• Arts
  • Cultural Commons

For 33 years, the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival (SF Shakes) has presented free productions of Shakespeare’s plays in parks in San Francisco and elsewhere. While research demonstrates that free, outdoor arts presentations attract more diverse audiences, SF Shakes has been experimenting with ways of further developing audiences. One such experiment involved adding performances in McLaren Park. In another, a partnership with San Francisco Public Library branches presents short programs. SF Shakes looks to strengthen its marketing and to continue experimenting with audience engagement. It also will invest in new databases to collect and analyze participant data.