Editorial: The transformative potential of the arts market

What the paper says

The arts have long served as both a mirror and a catalyst for transformation; a powerful engine of change, shaping how individuals think, communities connect and markets evolve (Murray et al., 2019). At the personal level, engaging with artistic experiences can spark empathy, self-reflection and resilience, while inspiring prosocial actions such as volunteering and civic participation (Fancourt and Finn, 2019; Arts Council England, 2021). Within communities, the arts act as connective tissue, weaving people together, building trust and fostering social bonds, strengthening identity and giving voice to underrepresented groups, turning shared creative experiences into engines of empowerment (Kester, 2004, 2011). On a broader scale, artistic expression reimagines public spaces and challenges social conventions, becoming a subtle yet persistent driver of innovation that reshapes how citizens, institutions and environments interact (Mouffe, 2008; Belfiore and Bennett, 2008). In the marketplace, the arts ignite creativity and economic renewal: cultural industries pioneer new business models, drive innovation and transform cities into vibrant ecosystems of talent, tourism and enterprise (Florida, 2002; Oakley, 2009). Across these layers, the arts reveal their remarkable capacity not only to enrich culture but to reimagine how we live, collaborate, build and create value in the modern world.This issue begins with an exploration of that transformative potential, examining how the arts adapt, endure and continue to connect people in moments of disruption and change. Few moments in recent history tested this transformative power as profoundly as the COVID-19 pandemic. When theatres across the world went dark in 2020, the global stage moved online. As lockdowns confined millions to their homes, livestreams, HD recordings and interactive digital performances became the only way to experience theatre. While digital theatre had existed for decades, the pandemic radically accelerated its reach and reshaped its audiences.Wu's (2025) paper, “A portrait of the audience of digitalized performance: the distinctive characteristics of the Chinese theatre audience,” offers a detailed empirical portrayal of this transformation in China, a fast-growing, digitally fluent and under-researched market for the performing arts. Drawing on a survey of more than 500 participants and 46 interviews, Wu reveals a generation of audiences whose habits, motivations and digital fluency illuminate the power of the arts to sustain connection and curiosity amid global disruption.The findings of the study show that Chinese audiences are predominantly young, female and highly educated. Before the pandemic, they demonstrated remarkable commitment to live theatre, often travelling long distances (e.g. from Beijing to Shanghai, or even from Europe and Japan) to attend international productions. For them, theatre-going was not passive consumption but an act of cultural aspiration, self-making and personal investment. When lockdowns halted travel, this commitment evolved into new digital behaviours. Restricted access to certified livestreams led many to seek informal digital content, exposing both a hunger for global performance and international artistic content, as well as the structural barriers that constrain legitimate access.Wu argues that digital engagement in China was not merely a temporal substitute for live theatre, but a catalyst for transformation, deepening participation, broadening cultural awareness and redefining what it means to “attend” a performance. Yet, this shift also revealed inequalities within digital cultural access: those with greater social and cultural capital, typically young, urban and globally educated, benefited most from the digital turn, while others remained excluded. The persistence of “off-the-grid” digital engagement underscores both the desire for artistic connection and the urgent need for more inclusive cultural infrastructures.In the post-pandemic era, these insights carry profound implications. The Chinese theatre audience represents one of the most dynamic and promising markets for international performance, marked by enthusiasm, digital literacy and global awareness. Yet, they remain largely invisible to Western institutions, both as consumers and as collaborators. Developing sustainable digital bridges through localised platforms, strategic partnerships and culturally informed outreach could redefine the global theatre and the international performing arts ecosystem.The paper calls for a more inclusive understanding of audience agency and transnational connectivity in the digital age. In tracing these evolving behaviours, Wu's work reframes what theatre-going means in a connected, post-pandemic world, where audiences build their own global stages across screens, platforms and borders. Ultimately, Wu's research reminds us that the arts are not static reflections of change, they are change. Whether in the theatre, online or across borders, the act of engaging with art continues to transform how individuals imagine themselves and how societies imagine the world.If Wu's study captures transformation through human adaptation, Spyrou's et al. (2025) “Minting the future of art: a comprehensive overview of non-fungible tokens in the art metaverse” charts transformation at the structural level, where creativity, technology and markets converge. Drawing on 89 systematically reviewed studies, their analysis shows how blockchain-enabled NFTs and immersive technologies are redefining