The Royal Albert Hall has reported a 14.6% year-on-year increase in its audience figures during 2023.
The London venue welcomed 1.61 million visitors during the calendar year, up from 1.4 million in 2022. 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.
James Ainscough, Chief Executive of the Royal Albert Hall said, “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.”
Other stand-out shows included the 75th anniversary celebration of Windrush, the Gospel Messiah, and performances from Angelique Kidjo and Machine Gun Kelly.
The recovering financial picture allowed the venue to invest in its ongoing engagement programme, including work to support schools music-making in local boroughs. In common with the rest of the cultural sector, however, the Hall has yet to return to its pre-pandemic attendance levels, which hit 1.72 million in 2019.
It continues to reach audiences in their millions, free of charge, through televised events. Across the BBC Proms, the Olivier Awards, the Royal Variety Performance, the Royal British Legion’s Festival of Remembrance, and one-off shows featuring RAYE and Kylie, the Hall came to viewers’ homes, helping to develop its reputation as the home of national moments for everyone.
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