laura crossley: top tips for museums at night clusters

Museums at Night Clusters

Laura CrossleyFreelance Heritage and Audience Development Consultant

Norwich 2010

• Aim: Bring together and collectively promote 5 venues

• Audience: Families and adults• Events: Art, tours, sleepover• Marketing: Flyer, website, venues• Organisation: Venues• Budget: Small

Sheringham 2011

• Aim: Create a partnership between 3 small cultural venues.

• Audience: Families, first-time visitors

• Events: Pirate-themed• Marketing: Poster, venue websites• Organisation: Venues• Budget: Very, very, very small

Cromer, Sheringham and Wells-next-the-Sea 2012

• Aim: Bring together 9 diverse cultural venues; attract first-time local visitors

• Audience: Families• Events: Victorian-themed• Marketing: Leaflet,

website, venues, social media• Organisation: Co-ordinator and venues• Budget: HUGE

Victorian Nights

• Why North Norfolk?• Victorian theme• The benefits of funding• What we achieved:– Lots of visitors, particularly target audience– Future repeat visitors– Income generation– Huge marketing reach– Improved partnerships

Benefits of Clusters

• Improves your offer• Creates a buzz• More opportunities for media

coverage• Reach your target audience• Increased local support for venues• Improved local partnerships• Brings together diverse venues• Great way to pool resources

Challenges of Clusters

• Funding• Sustained funding• Lack of buy-in• Sustaining motivation and focus• Lack of staff resource• Time issues

Tips for Developing a Cracking Cluster

• What’s in it for us?• Don’t just think ‘museum’• Target, target, target• I love themes• Think simple• Is it affordable for our audience?• Beware clashes• Leave enough time• Keep it going!

Questions?

Laura Crossley

Freelance Heritage and Audience Development Consultant

lfcrossley@yahoo.co.uk

www.lauracrossley.com