How to balance organisational values with ticketing revenue

September 8, 2025

For DynamO’s first ever webinar, we led a panel discussion on how to balance organisational values and ticketing revenue, with thought leaders from arts and cultural organisations - including:

Leon Gray, Head of Ticketing and Audience Experience at Edinburgh International Festival

Dawn Farrow, Founder and CEO at On Sale Group

Monique Baptiste-Brown, Head of Communications and Audience Development at Brixton House

Bence Marosi, CEO at DynamO Pricing

Phoebe Cleghorn – Sales and Marketing Generalist at DynamO Pricing


As well as posting a recording of the session over on the DynamO YouTube - which you can watch free on demand - we’ve also summarised some key insights shared by our expert panellists.


Why is it important to consider organisational values when it comes to how we approach ticket pricing?

“Values aren’t optional or situational.”

Bence set the tone: if organisational values only apply when convenient, they’re not values. Pricing decisions should reflect who you are - because they impact audiences, staff morale, brand trust, and long-term credibility.

Broadest possible audience - by design, not by accident.

Leon shared how Edinburgh International Festival embeds its mission directly into pricing, offering £10 affordable tickets for those who need them (self-selected) and ensuring that 50% of tickets are £30 or under - all while meeting and exceeding revenue targets and selling 88% of capacity this year.

It’s not just “cheap equals accessible.”

Monique emphasised value over price. At Brixton House, access is about audience belonging and brand clarity: creating a space and experience where local communities see themselves, not just adding a low-price category. Tickets typically centre around £22, with Pay What You Feel performances and targeted low-price allocations to bring the right audiences in at the right time.

Brand, experience, psychology.

Dawn urged a mindset shift: focus on the exchange beyond the ticket - the transformation, the feeling when audiences leave, the clarity from confirmation email to curtain up. Pricing is as much brand storytelling and customer psychology as it is maths.

How can we drive an increase in revenue, while staying true to our vision and mission?

Start with audience truths; let pricing follow.

Brixton House builds from socio-cultural insight: What’s the story? Who is it for? How does it connect with them? What barriers exist? Early authenticators (those who feel most represented) are more likely to become advocates, helping to build momentum and pricing power organically. From there, dynamic pricing can lift later-stage revenue while protecting pockets of accessible ticket inventory.

Plan the balance sheet to fund access.

Edinburgh International Festival partners with DynamO to push premium seats where demand supports it, and reinvests that incremental revenue into Tickets For Good, the Young Musicians Pass and an extensive set of concessions. The balance is planned upfront using previous-year data, then tuned throughout the sales cycle.

Segment everything, then be brave.

Bence advocated for deep differentiation - by seat zones, performance types (matinee vs. weekend), demand curves and audience segments. Then apply meaningfully different strategies across those segments. ‘Flat’ pricing philosophies often ignore real differences in audience needs and willingness to pay.

Challenge legacy discounts.

Dawn noted that some traditional concession rules (e.g., universal OAP discounts) can end up misaligned with current ability to pay. Re-examining who qualifies - and why - can unlock headroom for funding access where it’s most needed today.

How can we ensure our approach to pricing supports our work in access and inclusion?

Concrete concessions with modern reach.
Edinburgh International Festival has expanded and simplified eligibility:
Under 18s: 50% off
Under 30s & students: concession pricing
Arts workers: 30% off
Deaf, disabled & neurodivergent audiences: 50% off, plus an Access Pass that unlocks held seats (aisle, near exits/toilets) which are bookable online.

Translate the concept of access, not just the copy.

Monique flagged a frequent gap: many new or infrequent attendees don’t recognise access schemes as for them. Brixton House has been exploring multilingual captioned performances and communications to reach growing local communities, paired with held seat allocations and FOH/box office support that guides first-timers through the process.

Use premium demand to pay for equity.

Bence shared examples where clients introduced cheaper tickets than ever because premium tiers or high-demand performances were able to subsidise them. Other tactics include member presales with distinct price behaviour vs. general public.

Key takeaways

Values and revenue are not mutually exclusive - when planned together, premium demand can fund inclusion.

Combine forward-planning and agility - decide your access commitments upfront, then finetune pricing as demand unfolds.

Access includes communication, not just price - ensure your access and inclusion efforts don’t begin and end with the price. Consider the end-to-end journey.

Audience first, always - when people see themselves in the work and the space, they become advocates - and that advocacy powers sustainable revenue.

Interested in learning more?

If you’d like to learn how dynamic pricing could help your organisation balance values and revenue, get in touch using our contact form or email info@dynamopricing.com. We’d love to hear from you.

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