Personality and interest in the visual arts

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between personality and interest in the visual arts in a sample of Moroccan workers. Design/methodology/approach - Data were gathered from 210 respondents to an online survey. Findings - Results indicate that interest in the visual arts is associated with openness and sensation seeking, even after controlling for income and education. Practical implications - This study suggests that to increase consumption of visual arts products or experiences, arts marketers should focus on the personality traits of openness and sensation seeking rather than the demographic variables of income and education. Originality/value - Results extend conclusions about openness and interest in the visual arts to a non-student sample and extend the importance of sensation seeking to visual art interests as opposed to visual art preferences and art judgement. This study also represents the first empirical examination of interest in the arts in Morocco.