Patternmakers 9/8/22 Patternmakers 9/8/22

Patternmakers' Privacy Policy

Privacy is important to us. This page sets out our Privacy Policy.

Introduction

Patternmakers Pty Ltd (ABN 97 627 469 649) respects and upholds your rights under the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) ("Privacy Act"). Patternmakers Pty Ltd also adheres to the Privacy (Market and Social Research) Code 2014 (“Code”). For more information about the Privacy Act, the Australian Privacy Principles and the Code click here.

This Privacy Policy for Patternmakers Pty Ltd (“Patternmakers”) lets you know what personal information of yours we hold, what we do with it, who we will disclose it to and how you can access the personal information we hold about you. You can also find out here how to change inaccurate personal information and how to opt out of receiving communications from us.

What personal information about you does Patternmakers collect and hold?

The information Patternmakers collect could include name, email address, IP address, age, gender, postcode, household income, opinions and feedback in relation to cultural experiences. When providing personal information you have the option of remaining anonymous or to use a pseudonym to be identified by. However, in certain circumstances, such as where we receive your contact details from a third party or where the research data itself may potentially allow for identification, this may not be practicable.

Depending on the nature of the research we conduct, we may also collect sensitive information from you, including country of birth, health and family information. Sensitive information will only be collected with your prior consent, and only if it is directly related to, or reasonably necessary for, the research we conduct. Sensitive information will only be collected in anonymous surveys, so that your information remains confidential.

How does Patternmakers collect and hold your personal information?

Patternmakers will generally collect your personal information directly from you in the course of you participating in our research and/or online surveys. However, we may also from time to time collect personal information about you from third parties, such as supporting partners. If so, we will inform you as soon as practicable of this collection and the circumstances of this collection.

If you are a respondent to a survey, Patternmakers will generally collect your personal information via Checkbox Survey at www.checkbox.com , Web Survey Creator at www.websurveycreator.com or via Alchemer (formerly SurveyGizmo) at www.alchemer.com. The information collected is only for research purposes, and no personally identifiable information will ever be used for marketing.

Checkbox Survey data is stored securely on servers hosted in Australia. You can read more about Checkbox Privacy Policy here: www.checkbox.com/privacy_policy/ and their data hosting in AWS centres here.

Web Survey Creator data is stored securely on servers hosted in Australia. You can read more about Web Survey Creator Privacy Policy here: www.websurveycreator.com/privacy_policy.aspx.

Alchemer survey data is stored securely on servers hosted in the USA. Alchemer is committed to complying with international regulations including GDRP. You can read more about Alchemer’s Privacy Policy here: www.alchemer.com/privacy/.

We may also collect personal information in Sendinblue at www.sendinblue.com and MailChimp at www.mailchimp.com if you opt-in to join our database of research participants or if you subscribe to a newsletter from our website, www.thepatternmakers.com.au.

You can read more about Sendinblue’s Privacy Policy here: https://www.sendinblue.com/legal/privacypolicy/. Sendinblue uphold your privacy rights and comply with privacy regulations under the GDPR.

You can read more about MailChimp’s Privacy Policy here: www.mailchimp.com/legal/privacy/. MailChimp complies with Australian Privacy Law (Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) for its storage of customer data.

If you register to attend a Patternmakers event your information would be collected via EventBrite, www.eventbrite.com.au.

What are the purposes for which Patternmakers use, handle and disclose your personal information?

We will only use and disclose your personal information for the purpose of conducting our research and in accordance with this Privacy Policy. We will not use or disclose your personally identifiable information provided for research for the purpose of advertising, promotions or direct marketing activities. If you declined to participate in our research, there are limited circumstances where we may use your personal information to re-contact you for a research purpose, but only if we have valid reasons to believe a genuine research concern warrants such re-contact. If you have participated in our research, we will only re-contact you if you were informed of this, opt-ed in, or we have valid reasons to believe a genuine research concern warrants such re-contact.

Patternmakers may also collect personal information (name, email address or postal address) when you provide it to receive specific services, such as contracting us to deliver research services, or buying a ticket to an event. This information is stored in secure databases. As a customer of Patternmakers, your email address may be added to a mailing list, as purchasing from us is an indication that you want to hear about our services. However, you can unsubscribe at any time. The information you provide will not be used for any other purpose without your consent. You can choose not to receive such information.

Who will Patternmakers disclose your personal information to?

We will not disclose any personally identifiable research information we collect from you unless we have your express prior consent and will only report the information you provide in an aggregate form that will not personally identify you. We will not disclose any personal information or personally identifiable research information to a third party for a purpose other than conducting our research unless we have your express prior consent or are required to do so by an Australian law or court/tribunal order.

In the course of conducting our research we may rely on third party service providers to host or store the data we collect who are located overseas. The names and locations of those suppliers are:

Checkbox Survey Inc., based in the U.S., data stored on servers hosted in Australia.

Alchemer LLC, based in the U.S.

WolfBrown LLC, based in the U.S.

SendinBlue Inc, based in Europe.

MailChimp, The Rocket Science Group LLC, based in the U.S.

Microsoft, based in the U.S.

We will also take reasonable steps to ensure any service providers (and their employees and contractors) comply with relevant privacy regulations in their jurisdiction, as well as this Privacy Policy.

Openness

You have the right to request access to any personal information we hold about you. You can request this information by contacting the Privacy Officer at the details listed below. Where we hold information that you are entitled to access, we will respond to your request in a reasonable time and endeavour to provide you with a suitable range of choices as to how access is provided (e.g, emailing or mailing it to you). A fee may be charged to cover the cost of retrieval. However this fee will not be excessive and will only apply to the facilitation of your request.

If at any time you believe that personal information we hold about you is incorrect, incomplete or inaccurate, then you may request amendment of it and we will either amend the information or make a record of your comment, as we think appropriate.

Questions and complaints

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or believe that we have at any time failed to keep one of our commitments to you to handle your personal information in the manner required by the Privacy Act, the APPs or the Code, then we ask that you contact us immediately using the following email: info@thepatternmakers.com.au

We will respond and advise whether we agree with your complaint or not. If we do not agree, we will provide reasons. If we do agree, we will advise what (if any) action we consider it appropriate to take in response. If you are still not satisfied after having contacted us and given us a reasonable time to respond, then we suggest that you contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner by:

Phone: 1300 363 992 (local call cost, but calls from mobile and pay phones may incur higher charges). If calling from overseas:+61 2 9284 9749

TTY: 1800 620 241 (this number is dedicated to the hearing impaired only, no voice calls)

TIS: Translating and Interpreting Service: 131 450 (If you don’t speak English or English is your second language and you need assistance and ask for the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner)

Post: GPO Box 2999 Canberra ACT 2601

Fax: +61 2 9284 9666

Email: enquiries@oaic.gov.au

Patternmakers Website

When visiting Patternmakers’ web site, the site server makes a record of the visit and logs the following information for statistical and administrative purposes:

the user’s server address – to consider the users who use the site regularly and tailor the site to their interests and requirements;
the date and time of the visit to the site – this is important for identifying the website’s busy times and ensuring maintenance on the site is conducted outside these periods;
pages accessed and documents downloaded – this indicates to Patternmakers which pages or documents are most important to users and also helps identify important information that may be difficult to find;
duration of the visit – this indicates to us how interesting and informative Patternmakers site is to candidates; the type of browser used – this is important for browser specific coding
In order to optimise Patternmakers web site and better understand it’s usage, we collect the visiting domain name or IP address, Computer Operating System, Browser Type and Screen Resolution

A cookie is a piece of information that an Internet web site sends to your browser when you access information at that site. Cookies are either stored in memory (session cookies) or placed on your hard disk (persistent cookies). The Patternmakers web site does not use persistent cookies. Upon closing your browser the session cookie set by this web site is destroyed and no Personal Information is maintained which might identify you should you visit our web site at a later date.

