Where Audio Fits in Your Business Model

Where does audio theatre fit in your business model? Whether you're a producing house making your own work or a presenting venue programming touring content, this episode explores how audio theatre creates revenue diversification, extends geographic reach, and builds long-term value—without competing with live ticket sales.This week, the Theatre in the UK 2026 report landed with stark numbers: 36% of organisations expect deficits this year, rising to 51% among subsidised theatres. Real-terms ticket prices have fallen 8.9% since 2019. Theatres globally face the same structural squeeze: costs rising faster than revenue, ticket prices that can't keep pace, and touring economics under strain. Revenue diversification isn't optional anymore—it's essential.Drawing on the Theatre in the UK 2026 report, cinema windowing models, and union frameworks that now make audio capture viable, Barry explores:How producing houses can extend the value of work they're already making—capturing live productions or commissioning audio-first to test demand before investing in full stagingThe cinema model: theatrical release, rental, purchase, streaming—and how theatre can think the same way about different audiences and revenue windowsWhy audio theatre is a data-driven development pathway for new writing, proving market demand before committing to full production investmentHow presenting venues can work with local companies, negotiate with touring artists, and support community outreach while ensuring fair pay through union contractsScript-in-hand performances with audio soundscape as a low-cost alternative to traditional touring—a model that's now possible with new union agreementsSecondary licensing for translation: how work created in one language can reach global audiences in Gaelic, Welsh, Spanish, or any other languageWhy keeping revenue local matters: theatres as economic anchors generating £1.40 in local activity for every £1 spent, versus global platforms that extract value offshoreThis isn't about replacing live theatre. It's about reaching new audiences, generating income from work you've already made, and building assets that keep earning long after the final performance. For theatres under financial pressure, audio theatre provides revenue diversification that supports your mission without competing with your core business.Chapters:00:00 Introduction03:32 Producing Houses - If You Make Work04:56 The Cinema Model06:55 What This Means for Producing Houses09:42 Why This Matters for New Writing12:48 The Infrastructure You Need13:46 Presenting Houses15:15 Working Locally16:57 Touring Artists18:35 What This Requires19:40 Both Models - Why This Matters19:53 Revenue Diversification21:17 Geographic Reach22:19 Long-Term Value23:42 Keeping Money Local25:45 You're Not Doing This Alone26:50 On the Next EpisodePodcast links:⁠⁠The Grey Hill Website⁠⁠⁠⁠Barry Robertson LinkedIn⁠⁠Music by ⁠⁠https://www.bensound.com⁠⁠ | License code: 0YZPRSAEYDVUNFSE | Artist: Benjamin Tissot