The last 12 months have starkly reminded us how much human beings enjoy the act of assembling together in physical spaces to enjoy music, theatre, art and community. But they have also demonstrated that, when used effectively, digital platforms can actually help organisations to reach and engage entirely new audiences. For certain groups, who may be limited by location or disability in where they can physically attend, the surge in digital performances and workshops has even opened a seemingly long locked door. Here's a bit about a few of the projects we're working on to help organisations unlock their digital potential to find new audiences and ways of creating...
Let's Create
Arts Council England’s Let’s Create strategy pinpoints inclusivity, relevance and dynamism as three of its core investment principles. It is clear that organisations being more digitally able will be a crucial element of these strands. We are currently working with several organisations to help them develop their digital strategies, embed digital across their business and ensure their digital priorities align closely with their organisational goals and the wider ACE strategy. Get in touch if you're keen to know how we can support you too.
British Council Digital Collaboration Fund
The Audience Agency is the lead evaluator for the British Council’s Digital Collaboration Fund, an ambitious pilot fund providing grants of up to £50k to organisations in the UK and selected countries overseas to collaborate digitally on international projects. The fund supports organisations to devise new, virtual ways of working that address the challenges of international exchange in light of the climate emergency and the Covid-19 pandemic. There is a huge range of innovative projects, from over 20 countries, which seek to address a myriad of global challenges: elevating underrepresented voices, connecting networks of artists during the pandemic, exploring mental health in young people and finding ways to share art and performance across closed borders. It is already clear there will be some important and ground breaking outcomes to share with the wider cultural sector. You can see the full list of selected projects HERE.
National Lottery Heritage Fund
Katie Moffat and Sophia Woodley are currently mentoring several heritage organisations as part of the Digital Confidence Fund initiative and the Arts Marketing Association’s Digital Lab programme. These initiatives are funded through the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of the Digital Skills for Heritage initiative. Both programmes aim to upskill the heritage sector and develop digital confidence and capability
Towards a National Collection
The Audience Agency is partnering with Towards a National Collection's project responding to challenges faced by smaller museums struggling to engage online with audiences during varying levels of lockdown, and beyond. These problems include low levels of basic digital literacy, poor understanding of audiences, uncertainty over how to transfer real-world interpretive practice to the digital realm, lack of guidance about technical solutions, barriers to future-proofing digital assets in line with the FAIR data principles (data should be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) all while working with shoestring budgets.
Heart of Glass
St Helens based Heart of Glass is a leading collaborative and social arts agency with an outstanding reputation for working with their communities to create memorable experiences, forge new connections and create real change. The Audience Agency recently developed a digital strategy for Heart of Glass to address how digital can help effectively support their areas of focus, namely care, collectivity and place.
