Audience Development for the Arts

What does Audience Development mean?

Posted: 14/08/2007

Audience development is based on the same principles as marketing, but it is more about increasing the range of audiences not just increasing the numbers of attendees. By understanding and knowing your existing and potential audience, you can develop a relationship with them and communicate effectively with them.

The Scottish Arts Council’s Audience Development Strategy defines audience development in very broad terms:

‘a planned and targeted management process which involves programming, education and marketing (underpinned by research and evaluation) working together to deliver an organisation’s overall objectives. Although crucial to delivering financial objectives, effective marketing and audience development also ensure that arts organisations continue to be relevant to all the different communities of interest they serve.’

Similarly the Arts Council England uses the following definition:

‘The term audience development describes activity which is undertaken specifically to meet the needs of existing and potential audiences and to help arts organisations to develop ongoing relationships with audiences. It can include aspects of marketing, commissioning, programming, education, customer care and distribution.’

‘Audience’ includes attendees, visitors, readers, listeners, viewers, participants, learners and people who purchase works of art.

A few of the key Audience Development organisations are:

Scotland
The Audience Business - Edinburgh
Glasgow Grows Audiences - Glasgow
HI-Arts: Audience Development - Highlands & Islands
Scottish Arts Council : Audience Development - Scotland

England
Audience North East - North East
Smart Audiences - South East
South West Arts Marketing - South West
Arts About Manchester - Manchester
Audience Central - West Midlands
Cultivate - East Midlands
Momentum Arts - East England
Audiences Yorkshire - Yorkshire
SAM - Sussex
Audiences London - London
Arts Council England: Audience Development - England

Wales
Audiences Wales - Wales

Northern Ireland
Audiences Northern Ireland

A few other key Audience Development related organisations are:

Audience Data UK (ADUK)
New Audiences
Ticketing.org.uk

Download Available Attachments:

Aberdeenshire Audience Atlas 2004
New Audiences for the Arts
SAC Audience Development Strategy 2004 - 2007
SAC Area Profile Reports & Catchment Area Analysis
SAC Entitled to Culture
SAC Marketing Planning
SAC Taking Part - Executive Summary
SAC Taking Part - Full Report
SAC Visual Arts Audiences in Scotland
SAC Beyond the Central Belt - Full Report
Market Matters
Marketing and Touring
A Practical Guide to Developing and Managing Websites
Websites - Relating to your users
Websites - Briefing your web developer