we release new membership and donation tools, we want real evidence of what audiences value - not what systems or legacy processes tell them they should value.”‍

Chris Crossley, COO, Line-Up

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Tools that earn loyalty

Signing up is just the start, loyalty is built in every interaction afterwards. The same is true for any kind of consumer relationship.

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Across everyday life, people expect memberships to flex with real life. That can include:

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• Pausing when life gets busy
• Upgrade or downgrade when needs change
• Managing household members or adding a guest
• Exchanging tickets or upgrading experiences online
• Seeing the impact of their charitable contributions
• Mobile-first self-management

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Audiences have learned these behaviours from airlines, gyms, streaming services, railcards, hotel and loyalty apps. Audiences bring those expectations with them, we’re not exempt from those expectations.

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This research helps us learn which of these features matter most, to whom, and why. And whilst this insight will guide our roadmap, we also want to invest in knowledge that the whole sector can act on.

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We want you involved

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Membership Matters is open for free to any UK performing arts organisation that wants to take part.

By participating, organisations will receive:

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• An in depth report outlining our findings
• A national benchmark to understand where their membership scheme fits
• Practical findings tied to motivations, service expectations and loyalty behaviours
• A voice in shaping the future of memberships in our sector

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“Everyone is rethinking membership right now - but organisations should not have to do that in isolation. This shared dataset will give us the evidence and confidence to evolve membership in ways that audiences genuinely value. The more organisations that take part, the stronger and more actionable the insights will be.”‍

Katy Raines, CEO and Co-Founder, Indigo

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The more organisations who join us, the better the research and the value of the data - and the stronger the outcomes for the sector.

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Let’s explore this - and build something better - together‍

We believe membership still has the power to make audiences feel seen, valued and connected. And we want to build the right tools to help support you to do that.

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If you would like to register your organisation’s interest in taking part - or simply have ideas and experience you’d like to share - I’d love to talk.

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You can register for Membership Matters here.

You can email me here.

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