FAQs to Audiences South West

What is the difference between marketing and audience development?

There has been so much confusion over these terms and what they mean. For simplicity we like to use this definition, agreed by Liz Hill et al (Creative Arts Marketing ISBN: 0 7506 2237 7 Heinemann 1998):

Marketing is about size. Audience Development is about range.

Although this doesn’t address the philosophical debate, we think it says it all. The job of marketing – which is a whole-organisation, central management one – is to connect with as many people as possible/necessary to reach your financial objectives and establish your presence. It’s about maximising numbers. Audience development is about connecting with people in the community who have been distanced or excluded from what you offer – or encouraging those who do come to broaden the range of the arts and events they visit.

"In the long term, the task of audience development is one of improving access to the arts for a wide range of people, not just those who are already committed attenders. It requires that the arts are made more accessible in a variety of ways - physically and geographically but also socially and psychologically, breaking down traditional elitism that threatens to devalue the arts for sizeable proportions of the population. To achieve this, arts organisations need to understand people's relationships with the arts and to identify the range of influences on the decision to participate."

What services do Audiences South West offer?

The agency provides support in five main areas:

Training – delivering a range of training opportunities, suitable for all needs and levels of experience

Advice – from free one-to-one surgeries to sharing key strategic information including case studies that showcase best practice in arts marketing

Consultancy – working with arts organisations on specific marketing and audience development needs including branding, research and project management

Data Analysis & Research - auditing and interpreting existing research to give information of real value to practitioners, commissioning new research to back up existing profiling and benchmarking of arts audiences in the region

Audience Development Initiatives - initiating, facilitating and managing pilot audience development initiatives with arts organisations in the South West

Overall the agency’s role is to provide arts organisations and others with the support to improve their own skills and knowledge so that more people are being actively welcomed to experience and participate in arts and cultural activities.

For more details go to How Audiences South West can help you.

Which areas do we cover?

We cover the entire South West region, including:

Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.

What level of free support can you offer?

We offer an hour-long one-to-one meeting or advice surgery to arts organisations, groups or representative of artists’ networks. During your surgery we are happy to talk about any marketing or audience development issue you're currently facing and will offer advice on the next steps to take or where else to go for more information - free of charge. You can also download our free guides from the Hints & Guides page.

10 Things that Cost Nothing

A Short Guide to Marketing

Effective Copywriting

Golden Rules of Media Etiquette

Monitoring and Evaluation Handout

Preparing a Press Release

Strategic Marketing Planning

Audiences South West also has examples of good practice and case studies on file that we'll share with you on request. Fill in the form or email us and tell us what aspect of marketing and audience development you’d like to read more about.

Do I have to come to see you in Bristol?

No, we hold our free advice surgeries around the region every three months. These are available for arts organisations, community groups or representatives of artists’ networks. Click here to request an appointment in the location that’s nearest to you. Training seminars are held in different parts of the region on demand. Go to How Audiences South West can help you for full details.

Can you distribute my leaflets?

No, Audiences South West doesn't operate a distribution service. But if you give us a ring on 0117-927 6936 or 0117-927 6941 we may know who does deliver print in your area.

Do you offer grants?

No, we don't have any funds to distribute. Anyone looking for financial support should start by contacting Arts Council England by either ringing them on 0845-300 6200 (local rate) or emailing them at enquiries@artscouncil.org.uk. You can also try contacting the arts team in your local authority – websites on our links page.

Are you part of Arts Council England, South West?

No, we're an independent organisation, a registered charity with a Board of Trustees.

Do you only help funded organisations?

No. Audiences South West is happy to offer advice and support to ANY arts organisation in the south west, whether or not you receive funding from Arts Council England or your local authority.

Who funds you?

Audiences South West receives an annual revenue grant from Arts Council England, South West which supports the free advice and subsidised training rates we offer as well as investing in our strategic development work. The agency generates income from consultancy work to fund other activities.

If I want more support, where do I go?

Have a look at the links page on this site as there's some website addresses of organisations you might find helpful. If you need one-to-one support we are still able to help. Audiences South West undertakes consultancy work for individual clients and/or groups of clients including marketing audits, research, strategic development, project management and event marketing. Artists and arts organisations in the South West receive extremely favourable rates! And yes, we run focus groups, too. Go to How Audiences South West can help you for full details.

