By Nicole Wetzell "The symphony creates a community. It brings people together for one common cause. Remember that for the future."
I jotted that down late one summer as I reflected on my internship at the Madison Symphony Orchestra (MSO).
As a summer intern, I didn’t get to experience MSO’s signature events held during the season. But even with just a handful of summer events — a fundraiser, two outdoor concerts, and a few smaller gatherings — it was clear that a strong sense of community existed.
Fast forward to today. Technology provides the most opportunities to connect in human history, yet many people feel lonely and disconnected. The kind of community that makes people feel like they truly belong is harder to find.
Why Community Matters More Than Ever
People are Lonely
In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General released a report highlighting an epidemic of loneliness and isolation:
Around 50% of Americans report feeling lonely
From 2003 to 2020
Time spent in isolation increased by 24 hours per month.
Time spent with friends decreased by 20 hours per month.
Family time reduced by 5 hours per month.
And people aren't spending more time alone — they're not participating in communities like they used to:
In 1999, 70% of U.S. adults were members of a church, synagogue, or mosque. By 2020, that number dropped to 47%, marking the first time it fell below half (Gallup).
Only 16% of Americans feel "very attached" to their local community.
The Surgeon General’s report was blunt: this level of disconnection is as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes per day.
Communities and Relationships Help Us Live Longer, Healthier Lives
If loneliness is as bad as 15 cigarettes per day, strong relationships are the best medicine.
The Harvard Study of Adult Development followed 268 Harvard undergraduates (classes of 1939-1944) for over 85 years to determine what factors contribute to a happy, healthy, and long life.
The study found that strong relationships are the biggest predictor of long-term health and happiness.
People with close friendships, strong marriages, and deep community ties tended to live longer and happier lives.
The study also aligns with the Surgeon General's report — loneliness and social isolation had similar health risks to smoking or obesity.
Guess What?
Arts and culture are part of the solution people are seeking.
We already have everything we need.
We just haven’t positioned ourselves that way — or told people about it.
What Building a Community Looks Like
In Jon Levy's book, You're Invited, The Art and Science of Connection, Trust, and Belonging, a community needs the following in order to thrive:
A Space Where People Can Gather: Physical venues like theaters and galleries, as well as digital platforms such as forums and social media groups.
Shared Experiences to Bond Over: Performances, exhibitions, workshops, and behind-the-scenes content.
Arts and culture organizations already provide these major elements, both on and offline, to address our deep need for connection.
We just need to re-think how we format our events, so people can naturally interact with one another.
How to Tell If You Have a Community
A community is a group of individuals who share common interests, experiences, purposes, or locations, developing a sense of connection and belonging through ongoing interactions. Think back to when you first fell in love with the arts. Chances are, teachers, mentors, and friends played pivotal roles in that journey.
Take a look at the below chart to consider the behavior differences between a traditional audience member and community member:
While community members care about your success and actively contribute to it, the real reason they've likely developed this bond is the personal need to build friendships.
That's a secret ingredient to building a true, lasting bond to your organization.
How to Create Community
Jon Levy emphasizes that strong communities are built on trust, shared experiences, and meaningful interactions, not just content.
Here are three ways to create community.
1.) The IKEA Effect
The IKEA Effect is a cognitive bias where people value products they created, even if the quality isn't great or other people make similar creations. It’s why assembling wobbly IKEA furniture makes you want to hold onto it for years and that soft spot you feel for that amateur-looking picture you painted with your friends at a paint-and-sip class.
For arts organizations, involving your audience in creating or contributing can build deeper emotional connections and increase engagement.
Consistency
In "You're Invited", Levy stresses that consistency is a big factor that creates communities.
Regular gatherings provide predictability, which helps people form habits. The more people see each other, the more comfortable they'll feel around each other, which allows them to open up and forge a deeper connection.
For example, Levy references the story of Jean Nidetch, who transformed her personal weight loss journey into a supportive community by inviting friends to discuss their challenges and progress. These regular meetings evolved into Weight Watchers, emphasizing how consistent, communal support can lead to significant personal and collective achievements.
Generosity
Levy also highlights generosity as a key ingredient in building meaningful connections and strong communities. He challenges the common belief that generosity means giving gifts or doing favors, and suggests something even more powerful: giving people the chance to contribute.
