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Why we created the Culture Panel, and what it means for Australian culture

Why we created the Culture Panel, and what it offers.

We share the story of the Panel, and how it came to be.

In 2023, we’ve formalised the Culture Panel, as a database of Australians willing to participate in research about culture, creativity and community. It is founded on the belief that when audiences and culture organisations work together, good things happen.

How did it begin?

At Patternmakers, we’ve been working on research dedicated to culture, creative and community sectors for seven years now. In that time, we’ve heard from over 100,000 participants (crazy huh?), gathering their views, experiences and insights to help make Australian culture and communities stronger.

But it was during the pandemic that we realised there was a new way for us to be working…

Why research is valuable for audiences

In the pandemic, it really hit home that many audiences want to see arts and culture thrive in their communities. They’re willing to contribute time and complete surveys. In fact, many people get a buzz out of being asked. They like helping out - and seeing the questions that arts organisations are asking.

Feedback and input from Australian audiences helps artists, cultural organisations and community causes make better decisions. It improves people’s experiences at projects and events, it helps venues improve their accessibility, and it ensures that every Australian has access to quality cultural experiences.

Why the Culture Panel

Initially, we wanted to keep in touch with past respondents, in case further research was needed, or we wanted to dive deeper into a topic.

Our goal was to provide a way for audiences to opt-in to being contacted - and for artists and organisations to have a way to find research participants.

In 2023, we decided to formalise the Culture Panel to make research easier, more transparent and better quality for all involved.

Those who have been following our work might notice that our process for opting in now has a lot more detail, so audiences can make informed decisions about whether they want to participate.

What is it being used for?

Thousands of Australians are already participating in research through the panel, on topics like:

  • How cost-of-living pressures are affecting audiences attendance at events

  • Exhibition ideas at major cultural institutions

  • Barriers to audience participation in digital theatre and performance

  • How performing arts organisations can best connect with potential attendees.

What makes research worthwhile

We’re committed to research that adds value. We’re conscious that the way we approach research is important, and we want the experience to strengthen relationships that audiences have with artists and cultural organisations. This is why we…

  • Keep surveys as short and sweet as possible - ensuring that most people complete them in 10 minutes or less

  • Incentivise participants with generous incentives that reflect the time and expertise shared

  • Share the results of research with people who participated, including what changes are being made as a result of the findings

  • Continually strengthen our systems for data protection and privacy, and minimise storage of personally identifiable information.

Our hopes for the panel are that it provides value to both audiences and cultural organisations, improves Australian cultural research, and ultimately contributes to a more vibrant culture sector in Australia.

If you have questions or suggestions, we’d love to hear from you at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

Haven’t yet joined?

If you attend events like concerts, festivals or exhibitions, and you’re willing to participate in research once in a while, The Culture Panel is for you.

Click the button below to join, and hear about the latest research research opportunities, like surveys or focus groups. As well as the warm, fuzzy feeling of supporting the arts and the satisfaction of having your voice heard, you’ll also be in the running for some great incentives (more on that below!).

Image Credit: Missy Husband, Adelaide Fringe Festival 2023. Courtesy of Adelaide Fringe.

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The Power of Youth Arts

In 2022, the Patternmakers team has been working in collaboration with the Australian Theatre for Young People on a new research resource about the power of youth arts. Find out what we know about young people and the arts, as supported by the research literature. Download the research guide for the full story.

What the research tells us about the benefits of performing arts participation for children and young people.

Image Credit: Tracey Schramm, courtesy of ATYP.

What do we know?

  • As human beings we are drawn to arts and culture - for entertainment, fun, and vibrancy in our lives.

  • But there is growing body of evidence indicating that arts have powerful health, social and educational benefits – for individuals, communities and our society as a whole.

  • The research shows there are important applications across our lifespans: with a role to play in everything from early childhood education, to aged care, to intergenerational bonding.

  • For young people in particular, arts appear to have a special power. However, insights from research are not well known – even among those involved in it on a daily basis.

  • The Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) and Patternmakers identified an opportunity for this evidence to be consolidated and shared – and this publication is the result.

Image Credit: Tracey Schramm, courtesy of ATYP.

5 things we know about young people and arts, supported by the literature:

  1. Youth arts provides a platform for young people to explore important ideas - and boosts civic engagement.

  2. Arts participation provides socio-emotional benefits for young people that can act as protective factors against mental illness.

