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Royal Albert Hall Increased Audience Figures In 2023
The Royal Albert Hall saw a 14.6% cent year-on-year increase in its audience figures in 2023, according to a press release from the prestigious London building.
The London venue welcomed 1.61 million visitors during the calendar year, up from 1.4 million in 2022, by its own admission.
The numbers are still shy of the 1.72 million visitors the Hall counted in 2019, which was “in common with the rest of the cultural sector,” according to the press release.
As well as issuing 750,000 tickets for orchestral performances, it hosted memorable headline performances by RAYE, Cleo Sol, Digga D, Loyle Carner, and the Mercury Prize-winning Ezra Collective.
Other stand-out shows included the 75th anniversary celebration of Windrush, the Gospel Messiah, and performances from Angelique Kidjo and Machine Gun Kelly.
Highlights from the Pollstar Boxoffice include two sold-out concerts by Ed Sheeran, Nov. 18-19, selling 7,970 tickets for a $1,197,687 gross; a sold-out show by U.S. comic/podcaster Andrew Schulz, Oct. 19 (4,572 tickets, $327,643 grossed); and a sold-out concert by Spanish singer and composer Joaquin Sabina (3,223 tickets, $263,770) grossed.
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James Ainscough, chief executive of the Royal Albert Hall, commented, “We are excited to play our part in helping the live music sector bounce back from the pandemic, and to combine this with reshaping our calendar as we look forward to an exciting future.
“With 24 headline acts aged 35 and under, and 43 performances from Black and minority ethnic headliners, we are pushing forward with our audience development plan, bringing new audiences to the Hall for breathtaking moments and lasting memories.”
The recovering financial picture allowed the venue, which receives no state-funding, to invest in its ongoing Engagement program, which includes work to support music-making at local schools.