Be in the loop

Patternmakers 9/8/22 Patternmakers 9/8/22

Privacy Collection Statement and Information for Participants

The Audience Outlook Monitor is being delivered in Australia as a collaboration between arts and culture organisations, and two research organisations, Wolf Brown (USA) and Patternmakers (Aus). This page lets you know what personal information of yours we hold, what we do with it, who we will disclose it to and how you can access the information we hold.

About the study

The Audience Outlook Monitor is designed to help artists and cultural organisations adapt to the needs of audiences, in the context of changing conditions presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is being delivered in Australia as a collaboration between arts and culture organisations, and two research organisations, WolfBrown (USA) and Patternmakers Pty Ltd (Australia, ABN 97 627 469 649).

Patternmakers is a research agency based in Sydney, Australia. It specialises in research related to culture, creativity and community. You can read more about its work here. WolfBrown is an agency based in the USA, which provides market research and consulting support for arts and culture organisations. You can read more about its work here.

The Audience Outlook Monitor is being delivered with support from the Australia Council for the Arts, Creative Victoria, Create NSW, Arts Queensland, Department of the Premier and Cabinet (Arts South Australia), Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) WA and artsACT. It is being delivered in collaboration with arts and culture organisations across Australia, who are deploying the survey with a sample of their audience. The results are then being aggregated to provide a national picture of audiences.

If you have received an invitation to complete the survey, it is because an arts/culture organisation values your perspective and the sector is relying on insight from audiences about attending arts and cultural events. You may have also provided your email address at the completion of an Audience Outlook Monitor survey to opt-in to join the Research Participant Database panel.

Participating in the survey is completely optional, and results will only be viewed in aggregate. Your survey responses will be treated as anonymous and confidential. Below, you can read the privacy collection statement for the study.

Privacy Collection Statement

Introduction

Both WolfBrown and Patternmakers respect and uphold your rights under the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) ("Privacy Act"). As an Australian research organisation, Patternmakers also adheres to the Privacy (Market and Social Research) Code 2014 (“Code”). For more information about the Privacy Act, the Australian Privacy Principles and the Code click here.

This page lets you know what personal information of yours we hold, what we do with it, who we will disclose it to and how you can access the personal information we hold about you. You can also find out here how to change inaccurate personal information and how to opt out of receiving communications from us.

What personal information about you will be collected?

On the first page of the survey, you will be presented with a privacy statement. By clicking ‘Next’ to Start the survey, you are indicating that you acknowledge the statement and consent to this Privacy Policy.

The survey will ask about your views on attending arts and cultural events. To help interpret responses, the survey will also collect some demographic information. It will also ask about your perspective on restrictions related to COVID-19. All demographic and COVID-19 related questions are optional.

This data will be collected and stored offshore via Alchemer (formerly SurveyGizmo) at www.alchemer.com, a well-known survey software platform based in the USA. Alchemer LLC is committed to complying with international regulations including GDPR. You can read more about Alchemers’ Privacy Policy here www.alchemer.com/privacy.

At no point, will Alchemer ask for your name, phone number or email address. However, like many websites, the software does track your IP address.

Please note that at the end of the survey, you will be given the option to go in the draw to win a prize. If you click next, you will be taken to a separate, and secure platform SendinBlue (EU) at www.sendinblue.com, where you will have the option to enter the draw by providing your email address. As your email address will be stored separately from your survey response, your responses will remain anonymous and confidential.

You will also be asked if you are open to participating in further research on this topic, as the researchers, Patternmakers, maintain a Research Participant Database, which you can join to participate in future audience research projects. Communications will be sent to your email via SendinBlue (EU).

SendinBlue (EU) comply with international privacy regulations including GDPR. You can read more about SendinBlue privacy policy here. Your email address will only ever be used for research, and will never be used, or sold, for any other purpose.

What are the purposes for which Patternmakers use, handle and disclose your personal information?

If you have participated in our research, we will only re-contact you if you were informed of this, opt-ed in, or we have valid reasons to believe a genuine research concern warrants such re-contact. You can opt-out or unsubscribe at any time.

Who will Patternmakers disclose your personal information to?

In the course of conducting our research we may rely on third party service providers to host or store the data we collect who are located overseas. The names and locations of those suppliers are:

Alchemer LLC, based in the U.S.

WolfBrown LLC, based in the U.S.

MailChimp, The Rocket Science Group LLC, based in the U.S.

Microsoft, based in the U.S.

Sendinblue Inc, based in Europe.

Openness

Questions and complaints

Phone: 1300 363 992 (local call cost, but calls from mobile and pay phones may incur higher charges). If calling from overseas:+61 2 9284 9749

TTY: 1800 620 241 (this number is dedicated to the hearing impaired only, no voice calls)

Post: GPO Box 2999 Canberra ACT 2601

Fax: +61 2 9284 9666

Email: enquiries@oaic.gov.au

Collection statement for Patternmakers website

When visiting Patternmakers’ web site, the site server makes a record of the visit and logs the following information for statistical and administrative purposes:

the user’s server address – to consider the users who use the site regularly and tailor the site to their interests and requirements;
the date and time of the visit to the site – this is important for identifying the website’s busy times and ensuring maintenance on the site is conducted outside these periods;
pages accessed and documents downloaded – this indicates to Patternmakers which pages or documents are most important to users and also helps identify important information that may be difficult to find;
duration of the visit – this indicates to us how interesting and informative Patternmakers site is to candidates; the type of browser used – this is important for browser specific coding
In order to optimise Patternmakers web site and better understand it’s usage, we collect the visiting domain name or IP address, Computer Operating System, Browser Type and Screen Resolution

Terms and conditions for the Audience Outlook Monitor August 2023 Prize Draw

Eligibility

Entry is open to anyone over 16 who has completed the August 2023 Phase (Phase 9) Audience Outlook Monitor survey.

Employees, immediate family members of employees, and employees of any company associated with the Audience Outlook Monitor are ineligible to enter. This includes the research organisations, supporting partners and participating arts and culture organisations.

Entry

The Promotion commences at 01:00AM AEST 2/8/2023 and entries close at 11:59PM AEST 6/8/2023 (Promotion Period).

To enter, Eligible Entrants must provide their email address at the end of the survey during the Promotion Period. The prize draw is being administered via SendinBlue (EU) at www.sendinblue.com.

Only one entry per person.

Winning and prize conditions

The total value of the prize draw is AUD$1,000. This includes 5 x $200 Mastercard e-gift cards.

The winners will be randomly selected at 12:00pm AEDT on 8/8/2023 at 223 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010.

Winners will be notified by phone/email within two (2) business days of the draw and prizes must be claimed within seven days after notification.

If there are any unclaimed or unwanted prizes within seven days, a subsequent prize draw will be conducted seven days later, at the same time and place as the original draw. Draws will be repeated as needed until a winner accepts the prize.

Patternmakers 22/7/22 Patternmakers 22/7/22

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.

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!

Introducing Gambay: First languages map from First Languages Australia on Vimeo.

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.

About the Author

Melanie Raveendran
Digital Marketing Associate

Categories

Patternmakers 19/7/22 Patternmakers 19/7/22

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!

NYAC Key Messages Feedback

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About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

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

Categories

Patternmakers 11/7/22 Patternmakers 11/7/22

What to expect from audiences this winter

Are audiences jumping at the chance to make up for lost time or are they settling into the winter blues? Let’s find out!

Are audiences jumping at the chance to make up for lost time or are they settling into the winter blues?

Answer: Both?

We’ve been tracking audiences for some time now, and we’re gearing up for a quick Pulse Check in August 2022.

We think it’s time to get a fresh read on audience sentiment, and provide decision-makers around the country with the latest insights.

Yes, partly that’s because in most states/territories around Australia, COVID-cases are on the rise again.

