culture as tradition and have high cultural and economic capital–; and the aspirants –who interpret culture as class differentiation and have medium cultural and economic capital–.

Several studies have analysed cultural consumption from the perspective of the benefits sought. Haley (1968) and Colbert and Cuadrado (2003) coincide in considering this variable to be a determinant in the decision-making process. Thus, a consumer can pursue benefits such as intellectual pleasure, entertainment, social integration, or learning, among others. Kelly (1987) specified two groups of consumers in the arts sector based on this variable: traditional theatregoers, who have acquired a culturally defined taste through socialization and education; and technological theatregoers, who have received less education oriented towards enjoying highbrow culture and are interested in cultural consumption because they seek to gain status and class differentiation. Later, Cuadrado (1998) grouped the benefits sought by the audiences of cultural activities into three groups: formative, social, and pleasure. The first group is associated with the search for educational ends and personal enrichment values, the second group is related to gaining prestige and social relations, and the third group corresponds to achieving entertainment, fun, enjoyment, and relaxation.

In subsequent studies, this latter author developed another typology that was also based on the benefits sought (Cuadrado, 2000; Cuadrado and Berenguer, 2002). He classified viewers as: aspirants, those who consider theatre activities mainly as a means of personal entertainment and learning –not for social relations–; fans, those who show a more consolidated theatre-going practice with greater attendance at classical music concerts, opera, and ballet; enthusiasts, those who give greater value to the different benefits sought, such as the search for entertainment, intellectual development, and notoriety; and apathetic, those who show apathy toward the performing arts and only seek entertainment. Fans are interested in theatre performances related to their favourite works and artists, and so they mainly attend musical and theatre spaces with a well-known programme. Enthusiasts attend musical productions more, and the apathetics tend to frequent theatres with well-known programmes. Bourdieu (2010) pointed out that the different types of theatres cater to very different audiences, and he differentiated between commercial theatre –with an audience that belongs to the dominant class– and non-commercial theatre –with an audience consisting of what the author calls intellectuals–. In addition, Colbert (2007) showed that classical theatre and classical music produce a feeling of relaxation; musical comedies and popular music provide entertainment; classical and folk dance are stimulating; and opera, experimental theatre, and modern dance contribute to raising the cultural level of the audience.

The growing importance of new technologies in cultural consumption is producing a redefinition of performing arts audiences and greater interest in innovative proposals. Thus, in recent years, the trend towards innovation has become another variable that is often considered. Sellas and Colomer (2009) distinguished between audiences with a classical tendency –fans of consolidated stage languages and formats because they are sure of being able to decode and enjoy them–; audiences with new tendencies –fans of proposals that start from consolidated languages and formats, but seek increasing innovation without changing the interpretative code–; and audiences with an experimental tendency –fans who seek proposals that contain emerging aesthetics and formats and signify a break with the dominant patterns–. Kotler and Scheff (1997), on the other hand, distinguished five profiles based on the time people need to adopt innovations: innovators, who are willing to try out new ideas and take risks; first-time followers, who are opinion leaders in their