Thanks for the flowers 22. August 2025

#concert experience design

When appreciation is passed on

At the end of every concert, artists traditionally receive a bouquet of flowers as a sign of gratitude and recognition. But what happens when many of the musicians are on tour and cannot take the flowers with them? In our new Concert Experience Design “Thank you for the flowers!”, we have found a neat solution:

Instead of handing the bouquet to just one person as a symbolic gift, the artists pass on the single flowers from the bouquet to the audience, each with a personal greeting. This creates new encounters and a warm final memory of a special evening.

Encounters and sustainability

This small gesture creates a friendly “last impression” – a moment of closeness and appreciation between artists and audience. At the same time, it promotes sustainability: the flowers are not left lying around and forgotten, but find a new home in the hands of the audience members.

First experiences and tips

Our first prototype, at the concert with Nils Mönkemeyer & Friends in the Kursaal Bad Honnef (300 flowers), showed:

• Depending on the event and capacity, the format works well for audiences of 50 to 300 people and is particularly suitable for smaller venues with short walking routes.

• The flowers should be prepared in bunches that are easy to separate. Preparing them can be time-consuming depending on the quantity, but it is well worth the effort.

• It is advisable to have additional flowers in reserve (one for each person in the audience). These can also be handed out by the team at the exit.

• For the artists, the distribution is an unusual situation, so a good briefing is important.

Looking ahead and possible variants

The format can easily be expanded: for example, with small tags attached to the flowers that invite feedback or point to upcoming concerts. A small lottery with concert vouchers is also conceivable.

We developed this Concert Experience Design as part of the residency program Inside Artists of the Beethovenfest Bonn, funded by the Liz Mohn Foundation – in collaboration with the program team of the renowned classical festival and other artists.