Connecting:// arts audiences online

Australia Council for the Arts, June 2011, Australia

The digital era has brought exciting changes to our lives, and certainly to the arts. Our previous research, More than bums on seats: Australian participation in the arts, found that one in three Australians is using the internet to engage with the arts in some way, confirming it as a key opportunity for our sector.
 

With Connecting:// arts audiences online we set out to investigate this further. We wanted to see how arts organisations can use the internet to build audience engagement and drive attendance. We want to understand the role of different online channels in a vast media environment and see where the priorities might lie. Does the internet mean the end of the glossy program or the season brochure? Should art organisations build apps, advertise on Facebook or stream their events online? And what results can be expected from such efforts?

The research results provide an evidence base to enable us to move forward with confidence in this constantly evolving digital era.  It’s exciting to consider the opportunities presented by new tools and platforms, like mobile technology, and to measure audience interest in these. The results provide a sense of what the future might hold.

What is clear is that despite changes in technology the underlying desire that audiences have to connect and engage with the arts has not changed. But the new technology and platforms are making this quicker, easier and more open. Audiences are now connecting directly with artists and event creators, contributing to events, and many are even keen to experience events online.

As a part of our commitment to delivering practical, action-oriented research that creates value for the sector, we designed this national study to be as useful as possible to arts organisations, artists and more. This influenced everything from the scope to the survey design, and our ultimate delivery of the research alongside case studies, the blog and a series of workshops around the country.

We’ve put the audience member at the heart of the study and looked at how they’re using the internet at each stage of their ‘journey’ from first awareness, through to planning their night out, and sharing their experience after an event. We’ve explored a range of attendance opportunities, from gigs at the local pub, to visiting galleries, the opera, experiencing theatre and dance performances, and heading to festivals by the beach. We’ve asked them about websites, social media, videos, email, mobile technology and apps.

Alongside the research, we’ve pulled together some industry experts to show you the latest tools and how to use them. We’ve gathered a range of case studies of arts organisations doing creative new things online – and reaping the rewards. There are many more examples out there – and we’d love to hear about them. I’m confident whatever your situation, you’ll have something to learn from, or share with others on the blog.

As with arts audiences, we’re excited by the opportunities of the digital era and hope to continue engaging with you in this area. In bringing this research to you, we’re testing out what we have learned – and flexing muscles we didn’t know existed. I hope you can join us at a workshop, have your say on the blog, join us in conversation on Facebook or Twitter or visit the research hub and ask us a question.

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