But at this point in the recovery process, confidence is not just about the virus anymore. There’s a whole range of things influencing the market right now, which is why we at Patternmakers are ‘widening the lens’ for the Audience Outlook Monitor.

A major factor influencing audiences and their interactions with the arts and cultural sector is the current economic outlook.

On the one hand, things are looking pretty rosy, and in March we noted spending levels reaching new highs, as audiences flocked back to events after the long lockdowns of 2021.

In the last few months, many Australians have set their travel plans in motion, with nearly 50% having already spent money on travel this year. Out-of-home entertainment spending, such as for major sporting events, concerts, theatre, museums, zoos and theme parks, has also risen above pre-COVID levels as people are embracing a restriction-free return to normalcy.

However - there’s now a lot more competition for audiences - and not all live events are sharing equally in the upswing.

Word on the street is that outdoor festivals are thriving. In Hobart, Dark Mofo’s two-week event in June was 94% of pre-COVID heights. In NSW, Vivid Sydney 2022 set a new attendance record of 2.58 million, a 7.5% rise from 2019.

Meanwhile, ticket sales at indoor ticketed events have been patchy. Sales for the Sydney Writers Festival in May were ‘considerably down’ and many of the sold-out events ended up only being 70-80% of full capacity due to late cancellations and no-shows. Similar scenarios are unfolding at venues around the country - as audiences hesitate about booking, and then hesitate about turning up!

Social anxiety is real. And it’s about to get that little bit harder.

The cost of living is skyrocketing, with the highest inflation rate since 2001 and interest rates on the march.

As everyone empties their splurge account - the economy is looking like it ate too much at the buffet and needs a lie down.

The result is that more people will be feeling nervous, and looking to make lifestyle changes or ‘cut back’ to accommodate financial difficulties. Discretionary spending is usually the first to go as entertainment and recreation take the backseat to make room for essentials such as groceries, petrol and electricity.

And then we have the virus no-one wants to talk about.

If the tension between economic uncertainty and the desire to ‘get back to normal’ weren’t enough to give you whiplash, then the first winter of no COVID restrictions will be.

We’re now facing the third wave, but the difference this time is that we’ll have virtually no restrictions in place to limit the spread. The Chief Health Officers are nervous, and I can see why. After the election put COVID news firmly on the back-burner, few want to bring it back and Reuters reports that there’s also an epidemic of news avoidance to contend with (especially news about COVID-19).

So what does this all mean?

Audience sentiment is fluctuating - not as wildly as in the early days of the pandemic - but we should prepare ourselves for a bumpy winter - especially at ticketed seated indoor events.
COVID-19 is still affecting audience behaviour - even though no-one wants to talk about it - and the pandemic is likely to have a ‘long-tail’.
Relaxed restrictions may actually increase hesitancy among some people - as they can no longer rely on things like mask-wearing requirements at many events.
Economic factors are a big deal - and rising interest rates could start to dampen demand (in fact, the RBA will keep increasing them until it does!).
Competition in the market is going to be fierce in late 2022 and 2023, as we see a backlog of events hit the market, and some big marketing budgets are spent.

In this environment, it’s wise to manage expectations, and be strategic about where we put our efforts

Targeted programming and marketing is vital - and for my money, I think we should all be looking at the volume of activity that makes sense for the times. A regenerative approach that prioritises rest, reflection and recovery is going to put us in the best position long-term.

We’ll release new data in late August that shows how sentiment is changing, among which segments and for what kinds of events, so you can make the best possible decisions - and have evidence-based discussions with your team, board, funders, and audiences!

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

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

Head geek and leader of Patternmakers.

Categories

Patternmakers 28/6/22 Patternmakers 28/6/22

Beyond the Bio: Melanie Raveendran

Meet our Digital Marketing Associate, Melanie Raveendran! Join us as we take a few moments to go beyond the bio and get to know our team's newest addition.

Tell us a bit about your background Melanie!

I recently graduated from UNSW with a Bachelor of Art Theory and Bachelor of Criminology. I decided I wasn’t ready to stop studying so I’m currently working towards a Master of Art Curating at Sydney University. Despite fears about job stability in the arts, there’s nothing else I’d rather do than learn and work within this sector that empowers, inspires and brings value to our communities.

In terms of previous experience, I’ve worked and volunteered for a range of galleries, museums and events across Sydney, including Blacktown Arts Centre, Carriageworks, the 22nd Biennale, Australian National Maritime Museum and, most recently, the Australian Museum. My responsibilities were oriented around visitor engagement and public programming, allowing me a glimpse into the approaches that successfully capture the audience’s attention.

I was also employed as an Election Officer in 2019 for both State and Federal elections, as well as a Census Field Officer in 2021. These methodical, data-driven roles were brief but important opportunities to assist the general public.

What is your role at Patternmakers?

As a Digital Marketing Associate, my role at Patternmakers is to assist the team with their communications efforts, writing, creating and publishing marketing content for various social media platforms, website and EDMs. I was thrilled to join the team and assist Patternmakers with their goal of strengthening the creative industries through research.

What is your favourite type of cultural experience and why?

I love visiting art galleries and exhibitions. Whether big or small, I enjoy immersing myself within the artist or organisation’s curatorial vision, commending (and sometimes critiquing) how they have constructed a particular experience. Even though my academic background is founded in the arts, I’ll never become tired of consuming it.

Favourite city or the most interesting place you’ve visited or travelled?

Such a difficult question! The creative in me savoured every thrilling second of New York City, visiting countless galleries and museums, eating cheap and delicious street food and surfing the subway from one end of the city to the other.

I also loved my visits to my parents’ country of birth, Sri Lanka. It’s always such a privilege to hear about my parents’ and grandparents’ upbringing and an even greater privilege to revisit their villages, previously war-torn but now (mostly) peaceful. This little island is rich in culture and I am blessed to have a tight-knit family and Desi community that celebrates and upholds this culture in Sydney.

What do you do outside of Patternmakers?

Outside of Patternmakers, you’ll find me curating and co-managing The Waiting Room Project, an artist-run initiative that organises monthly exhibitions within the waiting room of the Sydney Sexual Health Centre, aiming to alleviate anxieties within a medical space and prioritise marginalised voices.

In my spare time I love spending time with family and friends, capturing moments on an old film camera and making art.

About the Author

Tandi Williams
Managing Director

Patternmakers’ Founder and Managing Director Tandi Williams is an experienced consultant and arts and culture research specialist.

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Patternmakers 15/6/22 Patternmakers 15/6/22

Fact Sheet: Young People Attendance Outlook

Young people are more confident and active than other audiences — though some barriers to attendance remain.

Download the Young People Fact Sheet to discover the attendance outlook for Gen Z and Millennial audiences and key takeaways for encouraging their attendance in light of the challenges.

Young people are eager to re-connect through cultural events — and there are opportunities to overcome barriers to attendance

Read on to find out how young people are feeling about attending cultural events in 2022:

In March 2022, 9 in 10 audiences under 25 attended an in-person arts or cultural activity in the past fortnight.
Two-thirds (64%) of audiences under 35 are ‘ready to attend whenever permitted’ — higher than audiences generally (59%).
Comments from young audiences reveal that two years of missed opportunities has heightened their appreciation for the arts and many are eager to support artists and cultural organisations in the recovery from the pandemic.
While young people are optimistic about attending, 1 in 3 are inhibited by financial barriers, compared to 17% of audiences generally.

The latest Fact Sheet uncovers the attendance outlook for audiences aged 16-34, as well as suggested strategies for supporting their attendance:

Below you can access the Young People Attendance Outlook Fact Sheet.

If you would like to request any report in an accessible format, please email Holly at holly@thepatternmakers.com.au.

Click the report to download the Young People Attendance Outlook Fact Sheet

Use the dashboard to get results for your artform and region

Survey data from 8,300 respondents has been uploaded to the dashboard, which now contains insights from almost 90,000 Australian participants.

