What will drive growth for live experiences in 2027?
Recorded live at TLCC 2026, this episode of Situation’s Fandom Unpacked brings together perspectives from across the arts and culture industry on community, human connection, and the future of audience growth.
Hosted by Peter Yagecic, Founder of A Mind at Work Consulting, the conversation features Andrew Recinos of Tessitura and a lightning round with True Tickets Co-Founder and CEO Matt Zarracina, Fernando Masterson of New York City Center, Toni García of San Francisco Symphony, Brad Dunn of Lyric Opera of Chicago, Parker Krug of Entertainment Benefits, and Jill Robinson of TRG Arts.
During the conversation, Recinos describes community as Tessitura’s real “killer app” and explores how technology can create more room for human connection.
Zarracina brings that idea into the audience data gap arts organizations face every day. Venues typically know the person who purchased the tickets, but not the friends, family members, guests, and other attendees sitting beside them. These individuals already participate in the organization’s community, but remain invisible within its CRM.
True Tickets calls this the shadow audience. It represents roughly 65% of attendees and one of the sector’s biggest overlooked growth opportunities.
Growth doesn’t always require acquiring another stranger. Sometimes, it begins by identifying and building a relationship with someone who is already showing up.
True Tickets helps Tessitura-powered organizations understand who is actually in their audience and preserve that relationship through every sale, share, reshare, resale, and scan.
Listen to Community Is the Killer App: Human Connection & Growth at TLCC 2026 for the full conversation on knowing your audience, making experiences more human, and building stronger communities.