Audience Development A partnership approach

USUS KonferansenKristiansand 11 May 2011

Contents

Audience Development priorities• Segmentation for audience development• Case studies

– Arts Nation– The Big Picture

• Successful partnerships• Main challenges • Q&A

Audience Development

Two main priorities:• Retention : deepen relationship with

current audiences /customers • Growth : gain new audiences/customers

Audience Development Initiatives = Retention + Growth

How important is it to people?

• In 2001, 8% of the population in Great Britain thought that having access to culture is one of the top five important things that makes somewhere a good place to live

• In 2005 this figure was 15%

Source Ipsos MORI, Base: c.2,000 GB adults in 2001 and 2005

Step by step approach to Audience Development Initiatives

Partnerships formed

Shared aims and targets formulated

Target segments/market identified

Key messages

Activity formulated

Measure and control mechanisms put in place

Step by step approach to Audience Development Initiatives

Partnerships formedShared aims and targets formulated

------Target segments/market identified

Key messagesActivity formulated

Measure and control mechanisms put in place

Market segmentation An established market research technique that breaks down a given market/group of people into distinct consumer ‘types’

• Identifies shared wants and needs• Enables more precise targetting and tailored marketing

communications• Geo – demographic models like Mosaic GB and ACORN

also adopted by arts organisations

“Arts Audiences Insight was commissioned to see if we could identify distinct arts consumer types in England today.”

Arts Audience Insight

“We hope that this would enable us to analyse how the current arts provision in England meets the needs of different groups; where there might be untapped demand for greater engagement with the arts; and how different kinds of arts experiences can be designed and communicated in different ways to appeal to different groups.”

- Caroline Bunting, Head of Research Arts Council England

Arts Audience Insight

Urban arts eclectic 5%

Some engagement

Not currently engaged

Highly engaged

participate onlyattend &

may also participate

Traditional culture vultures 4%

Fun, fashion and friends 18%

Mature explorers 11%

Dinner and a show 20%

Bedroom DJs 3%

Family & community focused 11%

Mid-life hobbyists 4%

Retired arts and crafts 3%

Time-poor dreamers 7%

A quiet pint with the match 8%

Older and home-bound 6%

Limited means, nothing fancy 2%

High Medium Low

Lo

wM

ediu

mH

igh

Level of engagement

Social status

Positioning the segments

Dinner and a show

Retired arts and crafts

Older and home-bound

Time-poor dreamers

Limited means,

nothing fancy

A quiet pint with the match

Fun, fashion and friends

Mature explorers

Family and community

focused

Mid-life hobbyists

Bedroom DJs

Traditional culture vultures

Urban arts

eclectic

Dinner and a Show 20% of English adults

Dinner and a show are comfortable with what they have acquired in life. Having progressed to a relatively high position in their work place and approaching retirement, they have accumulated sufficient wealth to enjoy the fruits of their labour.

Family and Community Focussed 11% of English adults

Typically in their 30s and 40s, with a strong sense of community and family. Having built a comfortable nest with their moderate financial means, the Family and community focused segment’s priorities lie with their children, connecting with the local community and holding on to their cultural roots.

Mid life Hobbyists4% of English adults

In their 30s, 40s and 50s, Mid-life hobbyists are often time pressured, juggling work and family commitments. They tend to spend what free time they have at home, relaxing and spending time with their family, at weekends perhaps gardening, reading, or doing DIY.

Arts Nation West Midlands • Partners:

Large scale arts providers, shopping centres, local authorities

• Aims:Testing new engagement approaches for the three segmentsPrompt attenders to make more visits in a 12 month period

• Segments: Dinner and a Show, Family and Community Focussed and Midlife Hobbyists

www.artsnationwestmidlands.co.uk

Arts Nation West Midlands: Activities

Activities: • Programmed activity included a new festival,

theatre productions, exhibitions about local people and areas

• Marketing tools included treasure trails, competitions, art café in shopping centre, projections on empty shop units

Arts Nation West Midlands: Features• Localised in nature• Local knowledge of partners used through out

the programme• Capacity development of organisations

involved• New commissions for target groups• Emphasis of quality rather than quantity• Key messages delivered through programming

and marketing• Signposting of cultural activities

in the region

The Big Picture

• Partners:Arts providers, local businesses, regional travel company, regional press, shopping centres

• Aims:Engage low socio economic groups in art activitiesNumerical target set

• Segments: C1 to E social grade, i.e. junior managerial to unemployed

inthebigpicture.wordpress.com

The Big Picture

Activities:Workshops at shopping centres, museums and heritage buildingsRoadshows in town centresPhotography exhibitions at galleriesRegional competition with collection points in shops and museumsGuinness Book of World Record for largest photo mosaic

The Big Picture: Features

• Region wide approach• Very accessible artform chosen - photography• Key messages around local pride, common goal,

sharing, showing off creativity• Tiered approach to delivery of activity• Time bound activity with count down to world

record attempt• Emphasis on quantity• Large scale media involvement

Partnerships can be formed of..

• Cultural providers: Building and non building based, heritage organisations• Community groups and artists • Businesses: local and national• Tourism authorities and associated suppliers • Local authorities:Arts and culture, regeneration, community care• National strategic bodies

Partnerships that work

• Shared priorities and common goals• Clear lines of communication• Leadership • Understanding of benefits and shortcomings

of the activity or project• Conflict resolution mechanisms• Respect for differences among partners• Adequate resources

Key challenges

• Finding a common language among partners• Good understanding of roles and

responsibility • Keeping momentum of activities• Sustained involvement of the key decision

makers• Measuring success and impacts• Failed targeting of activities and messages

Vishalakshi Roy

earthen lampv.roy@earthenlamp.com

All images and project content copyright Audiences Central