overall conclusions & recommendations. participation in the arts research, 2006page 2 arts risk...

Overall Conclusions & Recommendations

Participation in the Arts Research, 2006

ARTS RISK MODEL & OVERALL STRATEGY

Financial Risk

Social Inclusion Risk

Practical Risk

Enjoyment RiskHIG

HES

T R

ISK

LOW

ES

T R

ISK

Arts Lovers Satisfied DisengagedInterested Disinclined

Cost risk occurs where there is enjoyment or social or practical risk involved in participation

e.g. Having the right clothes to wear; Not understanding what everyone is talking about; Being culture specific

e.g. Being able to find food or parking close by; Having to travel further than for local entertainment; Getting wet.

e.g. Unfamiliarity with the genre or the Subject matter – may not like it or companions may not like it

Prepared to accept more risk Prepared to accept less risk

To reiterate: several major areas of risk which impact on the decision to participate and general feelings about the Arts were identified at the Qualitative stage. Across segments these have varying levels of influence.


High Risk

Social

Low Risk

Individual

Disinclined Segment

• Tolerate much lower risk in their entertainment choices.

• Stick with tried and tested options that are popular amongst family and friends.

• Avoid trying new Arts activities as they fear not enjoying them for practical and social reasons.

• Participate in a range of arts events but less frequently than Interested segment.

Opera

Television & Watching sport

Musicals

Comedy Show

Outdoor Arts Festival

Art Exhibitions

Ballet

Theatre

Rock Concerts

Volunteer work

Pub

Museum

Library

Interested Segment

• Tolerate a higher level of risk in their entertainment and activity choices.

• Arts features as a more regular entertainment option.

• Less concerned about cost and more concerned about enjoyment.

• Quantitative research showed that higher arts which have a social context are not participated in to a large degree - more willing to do individual activities that are high risk.

• Perhaps social risk barriers are an issue to tackle in terms of the higher arts for this segment.

Arts participation by segment and risk tolerance….

ARTS RISK MODEL AND THE SEGMENTS

Home and DIY

Book Reading

Talks/Lectures

Attend Classes


OVERALL STRATEGY: General

In all areas investigated, there was considerable overlap between the segments. This was a finding in both qualitative and quantitative stages of the research.

The conclusions that follow draw on the salient differences between the segments, but the reader should bear in mind that the area under discussion is never the domain of one segment exclusively. Please refer to the body of the report to find the relevant data and view graphical comparisons between segments.

We can summarise the Interested and Disinclined segments’ inclination to increase their participation in the arts as follows:

Interested Segment• This segment is both more willing to explore the arts (i.e. tolerate a higher level of risk practically and in

terms of enjoyment, are less concerned about cost but susceptible to social risk with the higher arts) but also more able to participate in the arts (e.g. less likely to have children, possibly have higher disposable incomes). Strategies targeting this segment may provide ‘quick wins’ in terms of increasing participation – the Qualitative work suggested this could certainly be the case amongst the younger group.

Disinclined Segment • This segment are more risk averse in their arts choices and they experience barriers to participation more

strongly. Strategies targeting this segment are likely to require a long term approach to attitudinal and behavioural change.

There are four strategic directions that could be taken to increase participation in the arts that challenge the risks associated with the range of artforms and that draw on findings from both the qualitative and quantitative stages:

1. Promotional2. Attitudinal change3. Demographic based 4. Venue based


STRATEGY 1: Promotional

TARGET: Interested segment – ‘accessible’ artforms/programmingIn terms of the more ‘accessible’ arts e.g. musicals, the visual arts, comedy and more populist or mainstream drama, the immediate aim is to deepen the participation of the Interested segment.

Based on the qualitative findings and what we can infer from patterns of participation, people in this segment are already prepared to overcome and accept the risks associated with more ‘accessible’ artforms.

Approaches to increase participation could include:

• Incentivising

(e.g. special offers, discounts, loyalty schemes, competitions, last minute ticket offers (targeted at the younger of the segment))

• Streamlining arts information sources

(e.g. production and widespread distribution of ‘what’s on’ guide in print and online)

• Streamlining of arts ticketing

(e.g. interlinked ticketing sites/services or develop a universal arts ticketing site)

• Increasing the general visibility of the arts for this segment

(e.g. find out who the interested are and directly contact via email or direct mail – permission marketing)

• Encourage use of the arts as a basis for social interaction

(e.g. encourage friends to email each other with special offers advertised on websites – ‘word of mouse’).


STRATEGY 2: Attitudinal Change Strategies

TARGET: Interested and Disinclined segments – across all artforms

In terms of encouraging the Disinclined to participate in the arts at all and to broaden participation by challenging the barriers experienced by both segments to the higher artforms, the individual risks should be tackled at their base through attitudinal change strategies.