  3. Arts can be used therapeutically or ‘on prescription’ to fight depression, anxiety, and PTSD in young people.

  4. Arts participation is associated with better educational outcomes for students, including stronger academic performance.

  5. Arts-rich education improves students’ motivation, engagement, attendance, and school enjoyment

Image Credit: Tracey Schramm, courtesy of ATYP.

Why was it created?

  • This document is designed to highlight some of the striking insights that have been gathered through quality research – and real-life examples of the insights in practice.

  • For decades, researchers in Australia and around the world have completed detailed and rigorous work exploring and quantifying the benefits of arts participation.

  • However, the insights are often located within academic journals, conference papers and government websites. We don’t always have the time, resources, or prior knowledge to find it, access it, or understand it.

  • The same applies to the many examples of impact being generated by arts organisations and youth companies making work by, with, and for children and young people. Some of the most exciting stories are not heard by the people that search for them.

Image Credit: Clare Hawley, courtesy of ATYP.

How should it be used?

  • The purpose of this guide is to help you navigate your way around different studies and sources, so you can find what’s relevant to you – whether you’re a policy-maker, stakeholder, arts manager, practitioner, or parent.

  • We hope this guide will be used as a point of connection with the literature. It is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather to highlight what stands out from some of the highest quality, most relevant studies.

  • We hope you will follow the links, read the studies, examine their strengths and limitations, and understand how they relate to you and your work.

  • Ultimately, we want to shine a light on the robust evidence for youth participation in arts – with the hope that young people across Australia will benefit as a result.


Click to download the guide:

Click to download the summary:

Header Image Credit: Brett Boardman, courtesy of ATYP.

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Holly Davison
Senior Research Analyst

 

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What's next in terms of flood recovery for the creative industries?

In 2022, the Patternmakers team has been working on a project to assist with creative industries flood recovery. Here, we share the 5 top areas of need, and 6 recommendations for intervention, to ensure the creative industries flourishes again after the disaster.

In late 2022, the Patternmakers team has been working with Arts Northern Rivers on a project to assist with creative industries flood recovery. Here, we share the 5 top areas of need, and 6 recommendations for intervention, to ensure the creative industries flourish again after the disaster.

The Northern Rivers Creative Industries Recovery Forum was held on 28 and 29 July 2022, five months after severe storms and flooding hit communities across Northern NSW and Southern QLD.

Over 200 artists and arts workers gathered in Lismore, NSW, to connect and discuss the question: ‘What’s next in terms of creative industries recovery?’. We were excited to be in good company with Arts Northern Rivers and Creative Plus Business leading the proceedings.

After two big days following the Open Space methodology, a total of 45 topics were raised and documented in a ‘Book of Proceedings’.

This week, Patternmakers and Arts Northern Rivers are pleased to share our report on the Forum and sector priorities. It is based on an analysis of the Book of Proceedings, a series of interviews following the Forum, and a desktop review of relevant data, including Northern Rivers demographic information, recovery funding information, and the NSW Government’s 2022 Flood Inquiry report.

It summarises the areas of need and makes recommendations for the priority interventions required for recovery of the region’s creative industries.

Areas of need

There are 5 interrelated areas of need in the region’s creative industries following the 2022 floods:

  • REPAIR: Supporting artists and organisations to replace losses and rebuild their practices by ensuring functional and safe studio spaces for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists, in addition to replacing lost equipment and materials, communicating opportunities for assistance and administering mental health first aid.

  • PREPARE: Helping artists and organisations disaster-proof their practice and strengthen resilience by building disaster management capacity, sharing learnings and insights through events and resources, creating new roles to support preparedness and developing flood-proof practices for all art-forms.

  • INFLUENCE: Advocating for the creative industries and ensuring artists are central to recovery by finding creative solutions to ‘build back better’, ensuring Council’s allocate space for creative work, ensuring the creative industries have a strong voice in policy and investment decisions, prioritising diverse voices and improving funding processes. 

  • WORK: Creating opportunities for artists to work, generate earnings and support community recovery including exploring a wide variety of models, facilitating residencies, enabling diverse public art projects to take place, bringing artists together to support one another and harnessing the arts to heal parts of the community in need.

  • THRIVE: Working towards a more equitable, vibrant and newly flourishing arts sector, by stimulating ambitious creative activities like major events and festivals, ensuring there are trajectories for emerging artists, putting First Nations first, increasing the reach of Northern Rivers arts and changing perceptions of regional arts.

