NITE HOTEL: an evening out online

This is how NITE HOTEL started

When the Dutch cultural sector had to shut down during the coronavirus crisis, NNT and Club Guy & Roni immediately recorded their performance ‘Before/After.’ “Initially, with the idea: then we know what we’ve created when we can perform again in a month,” says Harmen, “But eventually Roni [Haver – choreographer] worked with an editor to adapt it as best as possible for online presentation.”

They wanted to digitally reproduce a true theater experience, including the social interaction of an evening out. Just like a physical visit, you can meet and chat with other people online, see and be seen. There’s an introduction, and if you dare, you can approach the artist afterward to ask questions.

Online offerings: Live or on demand?

Don’t viewers want to decide for themselves when to watch the performance? “That was my first thought: we have to make everything on demand, because that’s how it works online,” says Harmen, “Guy, on the other hand, was adamant about a live broadcast. A smart move, because that’s the moment you can create a social context. With a live broadcast, you consciously lead people to one platform at one specific time. Everyone is there to experience something together. That adds value.”

Dare to innovate

The platform was built, tested, and designed in just four weeks. “We are a driven, ambitious, and very flexible organization,” says Harmen proudly, “We have a team of people we’ve been working with for years, and there’s tremendous commitment to making an impact.”

The organization dared to innovate. “Since we didn’t know beforehand whether NITE HOTEL would be a success, we weren’t afraid to fail,” says the business director. There was also a lot of goodwill from partners, including web developers and designers NNT and Club Guy & Roni had worked with for a long time. “The platform also ensures that the organization works more interdisciplinarily,” shares Harmen, “technology, marketing, and artistic input are now much more closely connected.”

Interactive online audience

At the premiere of the online performance Before/After, more than 4,000 visitors were present, with a total of 15,000 during the opening week. Viewers could follow a stream anonymously or participate via Zoom. Most reactions were very enthusiastic. People felt part of a social event. They felt like they had watched the performance together.

“We asked everyone to turn on their cameras. As a result, we received many responses from people who were watching other people’s reactions,” says Harmen, “In the chat, people could respond. So, in a way, the interaction was even more direct and lively than in the theater.”

Online reaches the audience of the future

The online platform also offers an opportunity to reach new audiences. For example, ‘digital natives,’ twenty- and thirty-somethings who grew up in the digital age. A few years ago, research by the Ter Horst commission showed that social and financial barriers mainly prevent people from going to the theater. Harmen hopes to remove these barriers with NITE HOTEL: “You can try it ‘freewheeling’ from your own couch. If you like it, you’ll visit again, and if you really enjoy it, you’ll come to the theater.”

International reach

International audiences are also easier to reach. At the premiere, 25% of the viewers were from abroad. The business director thinks that NITE HOTEL can also be a platform for international creators. At the same time, this brings new competition. “When the world is your stage, creators from all over the world can also reach your audience more easily,” says Harmen. He mainly sees the advantages: “I think there’s enough global demand and supply to have many more NITE HOTELS.”

Generating income with online content

Many cultural institutions are looking for ways to generate income with their online content. NITE HOTEL used a ‘pay-what-you-want’ principle. All content was freely available. Harmen considers it a legitimate discussion, “When it’s truly art created in that context, I think it’s legitimate to ask for a contribution from the audience.” If performances are specifically developed for the NITE HOTEL platform, he also considers ticket sales.

Another aspect of financing is subsidy contributions. Harmen thinks that digital developments will influence the performance agreements between institutions and the government.

“The task we have as a company and for which we receive subsidies is focused on producing live performances for live audiences. […] I’ve already cautiously suggested to the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science that we need to redefine the definition of what a visitor is. What is a visitor who attends our NITE HOTEL, views art, and discusses it with others? I actually think that’s a full-fledged visitor, and it would be great to have more room for that in the performance agreements. We’ve really entered the next century.”

Digital transformation creates new art forms

Previously, online was mainly a tool for marketing; now, it’s also a place for artistic work. “The magic of live performances will never be matched. In that sense, it’s really a different platform; it’s almost a different art form,” concludes Harmen. “Ultimately, you have to discover a new art form together, somewhere between digital, film, and theater, which is much more interactive and specifically made for the context of an online platform.”