How classical music could reach 7.4 million people: A concept store on Oxford Street
This week I stumbled across a scheme Westminster Council are running that's trying to breathe life back into Oxford Street. Amid concerns about a downfall in footfall and the proliferation of American Candy stores, they’re seeking innovation to keep one of the world’s most famous streets a real destination. One of their projects, called ‘Meanwhile On: Oxford Street’ offers free tenancies of prime-location stores for six months, hoping to act as an incubator for ideas and new approaches.
Which got me thinking... how could we make a shop front for classical music?
What if we had a space large enough for chamber groups to rehearse in that was open to the public who happen to be walking by? Anyone could see music-making happening through the window and come inside to listen. To witness our product being ‘built’. Visitors could discover music that they likely wouldn't otherwise know was being performed in a London venue in the next few days, and see relatable, real-life humans shaping (and chatting about) music up-close.
When there weren't live rehearsals going on, the space could be used as a digital showcase. We could project films of our most eye-and-ear-catching music videos and concerts, helping ignite excitement about our orchestras and ensembles, and change perceptions of what modern classical music is.
It would be a dynamic, experiential way to reach out to the city, physically taking our product into a different marketplace and seeing if we can engage a new audience. In retail speak: a concept store.
Dyson’s Oxford Street concept store, designed as a ‘demo gallery’. If they can make hoovers and fans seem cool, surely classical music could do something brilliant?
Would it lead to more ticket sales? You'd hope it might, as new audiences effectively get to try before they buy, gaining confidence around a product that is otherwise unfamiliar to them. But frankly, who knows. If we don’t try, we’ll never know.
What it would do is give the classical sector (and especially chamber music) an amazing PR boost and proactively make ourselves open and inviting to the wider world. We'd have a chance of reaching people who would never normally step inside Southbank Centre, or Wigmore Hall, or any of our other venues.
To fill the shop with activity for six months would need a partnership between multiple venues, festivals and ensembles - both big and small. It would be about the sector as a whole sharing the benefits, rather than one specific brand dominating. Artists would need to be open to rehearsing in a different environment, revealing some of the secrets of their art to those who are curious to listen, and proactively acting as sales ambassadors for their upcoming concerts.
Financially, it'd require investment to make the space acoustically workable, visually thrilling and digitally kitted out, so we as a sector could put our best foot forward. And, of course, a staff team to keep it open seven days a week, in line with the rest of Oxford Street. The applicant guide to Westminster’s scheme also suggests a contribution to business rates is required. It wouldn't be a direct money maker, so would need a funder to make it a reality. I'm not for one second saying it would be easy. On a spreadsheet alone it almost certainly isn’t economically viable.
But post-pandemic, Oxford Street is openly admitting to needing help in reinventing itself so it can remain a flagship destination. It’s fair to say classical music is in a similar boat: our audiences are still noticeably down and audiences are now less willing to take risks with their money. They want reassurance of something’s quality before committing to it.
Even in its current state, Oxford Street still averages 1.24 million people visiting each month. Over six months, that would be over 7 million people passing by. Maybe thrilling cultural experiences - like a classical music concept store that was bold, exciting and ALIVE - could help them, and help us?