Intervention is needed to remove barriers and stimulate the recovery process

Some people and groups have been disproportionately affected, and some face risks and barriers in the recovery process – particularly in the context of the ongoing housing crisis.

Working with Arts Northern Rivers we identified six ecommendations for intervention by peak bodies, government agencies, businesses, and other stakeholders.

1.    SPACE

Many creative spaces were damaged and lack access to space is a major impediment to recovery. Identifying suitable properties, liaising with stakeholders and sourcing funding for spaces is an urgent priority for all artforms and all areas of the region, but particularly in Lismore and for First Nations artists.

2.    CAPACITY

Much has been learned about disaster recovery and a range of new skills are needed. Investing in professional development opportunities and knowledge sharing is vital to spur creative recovery and ensure preparedness.

3.    FUNDING

Loss of economic opportunity is hugely problematic. Funding and partnerships are needed for residencies, commissions and projects. Opportunities are needed for short-, medium- and long-term horizons, from levels of government across a range of portfolio areas, and private sources.

4.    FIRST NATIONS

The region’s First Nations artists and cultural workers have been hit hard, and may not have equal access to space or support. Investing in specific forms of support for the region’s First Nations artists and cultural workers is essential, including Indigenous-led spaces, programs and events.  

5.    ACCESS

Some people and organisations have not been able to access recovery initiatives, due to disability, language barriers and socio-economic disadvantage. It’s important to review and improve accessibility of support for people from all backgrounds and ensure there are specific strategies in place to address inequities.

6.    COMMUNICATION

The disaster has heightened isolation and it’s vital there are ongoing opportunities for the creative industries to connect, share information and exchange ideas related to the recovery process.

Many of these interventions will deliver benefits for the creative industries and the wider community. If designed with care, there is potential to rebuild a sector that is thriving and generates artistic, social and economic benefits across the region and for Australia as a whole.

Get in touch

The issues, needs and opportunities identified in the report are not exhaustive. While an effort has been made to speak to and reflect the perspectives of a broad range of stakeholders and representatives from the Northern Rivers community, the situation is constantly changing. People recover at different rates and new needs will continue to reveal themselves.

If the report has raised any questions, suggestions or ideas, or you’d like to offer your feedback, you can fill out the feedback form here: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7081267/Creative-Industries-Flood-Recovery-Report-Feedback

We’d love to hear from you. This report is the product of conversations and collaborations of artists and arts workers from across the Northern Rivers and beyond. It’s vital that we continue hearing from the voices of those affected, working together to deliver the changes the region needs

Image Credit: Kate Holmes, courtesy of Arts Northern Rivers.

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Tandi Palmer Williams
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Tandi is Founder and Managing Director of Patternmakers. She’s an arts research specialist and leader of the agency’s research projects.

 

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The top 3 demographic trends you need to know in 2022

The 2021 census data is out and is telling a story about a rapidly-changing nation. Here’s what you need to know.

The 2021 census data is out and is telling a story about a rapidly-changing nation.

The results are in - Australia is more culturally diverse than ever, the country’s age profiles are shifting and our First Nations population is growing. 

Below, we share the scoop on the top 3 biggest demographic shifts underway, and how our cultural and community-based sectors can use these insights to engage larger or new audiences.

We finish with a checklist of actions so you can stay ahead of the shift.

Over a million new migrants have arrived in Australia since the last census.

Source: ABS

More than 50% of Australian residents are born overseas or have a parent born overseas, making us the first English-speaking nation to have a migrant majority. Incredible! Plus, as you can see in the chart, there’s an increase in the proportion of migrants from the Global South (eg. Asia and Africa) between 2016 and 2021, while migrants from England, New Zealand and Italy have decreased.

The many faces of Australia mean that we need to represent and redefine the Australian story. We cannot let diversity be just a buzzword to throw around aimlessly.

We have a responsibility, and an opportunity, to embrace and reflect these cultural shifts, whether it be through the people we hire, the programs we invest in or the audiences we strive to serve.

If you’re wondering what your next step is, we love the Creative Equity Toolkit and their action-oriented approach to increasing cultural diversity in the arts. Check out their resources for Audience Development and Marketing to learn more about trust, reciprocity and cultural democracy.

Millennials and Baby Boomers now have equal numbers across the nation, with Millennials overtaking most capital cities.

Young Australians see arts and culture as central to their lives. According to a report by A New Approach, young people believe ‘arts and culture are embedded in and inseparable from everyday life - it is impossible for them to imagine a world without arts and culture as they access these experiences constantly.’ Read their executive summary below for the key findings and opportunities.