You can use the dashboard to explore the findings by state/territory, artform and audience segment.

It’s freely available to access, just click the image below and use the login details provided on the dashboard page.

About the Audience Outlook Monitor

The Audience Outlook Monitor provides the results of a study that has tracked audience sentiment over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, including how audiences respond to changing restrictions on cultural events.

Data was collected in six phases throughout 2020 and 2021 and is again being tracked in 2022.

Government agencies across Australia are collaborating with research agencies Patternmakers (Sydney) and WolfBrown (USA) to produce this resource. The dashboard is freely accessible and designed to help artists and cultural organisations of all kinds to make the best possible decisions about re-opening.

How to find out more

To receive new releases directly into your inbox, as soon as they are available, you can opt in to receive Audience Outlook Monitor news below.

Subscribers to our regular Culture Insight & Innovation Updates will need to update their preferences to receive all updates about the Audience Outlook Monitor. Just enter your email below and follow the instructions provided.

If you have a question, or an idea for using this data, please contact Patternmakers at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

Subscribe for updates

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

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

Delivery partners

Supporting partners

Past posts on this blog

Patternmakers 26/5/22 Patternmakers 26/5/22

Fact Sheet: Family Attendance Outlook

Explore the findings related to audiences members who re parents and caregivers.

Download the Family Attendance Outlook Fact Sheet.

6 in 10 families are ready to attend arts events with children

Read on to understand confidence levels among parents and strategies to boost confidence for families:

In March 2022, 6 in 10 audience members with children said they attended an in-person arts or cultural activity in the past fortnight.
Parents are demonstrating similar comfort levels to audiences generally, and even more comfortable with hands-on arts experiences than non-parents.
After two years of disruptions, most parents are eager to re-attend arts events and allow their kids to experience an enriching childhood.
Some caution remains, related to lagging vaccination rates among children and having to isolate and miss out on school or work as a result of contracting the virus.
However, 9 in 10 parents are at least ‘somewhat confident’ in the vaccination effort, and this is likely to increase as vaccination rates increase among children.
As cultural organisations look to marketing experiences to families, the Fact Sheet below includes suggestions for boosting confidence and encouraging families to return to events safely.

Below you can access the Family Attendance Outlook Fact Sheet.

If you would like to request any report in an accessible format, please email Holly at holly@thepatternmakers.com.au.

Click the report to download the Family Attendance Outlook Fact Sheet

Use the dashboard to get results for your artform and region

Survey data from 8,300 respondents has been uploaded to the dashboard, which now contains insights from almost 90,000 Australian participants.

You can use the dashboard to explore the findings by state/territory, artform and audience segment.

It’s freely available to access, just click the image below and use the login details provided on the dashboard page.

About the Audience Outlook Monitor

Data was collected in six phases throughout 2020 and 2021 and is again being tracked in 2022.

How to find out more

To receive new releases directly into your inbox, as soon as they are available, you can opt in to receive Audience Outlook Monitor news below.

If you have a question, or an idea for using this data, please contact Patternmakers at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

Subscribe for updates

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

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

Delivery partners

Supporting partners

Past posts on this blog

Patternmakers 3/5/22 Patternmakers 3/5/22

Fact Sheet: Digital Engagement Outlook

Explore the findings related to online participation in arts and culture.

Download the March 2022 Digital Engagement Outlook Fact Sheet, and key facts for state/territories.

Online participation has declined slightly as audiences begin ‘living with COVID’, but 7 in 10 say they’ll continue to engage

Read on to discover how audiences are engaging with online arts and culture experiences - and considerations for digital strategies:

In March 2022, 4 in 10 audience members participated in online arts and cultural activities in the past fortnight.
At a national level, the proportion paying for online experiences in March 2022 (34%) has declined slightly since November 2021 (38%).
4 in 10 are spending $50 or more on digital experiences – providing a steady outlook for marketing digital offerings this year.
Audiences in states/territories affected by 2021 outbreaks continue to be the most likely to be participating online.
Cultural organisations can expect a digital market to endure throughout 2022 and beyond - but competition for audience attention is growing.
There are a range of things to consider when creating, tweaking of revising digital strategies.

In the ‘post-lockdown’ era, three groups persist for creating and marketing digital arts experiences

‘Digital devotees,’ the 26% of audiences who see a substantial role for digital in their lives,
‘Tired of tech’ audiences, the 28% of audiences who see no role at all outside of lockdown periods, and
‘Selective but supportive’ audiences, the 47% who see a small role for digital.

Below you can access the National Fact Sheet and further down, state/territory Key Facts.

If you would like to request any report in an accessible format, please email Holly at holly@thepatternmakers.com.au.

Digital Engagement Outlook March 2022 - Two women sitting at a laptop, smiling and laughing. — Click the report to download the National Digital Engagement Outlook Fact Sheet

Download the state/territory breakdowns

Below you can access the Key Facts for Digital engagement from key states and territories.

Click on the image to download the full Fact Sheet for that state/territory.

Use the dashboard to get results for your artform and region

Survey data from 8,300 respondents has been uploaded to the dashboard, which now contains insights from almost 90,000 Australian participants.

You can use the dashboard to explore the findings by state/territory, artform and audience segment.

It’s freely available to access, just click the image below and use the login details provided on the dashboard page.

About the Audience Outlook Monitor

Data was collected in six phases throughout 2020 and 2021 and is again being tracked in 2022.

How to find out more

To receive new releases directly into your inbox, as soon as they are available, you can opt in to receive Audience Outlook Monitor news below.

If you have a question, or an idea for using this data, please contact Patternmakers at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

Subscribe for updates

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

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

Delivery partners

Supporting partners

Past posts on this blog

Patternmakers 28/4/22 Patternmakers 28/4/22

A manifesto on the power of evidence

Without evidence, we are flying blind. In this post we share the Patternmakers manifesto on the power of evidence.

We believe that the difference between those who are serious about their cause, and those who aren’t, is evidence.

When we take the time to examine the evidence, and rigorously reflect, we see more clearly what we need to do. We understand opportunities with greater clarity, we prioritise more effectively. We prioritise based on what truly matters - not whim. And we build consensus with stakeholders more quickly.

Without evidence, we are flying blind.

I believe that the difference between those who are serious about their cause, and those who aren’t, is evidence.

If we don’t marshall evidence behind our vision, we are missing a trick, because evidence makes everything easier.

It makes our arguments stronger, it proves why we are needed and it makes the case for what we want to do.

When we take the time to examine the evidence, and rigorously reflect, we see more clearly what we need to do.

We understand opportunities with greater clarity, we prioritise more effectively. We prioritise based on what truly matters - not whim.

We create products that aren’t good - they are great. And we know they’re great because we have the evidence.

In fact, having the evidence means it’s not just us with the knowledge we are great, it’s our stakeholders, our funders, our partners and future partners.

In this day and age, it’s not enough to do good work. The story of that work needs to be told to the people that matter.

It needs to be shared, so its influence can spread. So others can learn from us, and so we can make a difference in a bigger way.

Good evidence helps us reduce subjective views of our work.

Mitigate risk.

Build consensus.

If a good idea is tested, examined, piloted, it’s not just a good idea any more, it’s a great cause ready for investment.

Examining evidence is how we keep improving, growing, learning.

It’s how we future-proof our organisations.

If we’re working on something we really believe in, I believe it’s our duty to take it seriously and give ourselves the best chance of success.

Without an evidence base around our work, we’re flying blind.

Taking pot shots in the dark and hoping we hit something.

As we look around the world at the issues we face, it’s clear the stakes are high. Too high to do nothing.

I’m passionate about this because I’ve seen the difference evidence can make (read more about our backstory) and at Patternmakers it’s what we do every day.

I’d love to know what you see as the power of evidence!

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

Head geek and leader of Patternmakers.