Both artforms and venues can implement localised strategies to address attitudinal issues.

• This may require school or community education programs to increase perceptions of accessibility and inclusivity and reduce risks and barriers to participation

• Or be a case of taking the arts to the community:

• By offering free tickets to the more challenging types of events to remove the cost risk (existing locations)

• By creating community based and delivered arts programming and events (e.g. Brisbane Festival).

A major attitudinal campaign employing proven social marketing techniques and developed at a whole-of-sector or government level may be required to significantly change attitudes to Arts (particularly amongst the Disinclined) in the longer term. This would include:

• A public relations campaign using popular media (for example radio or television ‘magazine’ style programming) that deals not only with the Arts, but a broad range of popular interest.

• Employing high profile spokespersons and advocates for the arts

• A mass media campaign – advertising, Internet, direct marketing


STRATEGY 3: Demographics and Lifestage

TARGET: Interested and Disinclined segments – demographic specificsGENDER: Across both segments the demographic is overwhelmingly female (70%). This presents some

opportunities and challenges. Arts venues, programmers and artists should seek to continue to maximise the support of this female demographic while giving special consideration to attracting a wider male audience.

Possible strategies could include:

• Programming tailored to appeal directly to female audiences (although this is a barrier to male participation)

• Programs/venues that normally attract a high female audience could feature incentives for male participation.

• Programming directed at men and issues likely to appeal to men could be developed.

• Venues and artists could seek to exploit connections with male pastimes, most notably sport.(e.g. co-sponsorship or cross promotional deals could be developed with sporting bodies or clubs or sporting celebrities involved in endorsement, promotion or even as a source of artistic inspiration/development)

LIFE STAGE The Disinclined segment are skewed towards the middle age groups, to have children and for those children to be living at home. The Interested are polarised slightly into younger and older age groups. This might indicate a migratory pattern into and out of segments dictated by lifestage.

• Carefully targeted marketing and programming that appeals to this demographic should increase participation. (e.g. family friendly programs or venues, low cost or no cost programs and programs matched to the life-stage needs of both parents and children)

OCCUPATION The Disinclined are much more likely than the Interested segment to work in blue collar professions.

• This creates opportunities to take both educational or attitudinal change programs and creative programming designed to appeal to this demographic to the workplace. Employers and unions could be involved.


Target: Interested and Disinclined segments – venue specificThe research clearly identified that both segments are responsive to venues that provide a welcoming,

accessible and inclusive experience.

• The barriers to attending venues fell into the following 5 broad categories:

2. Programming awareness or relevance

3. Social Barriers

4. Practical Barriers

5. Enjoyment Barriers

Don’t know about shows/ events; Look but never see anything of interest

Not the sort of person who goes there; None of my friends would go with me; Not child friendly (this can be social or physical)

Difficult to get to/ from venue; Don’t know where it is; Lack of facilities; Expensive; Not child friendly (this can be social or physical)

Staff friendliness; Enjoyed previous show.

1. Venue Awareness Low awareness of venue.

Barrier Attribute(s)

STRATEGY 4: Venue Based


STRATEGY 4: Venue BasedTARGET: Interested and Disinclined segments – venue specific

To tackle different kinds of barriers the individual venues could adopt some of the following strategies:

• Awareness barriers – target the media used by segments to individually promote venues rather than events, so that individual venue ‘brands’ are developed.

• Programming awareness or relevance – Package and deliver information coming from the venues in segment specific, targeted ways.

• The Disinclined may respond better to an Art Gallery or museum if there was an emphasis on child friendly, free activities.

• The Interested may respond better to experiential marketing that promises interactive or social opportunities.

• Social Barriers –

• For Art Galleries - emphasise experiential benefits to attendance, people are intimidated by intellectualism or put off by perceptions of social irrelevance.

• Opening venues up as social centres e.g. promote the use of cafes and restaurants in the vicinity to encourage groups into the area.

• To promote attitudinal change at this level it may be necessary to give away free tickets to regular events to increase the community’s experience of such venues.


• Physical barriers –

• Make people aware of public transport availability, or approximate taxi fares from major suburban centres.

• Emphasise facilities on offer to combat particular barriers and do so at the first point of contact e.g. advertisements, websites, that people may have with a venue or event. The qualitative finding was that people (particularly the Disinclined) will not search for this information.

• Enjoyment barriers –

• Offer groups incentives to come to some of the more perceived inaccessible venues, positive social experiences at a venue may help reduce barriers.

• Encourage staff to talk to attendees and to offer help to apparent newcomers.

• Emphasise the personal and everyday relevance of programming (whether specific event is fun, or the overall experience will be worthwhile) and clarify what will be seen there – respondents mistrusted cryptic advertising.

STRATEGY 4: Venue Based

overall conclusions & recommendations. participation in the arts research, 2006page 2 arts risk...

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