2019 is the last year of the decade, and in many ways it has felt like a coming of age. It’s now my fifth year in business, having started freelancing as a research consultant in 2016, and I’m finally beginning to feel settled - though the learnings just keep coming!
As a team, we’ve achieved so much, but there is still so much work to do! Arts and cultural organisations are lagging behind other not-for-profit sectors in terms of capturing data about their impact, and our fundraising is not yet delivering the rates of return seen in other sectors.
But there is a lot to feel good about too - and one of my big lessons is to pause more, express gratitude and reflect on how far we’ve come. Here are some of our team’s highlights of the year that was 2019.
Audience Research Toolkit released
After two years in development, involving a needs analysis, data collection, co-design workshops, and user testing, Creative Victoria’s Audience Research Toolkit was launched.
Designed to help the small-to-medium creative arts sector conduct ‘DIY‘ research in-house, we developed the toolkit’s tools, templates and guidance for surveys, focus groups and data analytics.
I spoke with artsHub about the toolkit and how it can help creative arts organisations develop audiences and build engagement.
Visit the toolkit at www.creative.vic.gov.au/toolkit
GENEXT report published
We were delighted to see our research for the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) published as a report, ‘By young people, for young people: A report on the impact of GENEXT at the MCA’.
The research found that by empowering a committee of teenagers to program regular festival-style museum ‘take-overs’, the institution has created a safe space for young people to express themselves. It has also led to audience development: past participants in GENEXT are more likely to attend the MCA, make art themselves, buy works of art and donate to arts organisations.
The research was reported in the Sydney Morning Herald in September.
Speaking about audience development
In August I was thrilled to co-present at Performing Arts Connections in QLD with our client, Rebecca Bennell from The Cube Wodonga. We talked about Actioning Change: converting research to reality in regional venues.
Since working together on an audience development plan in 2017, The Cube has gone on to grow ticket sales, increase membership income and diversify their audience. Rebecca shared what has worked, and what hasn’t, and I spoke about the lessons for audience development.
It’s been a real honour to work in partnership in this way and see what a great team can do with research.
On stage with Rebecca Bennell at PAC
Presenting at Culture 2.0 in St Petersburg
In November I was invited to speak on a panel as a part of the St Petersburg International Cultural Forum. The subject was where the world is heading, and how cultural institutions are innovating in relation to global trends.
It was an honour to be one of the only Australians at the event, but it was challenging too! Speaking to a foreign audience, with live translation in Russian and Chinese, it really put my speaking skills to the test, in a good way!
It also forced me to ‘zoom out’ on our work and put it in the context of global issues. I spoke about how Australian cultural institutions are delivering public value and contributing to topics like climate change, diversity and migration, and youth mental health.
On stage at Culture 2.0 in St Petersburg. Image credit:
Working with a team of legends
One of the highlights of this year, and of my life generally, has been working with a team of super bright, incredibly talented and supportive people.
Our newest team member Bianca Mulet is our rising star, creating sharp insights from all kinds of data. Dr Catherine Davis has brought sociology to our team, which we have all learned so much from, and Jodie Bombardier our Operations Manager connects all the dots behind the scenes to make everything flow!
In 2020, we’re looking forward to having Aurora Nowosad back after her baby break, and farewelling Catherine as she takes on new challenges. It’s such an honour to work with these stars and I’m incredibly grateful for their support and commitment to our vision.
There are many, many more highlights - but I’ll leave it there for this year. The working year is not quite done and there are deadlines to be hit, presents to wrap and sparkling wine to drink!
Over summer, I’ll be sharing some predictions for 2020, and how we can continue working together to grow culture, creativity and community.
See you then!
About the Author
Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director
Patternmakers’ Founder and Managing Director Tandi Palmer Williams is an experienced consultant and arts and culture research specialist.
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