Categories

Patternmakers 13/4/22 Patternmakers 13/4/22

March 2022 State/Territory Snapshots

Find out how audiences across Australia are adjusting to ‘living with COVID’.

Download the March 2022 snapshot reports for key states/territories.

Snapshot reports for key states/territories

See how open borders and high case numbers of the Omicron variant has created a ‘new normal’ across Australia’s states and territories, based on data from the March 2022 Audience Outlook Monitor.

Below you can access Snapshot reports for key states and territories, thanks to support from state/territory arts agencies: Creative Victoria, Create NSW, Arts Queensland, Department of the Premier and Cabinet (Arts SA) and Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (WA) and artsACT.

To access state/territory-based findings related to online arts and culture participation, click here.

Download the Snapshots

Navigate and click the images below to access the snapshots for each state.

If you would like to request a state/territory Snapshot in an accessible format, please email Holly at holly@thepatternmakers.com.au.

AOM_March2022_Western Australia_Snapshot_Report_page-0001.jpg

AOM_March2022_South Australia_Snapshot_Report_page-0001.jpg

AOM_March2022_Victoria_Snapshot_Report_pages-to-jpg-0001.jpg

AOM_March2022_New South Wales_Snapshot_Report_page-0001.jpg

Use the dashboard to get results for your artform and region

Survey data from 8,300 respondents has been uploaded to the dashboard, which now contains insights from almost 90,000 Australian participants.

You can use the dashboard to explore the findings by state/territory, artform and audience segment.

It’s freely available to access, just click the image below and use the login details provided on the dashboard page.

About the Audience Outlook Monitor

Data was collected in six phases throughout 2020 and 2021 and is again being tracked in 2022.

How to find out more

To receive new releases directly into your inbox, as soon as they are available, you can opt in to receive Audience Outlook Monitor news below.

If you have a question, or an idea for using this data, please contact Patternmakers at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

Subscribe for updates

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

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

Delivery partners

Supporting partners

Past posts on this blog

Patternmakers 22/3/22 Patternmakers 22/3/22

Key findings: March 2022

March 2022 results from of the Audience Outlook Monitor are now available, covering current attendance and spending levels, the most encouraging COVID safety measures and the outlook for cultural tourism in 2022.

Read about the findings and download the National Snapshot Report.

7 in 10 past attendees are back at cultural events, but half remain concerned about risks

In March 2022, data from 8,383 past attendees of cultural events suggests that attendance levels are increasing again, as we move past the January 2022 peak of the Omicron variant.

6 in 10 (59%) audience members say they are ready to attend cultural events ‘whenever permitted’ (similar to 60% in November 2021) while 4 in 10 have some level of risk-aversion.
Confidence levels are becoming more similar across the country as COVID-19 policies nationalise – rising in states like NSW, ACT and VIC and declining in states with newly-opened borders, like WA.
7 in 10 (70%) audience members say they attended an in-person event recently, the highest level seen since March 2021 (71%), before outbreaks of the Delta variant in the eastern states.
While the majority of audiences have received three shots of a COVID-19 vaccine (87%), attendance continues to be inhibited for many by the risks of transmission (52%) or being a close contact (43%).
Commentary from audience members suggests that concerns remain around transmitting the virus to those at-risk in their community – and 49% identify as being vulnerable to COVID-19 themselves or having someone in their household or network who is.
Some audience segments remain especially cautious, particularly those at risk of a serious health outcome (39% ready to attend) and those with a disability (43% ready to attend).

Download the National Snapshot Report or read on for more of the findings.

If you would like to request the report in an accessible format, please email info@thepatternmakers.com.au.

Vaccine passports remain the preferred COVID-safety measure, while masks still have a role

As the country moves into the next chapter of the pandemic, the data shows that some key COVID-safety measures will continue to play an important role in building confidence.
Most of those attending are satisfied overall with COVID-safety measures applied at recent cultural events they attended (79% satisfied), confirming the view of arts venues as relatively safe spaces.
But with 1 in 10 attendees dissatisfied, and more yet to return, there is a need for care as restrictions ease.
Audiences continue to be most encouraged to attend cultural venues by requiring proof of vaccination at entry (71% encouraged) – while only 46% are encouraged by Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT).
Nationally, around 65% find mask wearing encouraging for audiences aged 12 and over, but they appear to be more encouraging in states/territories where cases are higher than past phases, such as for WA audiences (72% encouraged, up from 38% in November 2021) and SA (70% encouraged, up from 59%).
As national guidelines allow for relaxing of restrictions, and Australians have the opportunity for greater freedom of movement, some audiences will be relying more upon the COVID-safety policies of individual venues to mitigate the risks of transmission.
In terms of the recovery process, some audiences feel strongly that cultural organisations can promote inclusivity and build trust among stakeholders by prioritising safety, and showing understanding and respect for those who are more vulnerable.

Attendances and spending levels are rising, but 70% of those making plans are still staying local

The data shows that audiences are optimistic about attending in 2022, with 4 in 5 (79%) making firm plans to attend an in-person cultural event (up from 74% in November 2021).
In a positive sign for economic recovery, arts audiences are reporting the highest spending levels since the pandemic started, with 63% spending more than $50 in the fortnight prior and 38% spending more than $100.
Shorter booking timeframes are still common across the country and 7 in 10 of those making plans are opting for local events, which are perceived to be less risky, and are seen as a way to support their communities.
Cultural tourism may take more time to recover, and while travel is increasing, audiences are currently four-times more likely to be travelling regionally or within their state to attend events (52%) compared to interstate (13%).
Lifestyle changes are also evident and 12% say their preference for attendance times has changed. There may be a case to review the days and times of events, as more are working from home and some want to avoid transport challenges or busy venues.
The arts continue to be perceived as vital to community recovery, providing an avenue for healing, joy and social connection during challenging times. While some audiences are yet to return, they are firm in wanting to support artists and help cultural activity to flourish in new ways.
Stay tuned for a Digital Engagement Outlook covering audience participation online and the key digital trends to watch in 2022.

Use the dashboard to get results for your artform and region

Survey data from over 8,300 respondents has been uploaded to the dashboard, which now contains insights from over 80,000 Australian participants.

You can use the dashboard to explore the findings by state/territory, artform and audience segment.

It’s freely available to access, just click the image below and use the login details provided on the dashboard page.

About the Audience Outlook Monitor

Data was collected in six phases throughout 2020-2021 and is again being tracked in 2022.

How to find out more

To receive new releases directly into your inbox, as soon as they are available, you can opt in to receive Audience Outlook Monitor news below.

If you have a question, or an idea for using this data, please contact Patternmakers at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

Subscribe for updates

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

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

Delivery partners

Supporting partners

Past posts on this blog

Patternmakers 17/3/22 Patternmakers 17/3/22

Webinar: Live Attendance March 2022

Join Tandi and Andy Donovan, Director of Multi-Year Investment at the Australia Council for the Arts on Wednesday 23 March, as they discuss the latest audience insights from March 2022.

Webinar: Live Attendance Outlook March 2022

Watch Tandi Palmer Williams from Patternmakers and Andy Donovan, Director, Multi-Year Investment at Australia Council for the Arts as they discuss the latest insights related to live attendance in March 2022.

This latest round of data collection was conducted between 9-13 March 2022.

This webinar is live captioned and Auslan interpreted.

About the Audience Outlook Monitor

The Audience Outlook Monitor is tracking how audiences feel about returning to events in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Data was initially collected between 6 and 14 May 2020, forming a baseline against which future changes are being tracked.

How to find out more

To receive news and updates directly into your inbox, as soon as they are available, you can opt in to receive Audience Outlook Monitor news below.

