Persuasive Art Experience in the Metaverse: Case of the Finnish Metagallery

Abstract

The metaverse opens new possibilities for digital art and cultural participation, yet the persuasive dynamics of virtual art encounters remain little understood. This study applies the Persuasive Systems Design (PSD) model to analyze audience engagement in the Finnish Metagallery, a virtual exhibition hosted by the Finnish National Gallery in Decentraland. Thirteen interviews were thematically analyzed to examine how PSD features—usefulness and ease of use, liking, tailoring, authority, and social facilitation—shape the art experience. Participants found the gallery accessible and visually appealing, but its value often centered on convenience rather than deep immersion or social presence, and institutional authority raised expectations that were not always met. The findings show how aesthetic experience can act as a persuasive mechanism in metaverse exhibitions, and suggest that persuasive impact in virtual art spaces depends less on technical novelty than on the alignment of aesthetic, experiential, and social design qualities that sustain meaningful engagement.