“It just works.” 

When Opera Philadelphia launched its bold Pick Your Price initiative, Michael Knight’s task was to make it work with Tessitura and its built-in e-commerce platform, TNEW. His team had just two months to set up the new pricing.

“Ultimately, we were able to do the majority of it with out-of-the-box Tessitura functionality,” he said. That’s because TNEW is built to enable arts and cultural organizations to handle just about any scenario — including the first pay-what-you-wish initiative of its kind from a major American opera company. 

E-commerce that empowers teams and audiences 

The online experience is often a customer’s first impression of your organization. TNEW makes it a great one, on any device. After buying a ticket, customers can manage their accounts, preferences and digital tickets. And, just as e-commerce technology should be, TNEW itself stays invisible. It’s a canvas you can style with your brand.

The buzz around Opera Philadelphia’s Pick Your Price program drew in many new customers. They encountered a clean, branded experience offering multiple ticket price options.  

A round-up donation request appears smoothly at checkout, a benefit of TNEW’s seamless handling of ticketing, fundraising and membership. Those integrated donation asks make a real difference: “We’re seeing increased philanthropy on that end from people giving just a little bit here, a little bit there,” Michael said.

Work smarter, move faster with a platform built for arts teams

Sometimes the most important benefits are the least visible. Since TNEW is maintained and upgraded by Tessitura, updates and new features are deployed automatically. That frees arts organizations from relying on custom development, letting them focus their energy and budgets elsewhere.

That’s something Janna Ellis of the Yale University Tessitura consortium appreciates. “Anytime there’s a new update, we’re able to use it right away. We don't have to wait around for custom website builders to update anything,” she said. 

Yale School of Drama offers a stellar example of how to leverage TNEW’s flexibility. “We have two student-run cabarets, and they have a completely new leadership every year,” Janna explained. “So, we rebrand. They have completely different offerings. They may or may not sell packages; they may have pass redemptions; they may have memberships. Everything is completely different.”

With Tessitura and TNEW, students enjoy control of their online ticketing. They can update the brand. They can configure the black box space however they like and implement whatever pricing scheme they devise. “TNEW is making our dreams come true,” Janna said.

“TNEW is making our dreams come true.”
_{— Janna Ellis, Yale University Tessitura consortium}

Meet modern expectations with accessible digital experiences

Accessibility is a critical element of serving audiences. Not only does TNEW have built-in WCAG accessibility features, but it also enables arts organizations to improve how they provide accommodations.

That’s exactly what Shakespeare’s Globe has done. The Globe offers free assistive technology such as closed captioning and audio description devices. They’ve incorporated these options into TNEW’s online purchase path. It’s fully self-service: Audiences select the device they need from a menu integrated into every online ticket sale

“Previously, a user would have to call us or email us to know how to get those tickets. Now it’s just on our website,” said Will Warnock. “It’s so much easier.” Audiences appreciate the transparency and simplicity of the process. And the team is pleased with the steady increase in accommodation requests.

“Previously, a user would have to call or email us […]. Now it’s just on our website.”
_{— Will Warnock, Shakespeare's Globe}

Grow revenue with smarter ticketing and upselling

Smart e-commerce balances a smooth transaction pathway with strategic upsells. It also needs to handle high-volume sales effortlessly. Kansas City Ballet praises TNEW for making those expectations a reality.

“Our goal is to make the purchase path as streamlined as possible,” explained Kim Toigo, “while still upselling other items, such as parking and souvenirs, that tie to the specific performance.” TNEW seamlessly suggests those add-ons in the purchase path.

The team is achieving its goals: Last season’s Christmas in July on-sale for The Nutcracker set a new record with $750,000 in ticket revenue. “It was the biggest first-day sale we’ve ever had,” Kim enthused.

TNEW enabled Kansas City Ballet to achieve their largest first-day sale ever.

E-commerce can help arts organizations thrive amid high audience expectations

Across industries, the standard for e-commerce experiences is rising. Audiences expect top-tier interfaces from global brands and local nonprofits alike. Clunky purchase paths create friction, limiting engagement and leaving revenue on the table. How can arts organizations keep up?

TNEW helps address this moment with a flexible, scalable platform. Since it’s purpose-built for arts and culture, teams can adapt quickly to support evolving business needs. With TNEW, online experiences can reflect the quality of a night in the venue.

When e-commerce works reliably, invisibly and in sync with your goals, it does more than process transactions. It empowers your team, strengthens relationships with your audiences and ensures every interaction works harder for your mission. 

Top photo courtesy of Opera Philadelphia.