the art world's infrastructure by introducing verifiable ownership, decentralised exchange and immersive digital creation in virtual worlds. Within emerging Web3D environments, artists and audiences now co-create, trade and inhabit digital assets that span art, gaming and education, forming new “meta-economies” of creativity and participation. The authors further reveal how NFTs enhance trust, privacy and authenticity in virtual environments while disrupting established hierarchies of artistic production. Through blockchain's verifiable records, artists gain control over their work, able to mint, sell and trace ownership independently of traditional intermediaries. Yet, as Spyrou and colleagues show, these opportunities are accompanied by new challenges, ranging from sustainability and legal frameworks to ethical concerns about digital inclusion and equity.As the arts continue to redefine the boundaries between creativity, technology and economy, few developments illustrate their transformative potential more vividly than the rise of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the Web3D art ecosystem. In a world where art, data and code increasingly converge, NFTs represent not only a new mode of ownership but also a profound shift in how cultural value is produced, exchanged and experienced. By linking artistic innovation to blockchain's decentralised infrastructure, the paper captures a pivotal cultural transformation: the transition from art as an object to art as an evolving, participatory system. In this sense, NFTs and the Web3D ecosystem embody the very spirit of this issue, revealing how the arts not only adapt to technological change but actively invent new worlds through it.While the first two papers in this special issue explore how digitalisation reshapes audience participation and creative exchange, the third contribution, published as part of the regular issue, extends this conversation to the sphere of cultural leadership and entrepreneurship. “Empowering leadership and socio-technological practices: an empirical investigation of BTS's success” authored by Park et al. (2025) examine how visionary management and participatory engagement can redefine the global cultural landscape. Focusing on BTS, the world-renowned South Korean pop group, the study reveals how empowerment leadership, digital innovation and fan co-creation intersect to form a transformative model of cultural production and exchange.At the heart of this transformation lies the leadership of Bang Si-Hyuk, whose approach blends artistic autonomy with strategic foresight. His empowerment-driven model nurtures collaboration, creativity and shared purpose, aligning artistic expression with sustainable growth and cross-market adaptability. This synergy is amplified by BTS's pioneering use of digital platforms, immersive stage technologies and interactive fan networks, which together dissolve the boundaries between producers and audiences.The study emphasises the central role of fans in shaping BTS's brand and reputation. Fans do not merely consume BTS's art; they co-construct meaning, reputation and momentum, turning fandom itself into a powerful creative and economic force. Individual loyalty and collective passion do not merely support the group; they actively influence how leadership and technology translate into organisational commitment and public perception. Members' dedication and cohesion reinforce the group's reputation, illustrating that internal culture and performance are inseparable from audience engagement.By interpreting BTS as a paradigm of cultural entrepreneurship, the paper illuminates how leadership, technology and participatory culture converge to produce transformation at both artistic and organisational levels. It complements the earlier studies by extending the discussion of transformation beyond digital participation and technological mediation, showing how the arts continue to evolve as dynamic systems of creativity, innovation and collective agency in the global market. In doing so, it situates BTS within the wider theme of transformation explored throughout this issue, where art becomes both a site and a strategy for reimagining participation, value and connection in the global creative economy. The paper interprets BTS not only as a musical phenomenon but as a model of contemporary cultural entrepreneurship, showing how the arts can drive transformation in global markets through strategic vision, innovation and relational connectivity.Across these three papers, transformation emerges as the defining thread that connects personal, technological and organisational change in the arts. Wu's study of Chinese theatre audiences captures the adaptive power of artistic engagement in times of disruption. Spyrou, Hurst and Krampe reveal how digital infrastructures like NFTs and Web3D environments restructure artistic creation and ownership. The BTS study brings this evolution full circle, showing how visionary leadership and participatory technology translate creativity into global cultural and economic impact.These contributions reveal how transformation emerges as both the essence and outcome of the arts, whether expressed through human adaptation, technological innovation or visionary leadership. They further illuminate how the arts continually reinvent themselves through shifting mediums, audiences and markets. Whether through livestreamed performances, tokenised digital worlds or networked fan communities, the arts remain a living system of transformation, reshaping how societies connect, imagine and create value in a rapidly changing world.