Couple these sentiments with Australia’s shifting age profiles and we can see just how worthwhile it is to tailor our approaches and engage these younger audiences. Many organisations have already tapped into the idea that Millennials and younger are in the market for ‘experiences’, such as immersive and participatory installations that are perfect for sharing on social media (*cough* Van Gogh Alive). 

Take a look at our Young People Attendance Outlook to find out how Millennial and Gen Z audiences are currently feeling about cultural events (spoiler: they’re eager!) and the ways we can overcome barriers to attendance. 

And stay tuned for a new research resource on arts and young people in Spring 2022. Patternmakers, in collaboration with ATYP, is working on a series of key messages and infographics, based on rigorous, quality research, as a part of the National Youth Arts Connections program.

The number of people identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander increased by over 25% since the last census.

There are now almost one million Indigenous people in Australia and this rapid increase cannot be accounted for by births alone. What we’re seeing is an identification change - people who previously did not state they are of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin are now choosing to do so. 

There are many reasons why Indigenous people may decide not to state their First Nations identity, ranging from fear of government surveillance to the failure of the census in accurately defining and measuring Indigeneity.

Despite this, people are feeling more comfortable declaring themselves as Indigenous and this is an encouraging development.

The census also revealed that traditional languages remain an important part of Indigenous households - with more than 78,000 people speaking an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander language at home. First Languages Australia developed an excellent ongoing interactive map, titled Gambay, consolidating the first languages across the country with the help of language centres and community members. Search up your own area to learn about the local languages or keep an eye out for voice recordings and videos provided by the Indigenous community. Go forth and explore!

Checklist of actions

Here are some ideas to help your organisation stay ahead of the shifts occurring:

  • Ensure your leadership, executive teams and board are across the data. Schedule a briefing or send around an email. We love how this interactive scrolling tool by ABC News visualises the data.

  • Have a look at how each of these growing demographic segments are represented in your board (and executive team, and staff) and if needed, read more about implementing diversity strategies.

  • Schedule time in the next strategy meeting for a briefing on demographic trends, and brainstorm what the trends can mean for your organisation or community.

  • Identify community organisations, schools, businesses and publications in your community that serve these growing audiences - and explore how you might connect with them or include them in your partnership strategy.

  • Create (or update) your Audience Development Plan to include new strategies to serve culturally diverse communities, younger audiences and the First Nations population. Check out this guide by The Audience Agency to get started.

  • To be effective and sustainable, audience development should be woven into the fabric of your organisation. The Creative Equity Toolkit signposts a checklist to assess your capacity for successful audience development (page 135).

There’ll be more census updates to come, as the ABS releases new data.

Cover image: Pintupi Women’s Collaborative, Kanaputa, 2010. Obtained from National Gallery of Victoria.

Subscribe below for updates - or get in touch with us for any questions or suggestions via info@thepatternmakers.com.au.

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Melanie Raveendran
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Introducing new research resources on art and young people

Watch Tandi Palmer Williams from Patternmakers present for the FUSE Youth Arts Summit as she discusses the National Youth Arts Connections Program - a new research resource in development with ATYP.

What if more people knew about the benefits of the arts for children and young people?

That is the question we’re asking as we develop a new research resource for the National Youth Arts Connections program. The resource will share a set of key messages about the value of the arts for young people - backed up with quality, relevant research.

It emerged from conversations about the need for stronger connections, advocacy, and discussion with governments and funders about what youth performing arts programs can deliver.

Read on to find out what exactly we’re doing, why, and how you can contribute to fulfilling its potential. We’d love your help!

Why develop a new resource?

There’s a growing body of evidence about the value of the arts for children and young people, but much of it is not well known. It’s buried in journals, conference papers and websites all over the country, and the world.

It’s not always in language that the average person can understand, or in a format that can be used and shared.

Many arts workers in the youth arts sector lack the time and resources to read journal articles or engage in research and/or advocacy.

What we’re doing

As a part of the National Youth Arts Connections program, supported by the Ian Potter Foundation, ATYP and Patternmakers identified an opportunity for the knowledge base to be consolidated and shared.

The goal of the project is to curate, design and share a set of evidence-based key messages - i.e. statements about youth arts that can be backed up with infographic, research citations, case studies, and links to further resources.

Presentation: Parables of Value: Introducing the NYAC Research Resources

Watch Tandi Palmer Williams from Patternmakers present for the FUSE Youth Arts Summit as she discusses the new research resource, in development with ATYP.