If you have a question, or an idea for using this data, please contact Patternmakers at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

Subscribe for updates

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

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

Delivery partners

Supporting partners

Past posts on this blog

Patternmakers 8/12/21 Patternmakers 8/12/21

Thank you to everyone who participated in 2021

A big thank you to everyone who has been involved in the study in 2021. Thanks to you - the Australian arts sector is staying informed and is able to make decisions based on a robust greater awareness of how audiences are faring.

Read more about what we’ve learned in 2022 and how the data is being used.

As we draw the study to a close for 2021, it’s time for us to say thank you to everyone who participated.

This year, 130 arts and culture organisations around Australia joined forces to survey audiences in a coordinated way. The response has been phenomenal - from audiences, organisations, the media and our supporting partners.

Tens of thousands of respondents shared their views, providing a rich picture of the different perspectives out there. This information is vital in helping the arts sector recover from the pandemic and welcome back audiences in the best way possible.

The data helps refine COVID-safety strategies, guide programming decisions, and helps organisations respond to audience needs and interest. It represents a critical tool in the recovery process.

A big thank you to everyone who has been involved. Thanks to you - the Australian arts sector is staying informed and is able to make decisions based on a robust greater awareness of how audiences are faring.

Every single response is vital and from all of us at Patternmakers and WolfBrown who lead this study - we so appreciate your time and effort.

If you’d like to catch up on the findings from the latest round of data collection, you can scroll down to read the highlights. We’ve also included a selection of feedback from those who are using the data.

You can also join our database of audience members who are open to participating in research in future (read more). Please take care and have a restful break. We’ll look forward to connecting in 2022!

Thank you to those who have shared their feedback with us this year!

Here’s a small selection of some of the feedback we’ve received. If you have feedback to share - positive or negative - please get in touch with our team at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

The research gives such tangible pathways to connect with people deeply.

— Collette Brennan, CEO Abbotsford Convent

The scale of this collaboration makes it one of the most innovative research partnerships ever seen in this field. Aggregating data in this way is mutually beneficial for all parties and gives us an accurate and timely read on audience sentiment – exactly the kind of thinking needed to fuel innovation and realise more of the benefits of arts and creativity for our society during the pandemic.

— Rebecca Mostyn, Director of Research and Knowledge Management, Australia Council

“Your findings and reports are constantly being cited in communications between all levels of government and sector advocacy groups. Speaks highly of your approach and the value to us of having such a strong evidence base to work from.”

— Donna Mayhew, Arts SA

The findings have been reported in a wide range of Australian media outlets

Thank you to the journalists and publications for their reporting. Thanks to you the findings reach a large audience and can help inform public debate.

Audiences are cautiously optimistic as summer approaches, but many uncertainties remain

In November 2021, data from 7,637 past attendees suggests that confidence levels are in a state of flux, as restrictions change around the country.

Compared to the mid-year results, audiences are less likely to be inhibited from attending cultural events by the risk of lockdowns (now 38%) and more likely to be concerned with risks of transmission (51%) or being a close contact (43%).

Confidence in the outbreak-affected states is beginning to recover as lockdowns end and audiences grow accustomed to ‘living with the virus’. 50% say they are ‘ready to attend’, however only 29% have done so in practice, suggesting it will take time to rebuild attendance activity in all areas.

Across the rest of Australia, recent attendance rates are high (74%) though some are anxious about the virus circulating once border restrictions are lifted. Comfort levels could drop slightly in these areas as travel resumes.

With COVID cases trending downwards in late October and early November, most audience members appear cautiously optimistic about attending over summer. 7 in 10 (67%) audience members in the outbreak-affected states/territories of NSW, VIC and ACT have recently made plans to attend a cultural event of some kind. This rises to 8 in 10 audience members (82%) in the rest of the country.

Download the Snapshot Report or live attendance infographic or read on for more of the findings.

If you would like to request the National Report in an accessible format, please email info@thepatternmakers.com.au.

COVID-safety remains paramount, with vaccine passports being top of mind

The results confirm that COVID-safety measures will play a pivotal role in rebuilding attendances, especially at indoor venues, while audiences across Australia grow used to living with the virus.

Audiences continue to be encouraged to attend cultural venues by the presence of safety measures such as check-ins (85%) and proof of vaccination at entry (79%).
In fact, some measures would need to be in place for a majority of audiences to attend. Nationally over half won’t attend many spaces unless proof of vaccination is required, including large theatres and concert halls (63%) and outdoor events (58%).
Audiences in outbreak-affected states are relying on COVID-safety measures more so than those in the rest of Australia – particularly in VIC where the rates of transmission are currently highest.
Audiences in the rest of Australia are slightly more neutral about some safety measures, though this could change once domestic and international borders open, if case numbers increase in those jurisdictions.
As we move towards a scenario of open borders and 90%+ vaccination rates nationally, the proportion who are ‘very comfortable’ to attend will stabilise nationally around 56% for large theatres/concert halls, 62% for museums/galleries and 69% for outdoor venues with fixed seating.

Digital participation has begun to climb again, as cultural organisations grow more proficient with engaging audiences online

After several quarters of declining online participation, digital engagement has increased slightly for all audiences – from 44% in July 2021 to 48% in November 2021.
Audiences in outbreak-affected states are more likely to be participating online (53%) compared to those in the rest of Australia (42%), however participation rates have increased in all jurisdictions.
One form of participation that stands out is online courses and tutorials, with 25% of audiences participating recently (up from 19% in July).
Despite reports of ‘Zoom overload’ by some, overall audiences are now more likely to see a role for digital arts experiences in their lives outside of lockdown (73%) compared to July 2021 (52%).
Audiences can be divided into three groups for the purposes of marketing digital arts experiences: ‘digital devotees,’ the 24% of audiences who see a substantial role for digital in their lives, ‘selective but supportive’ audiences, the 49% who see a small role, and ‘tired of tech’ audiences, the 27% of audiences who see no role at all outside of lockdown.
Many audiences support hybrid models that offer greater flexibility and accessibility as we transition to a ‘COVID-normal’ Australia. When asked if they would attend a digital program in place of a cancelled live event, 33% nationally said they would be likely to attend. This rate increases among disabled audiences (44%) and audiences in outbreak-affected states (36%).
It is clear that digital marketing and online experiences are playing a key role in keeping audiences engaged with arts organisations as uncertainty continues.

Download the online participation infographic.

Local loyalty is on the rise as audiences look for low-risk ways to support the arts

As confidence builds, there are positive signs for audience loyalty programs, with 44% indicating they are at least somewhat likely to purchase a subscription or membership in 2022, compared to the 40% who subscribed in 2021.

As people weigh up the risks of attending, 78% of audiences agree that they’ll be attracted to events in their local area over the next year.

An increasing number of audiences say they will be interested in ‘light-hearted programs’ (44%, up from 34% in July) – with some seeking escapism and uplift after the cumulative impacts of the pandemic.

Use the dashboard to get results for your artform and region

Survey data from over 7,637 respondents has been uploaded to the dashboard, which now contains insights from over 80,000 Australian participants.

You can use the dashboard to explore the findings by state/territory, artform and audience segment.

It’s freely available to access, just click the image below and use the login details provided on the dashboard page.

About the Audience Outlook Monitor

Data was collected in three phases throughout 2020 and is again being tracked in 2021.

How to find out more

To receive new releases directly into your inbox, as soon as they are available, you can opt in to receive Audience Outlook Monitor news below.

If you have a question, or an idea for using this data, please contact Patternmakers at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

Subscribe for updates

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

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

Delivery partners

Supporting partners

Past posts on this blog

Patternmakers 7/12/21 Patternmakers 7/12/21

University of Melbourne Museums & Collections Visitor Research

Patternmakers is working with the University of Melbourne to conduct visitor research.

Patternmakers is pleased to be working with the University of Melbourne to conduct visitor research at its museums and collections.

Information for participants

If you have been invited to participate in the visitor research survey, your involvement is very much appreciated.