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Intro Welcome We can help Your audience FAQs Hints and guides Mailing list Contact us Links and stuff SWAM was the first agency to work with arts & leisure organisations on a campaign using SMS or text-message marketing. Txtm8 was an initiative aimed at attracting the notoriously difficult 18-24 market in Plymouth by offering a free text information service with updates, offers and last-minute reminders. After seven months: 826 people had signed up to the service – and only 6 people had unsubscribed 53% visited an arts venue for the first time as a result of a text message they received theatres and arts centres had successfully re-positioned themselves in the leisure market alongside clubs and bars in the minds of the target market If you’d like to know more about txtm8 tell us!	Frequently Asked Questions
	What is the difference between marketing and audience development? There has been so much confusion over these terms and what they mean. For simplicity we like to use this definition, agreed by Liz Hill et al (Creative Arts Marketing ISBN: 0 7506 2237 7 Heinemann 1998): Marketing is about size. Audience Development is about range. Although this doesn’t address the philosophical debate, we think it says it all. The job of marketing – which is a whole-organisation, central management one – is to connect with as many people as possible/necessary to reach your financial objectives and establish your presence. It’s about maximising numbers. Audience development is about connecting with people in the community who have been distanced or excluded from what you offer – or encouraging those who do come to broaden the range of the arts and events they visit. "In the long term, the task of audience development is one of improving access to the arts for a wide range of people, not just those who are already committed attenders. It requires that the arts are made more accessible in a variety of ways - physically and geographically but also socially and psychologically, breaking down traditional elitism that threatens to devalue the arts for sizeable proportions of the population. To achieve this, arts organisations need to understand people's relationships with the arts and to identify the range of influences on the decision to participate." What services do Audiences South West offer? The agency provides support in five main areas: Training – delivering a range of training opportunities, suitable for all needs and levels of experience Advice – from free one-to-one surgeries to sharing key strategic information including case studies that showcase best practice in arts marketing Consultancy – working with arts organisations on specific marketing and audience development needs including branding, research and project management Data Analysis & Research - auditing and interpreting existing research to give information of real value to practitioners, commissioning new research to back up existing profiling and benchmarking of arts audiences in the region Audience Development Initiatives - initiating, facilitating and managing pilot audience development initiatives with arts organisations in the South West Overall the agency’s role is to provide arts organisations and others with the support to improve their own skills and knowledge so that more people are being actively welcomed to experience and participate in arts and cultural activities. For more details go to How Audiences South West can help you. Which areas do we cover? We cover the entire South West region, including: Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. What level of free support can you offer? We offer an hour-long one-to-one meeting or advice surgery to arts organisations, groups or representative of artists’ networks. During your surgery we are happy to talk about any marketing or audience development issue you're currently facing and will offer advice on the next steps to take or where else to go for more information - free of charge. You can also download our free guides from the Hints & Guides page. 10 Things that Cost Nothing A Short Guide to Marketing Effective Copywriting Golden Rules of Media Etiquette Monitoring and Evaluation Handout Preparing a Press Release Strategic Marketing Planning Audiences South West also has examples of good practice and case studies on file that we'll share with you on request. Fill in the form or email us and tell us what aspect of marketing and audience development you’d like to read more about. Do I have to come to see you in Bristol? No, we hold our free advice surgeries around the region every three months. These are available for arts organisations, community groups or representatives of artists’ networks. Click here to request an appointment in the location that’s nearest to you. Training seminars are held in different parts of the region on demand. Go to How Audiences South West can help you for full details. Can you distribute my leaflets? No, Audiences South West doesn't operate a distribution service. But if you give us a ring on 0117-927 6936 or 0117-927 6941 we may know who does deliver print in your area. Do you offer grants? No, we don't have any funds to distribute. Anyone looking for financial support should start by contacting Arts Council England by either ringing them on 0845-300 6200 (local rate) or emailing them at enquiries@artscouncil.org.uk. You can also try contacting the arts team in your local authority – websites on our links page. Are you part of Arts Council England, South West? No, we're an independent organisation, a registered charity with a Board of Trustees. Do you only help funded organisations? No. Audiences South West is happy to offer advice and support to ANY arts organisation in the south west, whether or not you receive funding from Arts Council England or your local authority. Who funds you? Audiences South West receives an annual revenue grant from Arts Council England, South West which supports the free advice and subsidised training rates we offer as well as investing in our strategic development work. The agency generates income from consultancy work to fund other activities. If I want more support, where do I go? Have a look at the links page on this site as there's some website addresses of organisations you might find helpful. If you need one-to-one support we are still able to help. Audiences South West undertakes consultancy work for individual clients and/or groups of clients including marketing audits, research, strategic development, project management and event marketing. Artists and arts organisations in the South West receive extremely favourable rates! And yes, we run focus groups, too. Go to How Audiences South West can help you for full details. Top 2002-2008 © Audiences South West. E&OE.

Frequently Asked Questions