She provides an overview of some of the challenges and limitations, and calls for input and feedback to strengthen the draft messages.

For your convenience, you can download the presentation slides here.

We’d love your feedback!

Please take a few moments to answer the questions below about NYAC Key Messages. With your help, we can make this resource as useful as possible for all involved.

Thanks to all of those involved so far, including the Australian Theatre for Young People and stakeholders in the National Youth Arts Connections program.

Stay tuned for the final resource in September 2022!

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Tandi Palmer Williams
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Tandi is Founder and Managing Director of Patternmakers. She’s an arts research specialist and leader of the agency’s research projects.

 

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Digital arts experiences to enjoy from home

With arts venues, events and festivals being cancelled or postponed for the foreseeable future, it’s a good time to start exploring the offerings online.

Here are a list of great quality digital arts resources you can consume from home, including arts education resources for families.

With arts venues, events and festivals being cancelled or postponed for the foreseeable future, it’s a good time to start exploring the offerings online.

Here are a list of great quality digital arts resources you can consume from home, including arts education resources for families.

Many of these are completely made available for free or at low-cost to the user, so if you love something, you might consider making a donation to help out artists and arts organisations at this time.

For kids and families

Author talks and workshops

  • In the next fortnight, the Sydney Opera House will be streaming live digital workshops such as Staging Stories and the Story Factory workshop.

    For any parents wanting to give their kids some quality arts education at home, all of the SOH digital education resources are available online with teacher notes.

  • Storyline Online has a collection of favourite kids books read by famous people, like Arnie the Doughnut read by Chris O’Dowd.

Digital art apps for kids

There are some amazing art apps designed especially for kids by some of the world’s most iconic cultural institutions.

  • As part of the Kennedy Center Education Artist-in-Residence at Home, Mo Willems invites you into his studio every day for his LUNCH DOODLE. Learners worldwide can draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing by visiting Mo’s studio virtually once a day for the next few weeks.

  • Tate Kids has art making games, quizzes and videos that will make parents want to play too!

  • NGAkids interactives offer an entertaining and informative introduction to art and art history, from the US National Gallery of Art. There are a variety of computer-based activities and things to do at home.

  • Artsology helps kids learn to appreciate the arts by providing them with the opportunity to play games, conduct investigations, and explore different forms of art.

  • Kids Think Design explores careers in fashion design, graphic design, interior design, book design, product design, film and theatre, architecture, animation, and environmental design.

Virtual museum experiences

  • From the Sydney Opera House’s Digital Education team, families can access LIVE digital tours from home this week, such as the Guwanyi Walama tour of the Aboriginal history of the site.  

  • The British Museum, located in the heart of London, allows virtual visitors to tour the Great Court and discover the ancient Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies.

  • The San Diego Zoo has a website just for kids with amazing videos, activities, and games.

  • You can also tour Yellowstone National Park, and explore the surface of Mars on the Curiosity Rover.

For adults

Virtual art exhibitions and talks

  • The NGV is sharing daily content and inspiration using the hashtag #NGVEveryDay. You can also visit the NGV website for virtual exhibition tours and talks, and explore NGV Channel for videos, essays and interviews. They’ll be sending frequent updates in their e-newsletter, with lots more content to follow and activities for kids and families especially for school holidays.

  • For those unable to proceed with travel plans, the Google Arts and Culture app, available on iOS and Android (and web), is like Google Street View for galleries and places of cultural interest. It allows the user to explore highlights or entire floors of institutions like MoMA New York, Uffizi Gallery, Florence and The State Hermintage Museum in Russia.

Virtual orchestras

  • The Berliner Philharmoniker can be enjoyed from your TV, computer, tablet or smartphone thanks to the Digital Concert Hall. Each season, around 40 concerts are broadcasted live in HD and there are hundreds of recordings, numerous interviews, Education Programme films. Redeem the voucher code BERLINPHIL by 31 March and receive free access to all concerts and films in the Digital Concert Hall.

Courses

With thanks to all those who have contributed suggestions, including the Sydney Opera House, NGV.

We’d also like to credit other pages and posts where we have sourced this list from, including Jules Buckland on Facebook.

If you have items to add to this list, email us at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

Cover illustration by Rose Blake is from Meet the Artist: Andy Warhol published by Tate at https://www.tate.org.uk/kids/make/paint-draw/make-pop-art-warhol

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