Our team of researchers have worked closely with staff at the University of Melbourne to design a survey to hear from visitors directly. Our goal is to understand what people have taken away from visiting the museum and identify ways to continue improving visitor experiences.

We try to make sure our research is fair and equitable by using incentives and thank you gifts. You can read more about our incentive policy here.

Frequently asked questions

What is this research for?

The University of Melbourne’s Museums and Collections wants to know more about its visitors, to understand what they enjoy the most about their experience and how it can make it even better.

This survey is designed to ask you a few questions about your experience, including what worked well, what didn’t work well, and what you think about Museums and Collections in general.

Who is running this survey?

The survey is being administered by the University of Melbourne, in partnership with research agency, Patternmakers. You can read more about them here: https://www.thepatternmakers.com.au/

How old do I have to be to participate?

You need to be at least 16 years old to participate in this survey.

Is the survey compulsory?

No, the survey is not compulsory, but your input will help the University make its museum and galleries experiences even better for visitors.

Are my responses anonymous?

Your responses to the survey are anonymous and confidential. If you wish to enter the survey prize draw after completing the survey, you’ll be asked to enter your email address. This information is collected in a separate database so your personal information will not be linked to your survey responses. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose.

Who has access to my survey responses?

The survey is being administered via an online platform, SparkChart. The University of Melbourne Museums and Collections staff and the Patternmakers research team are the only people who will have access to your survey responses.

I have more questions. Who do I speak to?

If you have any questions about the study, please contact the University of Melbourne’s Museums & Collections at mglover@unimelb.edu.au or the research agency, Patternmakers at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

Prize draw terms and conditions

Below are the terms and conditions for the prize draw for completed questionnaires.

Eligibility

Entry is open to anyone who has completed the University of Melbourne's Museums and Collections Visitor survey in 2022.
Employees, immediate family members of employees, and employees of any company associated with the University of Melbourne are ineligible to enter. This includes Patternmakers as the research organisation partnering with the University of Melbourne and University of Melbourne staff.

Entry

The Promotion commences at 01:00AM AEDT Thursday 7 April 2022 and entries close at 11:59PM AEST Sunday 19 June 2022 (Promotion Period).
To enter, Eligible Entrants must provide their contact details at the end of the survey during the Promotion Period.
Only one entry per person.

Winning and prize conditions

The total value of the prize draw is AUD$249. This includes 1 x pair Apple AirPod wireless earphones.
The winners will be randomly selected at 11:00AM AEST on Tuesday 21 June 2022 at The University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, Parkville, Victoria 3010
Winners will be notified by phone/email within two (2) business days of the draw and prizes must be claimed within seven days after notification.
If there are any unclaimed or unwanted prizes within seven days, a subsequent prize draw will be conducted seven days later, at the same time and place as the original draw. Draws will be repeated as needed until a winner accepts the prize.

Further information:

The prize draw is being administered via an online platform SparkChart, survey software hosted in the USA.

To read the University of Melbourne's Privacy Policy, head to: https://about.unimelb.edu.au/strategy/governance/compliance-obligations/privacy

To stay in touch with the University of Melbourne, head to https://www.unimelb.edu.au/.

For any questions, please contact Margee Glover at mglover@unimelb.edu.au.

Patternmakers 29/11/21 Patternmakers 29/11/21

November 2021 State/Territory Snapshots

Find out how audiences across Australia are responding to the country’s reopening.

Download the November 2021 snapshot reports for key states/territories.

Snapshot reports for key states/territories

Find out how audiences across Australia are responding to the country’s reopening, based on data from the November 2021 Audience Outlook Monitor.

All state/territory snapshot reports will be published in stages, and updates will be made to this page, along with our LinkedIn and Facebook page as they are released. Right now, you can access the reports for Queensland (QLD), Victoria (VIC), South Australia (SA), Western Australia (WA) and New South Wales (NSW) below.

Download the Snapshots

Navigate and click the images below to access the snapshots for each state.

If you would like to request a state/territory Snapshot in an accessible format, please email Holly at holly@thepatternmakers.com.au.

Use the dashboard to get results for your artform and region

Survey data from 7,367 respondents has been uploaded to the dashboard, which now contains insights from over 80,000 Australian participants.

You can use the dashboard to explore the findings by state/territory, artform and audience segment.

It’s freely available to access, just click the image below and use the login details provided on the dashboard page.

About the Audience Outlook Monitor

Data was collected in three phases throughout 2020 and is again being tracked in 2021.

How to find out more

To receive new releases directly into your inbox, as soon as they are available, you can opt in to receive Audience Outlook Monitor news below.

If you have a question, or an idea for using this data, please contact Patternmakers at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

Subscribe for updates

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

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

Delivery partners

Supporting partners

Past posts on this blog

Patternmakers 22/11/21 Patternmakers 22/11/21

Privacy Collection Statement for Dementia Australia Survey Participants

This page lets you know about the Dementia Australia survey and what information of yours we hold, what we do with it, who we will disclose it to and how you can access the personal information we hold about you.

About the study

Dementia Australia is working on improving its websites. They have a number of different websites for different purposes and this research is designed to find out how they could work better in future.

This survey is for people living with dementia, their families and friends, healthcare workers and members of the community. We want to hear from people from all backgrounds.

This survey is being delivered by Dementia Australia’s research partner for this study, Patternmakers Pty Ltd (Australia, ABN 97 627 469 649). Patternmakers is a research agency based in Sydney, Australia. It specialises in research related to culture, creativity and community. You can read more about its work here.

Participating is completely optional. Your survey responses will be anonymous and confidential.

Below, you can read the privacy collection statement for the study.

Privacy collection statement

Introduction

Patternmakers respects and upholds your rights under the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) ("Privacy Act"). As an Australian research organisation, Patternmakers also adheres to the Privacy (Market and Social Research) Code 2014 (“Code”). For more information about the Privacy Act, the Australian Privacy Principles and the Code click here.

The survey will ask about your views on Dementia Australia’s websites. To help interpret responses, the survey will also as you some questions about your demographic and health information, however it will not as for any personally-identifiable information like your name or email address.

Your survey responses will be anonymous.

This anonymous data will be collected and stored offshore via Alchemer (formerly SurveyGizmo) at www.alchemer.com, a well-known survey software platform based in the USA. Alchemer LLC is committed to complying with international regulations including GDPR. You can read more about Alchemers’ Privacy Policy here www.alchemer.com/privacy.

At no point, will Alchemer ask for your name, phone number or email address or any personally identifiable information. Please take care in your written answers that you don’t provide personalised information.

The survey is set up to stop the storage of any type of identifying information like Geodata, IP address, and email invite data.

If the survey is anonymous, how will I enter the prize draw?

At the end of the survey, you will be given the option to go in the draw to win a prize. Running a prize helps us motivate participation and hear from a range of people.

If you choose to enter the draw, and click next, you will be taken to a separate, secure platform called Checkbox Survey at www.checkbox.com, where you will have the option to enter the draw by providing your email address.

Your email address will be stored separately from your survey response, so your survey responses will remain anonymous.

What are the purposes for which Patternmakers use, handle and disclose your personal information?

We will only use and disclose your personal information for the purpose of conducting our research and in accordance with our company’s overall Privacy Policy.

Questions

If you have any questions about this Privacy Collection Statement or our Privacy Policy then we ask that you contact us immediately using the following contact details:

Jodie Bombardier, Operations Manager: info@thepatternmakers.com.au

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Webinar: Audience Outlook for Summer and 2022

Watch Tandi and Annette Madden, Director of Theatre at Australia Council discuss the outlook for the summer and coming year using new data from the Audience Outlook Monitor.

Webinar: Audience Outlook for Summer and 2022

Watch Tandi Palmer Williams from Patternmakers and Annette Madden, Director of Theatre, Australia Council discuss what to expect from live attendance in Summer and 2022.

This webinar is live captioned and Auslan interpreted.

