The Audience Development Training Programme led by international audience engagement experts, The Audience Agency, in partnership with Galway Culture Company, kicks off this week on 11th of April. The aim of this programme is for arts, culture and heritage organisations to learn about audience development and to develop the core components of an audience development strategy.
Through a very successful open call, 16 Galway organisations were selected to take part in the programme which will be delivered over 5 sessions. The selected organisations are:
- Architecture at the Edge
- Ardán
- Blue Teapot Theatre Company
- Branar
- Crew Academy West
- Culture Works
- Fíbín sa Taibhdhearc
- Galway Arts Centre
- Galway City Council, Night Time Economy Programme
- Galway Film Fleadh
- Galway Film Society
- Macnas
- Music Generation Galway City
- Music Generation Galway County
- Pálás
- Rise Choir
This training programme is built on the concept of producing an audience development plan based on The Audience Agency’s popular ‘Guide to Audience Development’ and on two European projects – Adeste Plus and Connect.
Featuring five workshops, the programme will be presented as a progressive series that will enable participants to construct an audience development strategy. The workshops will take place between April and June.
Penny Mills, Consultancy Director at The Audience Agency said: “We are delighted to be working on this major project in Galway, with its vibrant arts and cultural scene. We’ll be supporting cultural organisations and creatives to make a step change in how they reach new people and develop an inclusive approach to engaging audiences, partnerships and stakeholders.”
Audience Development has been an integral part of the ambition of the European Capital of Culture and for its legacy.
Marilyn Reddan from the Galway Culture Company said “We hope that this programme through the active participation of the cultural organisations selected through the open call will lead to increased and more diverse public engagement in arts, culture and heritage in the area. Audience development is crucial for the long term sustainability of cultural organisations”.
