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This article explores how stakeholder engagement is enacted and understood by practitioners in Australian arts organizations. Data from 12 interviews are analyzed using a stakeholder engagement framework grounded in business ethics and management research. The findings underscore the definitional ambiguity surrounding engagement, which impedes consistent interpretation and application. Although community and audience priorities are emphasized, the absence of a formal stakeholder process risks marginalizing some groups. Programming- and marketing-led approaches dominate, favoring broadcast methods over collaborative, two-way processes. Engagement evaluation relies heavily on attendance metrics, neglecting qualitative or strategic outcomes. This research provides insights and practical guidance to enhance engagement processes in arts organizations, thereby increasing inclusivity and meaningful impact.
Goodwin et al. (Thu,) studied this question.