About the Audience Outlook Monitor

The Audience Outlook Monitor is tracking how audiences feel about returning to events in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Data was initially collected between 6 and 14 May 2020, forming a baseline against which future changes are being tracked.

How to find out more

To receive news and updates directly into your inbox, as soon as they are available, you can opt in to receive Audience Outlook Monitor news below.

If you have a question, or an idea for using this data, please contact Patternmakers at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

Subscribe for updates

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

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

Delivery partners

Supporting partners

Past posts on this blog

Patternmakers 17/11/21 Patternmakers 17/11/21

Museum of Australian Democracy (MoAD) Visitor Research

Patternmakers is working with the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House (MoAD) to conduct visitor research.

We are pleased to be working with the Australia Council for the Arts to reach a broader range of young audiences in the March 2022 phase of the Audience Outlook Monitor study. More information about the study in Australia is available here.

Frequently Asked Questions for participating organisations

How many

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Key findings: November 2021

November 2021 results from of the Audience Outlook Monitor are now available, suggesting that audiences are cautiously optimistic as summer approaches.

Read about the findings and download a Snapshot Report.

Audiences are cautiously optimistic as summer approaches, but many uncertainties remain

In November 2021, data from 7,637 past attendees suggests that confidence levels are in a state of flux, as restrictions change around the country.

Download the Snapshot Report or live attendance infographic or read on for more of the findings.

If you would like to request the National Report in an accessible format, please email info@thepatternmakers.com.au.

COVID-safety remains paramount, with vaccine passports being top of mind

The results confirm that COVID-safety measures will play a pivotal role in rebuilding attendances, especially at indoor venues, while audiences across Australia grow used to living with the virus.

Audiences continue to be encouraged to attend cultural venues by the presence of safety measures such as check-ins (85%) and proof of vaccination at entry (79%).
In fact, some measures would need to be in place for a majority of audiences to attend. Nationally over half won’t attend many spaces unless proof of vaccination is required, including large theatres and concert halls (63%) and outdoor events (58%).
Audiences in outbreak-affected states are relying on COVID-safety measures more so than those in the rest of Australia – particularly in VIC where the rates of transmission are currently highest.
Audiences in the rest of Australia are slightly more neutral about some safety measures, though this could change once domestic and international borders open, if case numbers increase in those jurisdictions.
As we move towards a scenario of open borders and 90%+ vaccination rates nationally, the proportion who are ‘very comfortable’ to attend will stabilise nationally around 56% for large theatres/concert halls, 62% for museums/galleries and 69% for outdoor venues with fixed seating.

Digital participation has begun to climb again, as cultural organisations grow more proficient with engaging audiences online

After several quarters of declining online participation, digital engagement has increased slightly for all audiences – from 44% in July 2021 to 48% in November 2021.
Audiences in outbreak-affected states are more likely to be participating online (53%) compared to those in the rest of Australia (42%), however participation rates have increased in all jurisdictions.
One form of participation that stands out is online courses and tutorials, with 25% of audiences participating recently (up from 19% in July).
Despite reports of ‘Zoom overload’ by some, overall audiences are now more likely to see a role for digital arts experiences in their lives outside of lockdown (73%) compared to July 2021 (52%).
Audiences can be divided into three groups for the purposes of marketing digital arts experiences: ‘digital devotees,’ the 24% of audiences who see a substantial role for digital in their lives, ‘selective but supportive’ audiences, the 49% who see a small role, and ‘tired of tech’ audiences, the 27% of audiences who see no role at all outside of lockdown.
Many audiences support hybrid models that offer greater flexibility and accessibility as we transition to a ‘COVID-normal’ Australia. When asked if they would attend a digital program in place of a cancelled live event, 33% nationally said they would be likely to attend. This rate increases among disabled audiences (44%) and audiences in outbreak-affected states (36%).
It is clear that digital marketing and online experiences are playing a key role in keeping audiences engaged with arts organisations as uncertainty continues.

Download the online participation infographic.

Local loyalty is on the rise as audiences look for low-risk ways to support the arts

As confidence builds, there are positive signs for audience loyalty programs, with 44% indicating they are at least somewhat likely to purchase a subscription or membership in 2022, compared to the 40% who subscribed in 2021.

As people weigh up the risks of attending, 78% of audiences agree that they’ll be attracted to events in their local area over the next year.

An increasing number of audiences say they will be interested in ‘light-hearted programs’ (44%, up from 34% in July) – with some seeking escapism and uplift after the cumulative impacts of the pandemic.

Use the dashboard to get results for your artform and region

Survey data from over 7,637 respondents has been uploaded to the dashboard, which now contains insights from over 80,000 Australian participants.

You can use the dashboard to explore the findings by state/territory, artform and audience segment.

It’s freely available to access, just click the image below and use the login details provided on the dashboard page.

About the Audience Outlook Monitor

Data was collected in three phases throughout 2020 and is again being tracked in 2021.

How to find out more

To receive new releases directly into your inbox, as soon as they are available, you can opt in to receive Audience Outlook Monitor news below.

If you have a question, or an idea for using this data, please contact Patternmakers at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

Subscribe for updates

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

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

Delivery partners

Supporting partners

Introduction

What personal information about you does Patternmakers collect and hold?

How does Patternmakers collect and hold your personal information?

What are the purposes for which Patternmakers use, handle and disclose your personal information?

Who will Patternmakers disclose your personal information to?

Openness

Questions and complaints

Patternmakers Website

Be in the loop

About the study

Contents

Privacy Collection Statement

Introduction

What personal information about you will be collected?

What are the purposes for which Patternmakers use, handle and disclose your personal information?

Who will Patternmakers disclose your personal information to?

Openness

Questions and complaints

Collection statement for Patternmakers website

Terms and conditions for the Audience Outlook Monitor August 2023 Prize Draw

Eligibility

Entry

Winning and prize conditions

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

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

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

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

Checklist of actions

About the Author

Categories

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

Why develop a new resource?

What we’re doing

Presentation: Parables of Value: Introducing the NYAC Research Resources

We’d love your feedback!

NYAC Key Messages Feedback

About the Author

Categories

Are audiences jumping at the chance to make up for lost time or are they settling into the winter blues?

A major factor influencing audiences and their interactions with the arts and cultural sector is the current economic outlook.

However - there’s now a lot more competition for audiences - and not all live events are sharing equally in the upswing.

The cost of living is skyrocketing, with the highest inflation rate since 2001 and interest rates on the march.

And then we have the virus no-one wants to talk about.

So what does this all mean?

In this environment, it’s wise to manage expectations, and be strategic about where we put our efforts

About the Author

Categories

Tell us a bit about your background Melanie!

What is your role at Patternmakers?

What is your favourite type of cultural experience and why?

Favourite city or the most interesting place you’ve visited or travelled?

What do you do outside of Patternmakers?

About the Author

Categories

Be in the loop

Young people are eager to re-connect through cultural events — and there are opportunities to overcome barriers to attendance

Click the report to download the Young People Attendance Outlook Fact Sheet

Use the dashboard to get results for your artform and region

About the Audience Outlook Monitor

How to find out more

Subscribe for updates

About the Author

Past posts on this blog

6 in 10 families are ready to attend arts events with children

Click the report to download the Family Attendance Outlook Fact Sheet

Use the dashboard to get results for your artform and region

About the Audience Outlook Monitor

How to find out more

Subscribe for updates

About the Author

Past posts on this blog

Online participation has declined slightly as audiences begin ‘living with COVID’, but 7 in 10 say they’ll continue to engage

In the ‘post-lockdown’ era, three groups persist for creating and marketing digital arts experiences

Click the report to download the National Digital Engagement Outlook Fact Sheet

Download the state/territory breakdowns

Use the dashboard to get results for your artform and region

About the Audience Outlook Monitor

How to find out more

Subscribe for updates

About the Author