Another compelling example Levy discusses is the Benjamin Franklin effect. Franklin asked a rival to lend him a rare book, which led the person to view Franklin more favorably after doing him the favor. This tactic demonstrates that asking for help creates goodwill and a sense of community.
Communities in the Wild: Three Case Studies
1.) ClassicCard App Berlin (from the arts)
Stiftung Oper in Berlin supports five independent institutions — Deutsche Oper Berlin, Komische Oper Berlin, Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Staatsballett Berlin and "Bühnenservice Berlin" (Stage Services Company) — in growing their audiences.
After experiencing declining membership, Stiftung Oper conducted a survey among young people to understand why they didn't attend shows more often. The survey revealed that young people felt like they:
Didn't know who to attend a performance with
Didn't know what to expect
Thought purchasing at the box office for last minute offers was too inconvenient
Instead of running more ads, Stiftun Oper invested in creating a community. They worked with easyconnect on building the ClassicCard app that integrated social and community features, making it easy for people to:
Connect with friends on an interface similar to social media
Share event wishlists and plan cultural outings together
Exchange experiences and discuss performances
Book tickets seamlessly — solo or with friends
Here are the results:
Membership skyrocketed from 2,000 to 15,000 members within 9 months
Each visitor brings an average of 1.5 new attendees; top customers introduce up to 15 new people
Over 25% of users use the "referral" and "share event" features
A 37% retention rate over 180 days
2.) Green Bay Packers (from sports)
The Green Bay Packers have one of the most loyal fan bases in football because their business model is built with community at the center.
The Packers are the only publicly owned, nonprofit team in the NFL, owned by 538,000 stockholders.
The Packers turned Lambeau Field into a year-round destination by building Titletown right next door, turning game day into a memorable all-day experience.
Even on non-game days, people can visit and participate in ice skating, sledding, concerts, and even yoga for little to no cost, giving the community a place to gather and have fun.
The Packers' Training Camp Bike Ride
Every summer, kids line up with their bikes, eagerly waiting for players to ride them from Lambeau Field to the practice field. This has been happening for decades, and some of the players, kids, and their families have formed real relationships and have stayed in touch throughout the season.
3.) Legos (from for profit)
“It’s all about the friendships,” — Dan Kees, Lego community member
LEGO built a thriving owned digital community that fosters creativity, deepens brand loyalty, and drives sales. Here’s how:
LEGO Ideas – This digital platform taps into the IKEA Effect by inviting fans to submit their own designs. If a design gets 10K votes, it will be considered for a future LEGO product, with the creator receiving a percentage of the royalties. \
LEGO Ambassador Network – Adult Fans of LEGO (AFOLs), or LEGO superfans act as brand ambassadors, moderating forums and hosting events which means LEGO is promoted naturally.
LEGO Life – A kid-friendly social platform that creates lifelong fans. Younger fans can share their builds, get feedback, and engage safely in a space, fostering a sense of belonging and encouraging creative play.
Events & Real-World Tie-Ins – LEGO makes sure their digital community gets to connect in real life by creating in-person events like LEGO conventions, product launches, and museum exhibits.
Photo by Daniel K Cheung on Unsplash
The Short of It
Today, many people feel lonely and isolated. The Surgeon General believes this is an epidemic.
Arts and culture organizations are a part of the solution because they already have everything they need to create vibrant communities.
A Space Where People Can Gather: Physical venues like theaters and galleries, as well as digital platforms such as forums and social media groups.
Shared Experiences to Bond Over: Performances, exhibitions, workshops, and behind-the-scenes content.
By finding ways for people to naturally make friends, they'll surely come for the art and stay for the friendships.
Sources:
Holt-Lunstad, Julianne, Timothy B. Smith, and J. Bradley Layton. "Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review." PLoS Medicine 7, no. 7 (2010): e1000316.
Murthy, Vivek H. "Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation." U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, May 2023.
Irshad, Zara. "For These Lego Fans, Brick Building Is a Lifelong Passion." San Francisco Chronicle, January 21, 2025.
Jones, Jeffrey M. "U.S. Church Membership Falls Below Majority for First Time." Gallup News, March 29, 2021.
Levy, Jon. You're Invited: The Art and Science of Connection, Trust, and Belonging. New York: Harper Business, 2021.
Norton, Michael I., Daniel Mochon, and Dan Ariely. "The IKEA Effect: When Labor Leads to Love." Journal of Consumer Psychology, vol. 22, no. 3, 2012, pp. 453–460.