CultuurNet Flanders Dag van der Cultuurcommunicatie 2005 working with arts ambassadors

1. CultuurNet FlandersDag van der Cultuurcommunicatie 2005working with arts ambassadors Mel Larsen (nee Jennings) 2005

2. Overview of Presentation • What is an Arts Ambassador? • What do they do? • How effective are they? • 2 key models • 3 mini- case studies • Benefits and challenges • Success strategies

4. what is an arts ambassador? • Community networker • Spreads the word on arts and cultural events • Builds relationships • Part of a target community: can represent views, aspirations • Can be paid or voluntary

5. Talk! (and listen…) • Spread the word Distribute flyers and identify new outlets Act as a PR person in their community Act as Box Office, Sales, FOH: Secure bookings from guests and groups Take payment from bookers Attend performances with 1st-time attenders what exactly do they do?

6. Act as Box Office, Sales, FOH: Secure bookings from guests and groups Take payment from bookers Attend performances with 1st-time attenders Research and explore: carry out research Assess potential touring performances/exhibitions at other venues Set up advisory panels what exactly do they do?

7. Expand and develop: Recruit and train new ambassadors Conduct tours and talks for new groups Find artists from a specific community Build relationships: Develop new partnerships and networks Follow-up customers after a visit to get feedback Encourage return visits what exactly do they do?

8. achievements Ambassador Theatre Group • 8- 10 ambassadors per venue • Account for over 25% of all group visits across ATG regional venues (approx. 35,000 visits per venue per year) • Project is almost self-financing

9. achievements Sheffield Galleries & Museums: Time Out project • 20 ambassadors • Attracted 1,330 visitors, 41% were first-time attenders • Average audience per ambassador: 66

10. when to work with them • Kick start or booster for core campaigns •  When other methods have not worked •  Long-term relationship building required to overcome: competition, audience inertia, misconceptions

11. choosing an approach • Promotion • Audience Development

12. promotion focused approach • Ambassadors function as a promotional tool. • Team of community promotion/sales workers target new attenders and increase attendance. • Ambassador is primarily a sales representative • Feedback and change focuses on the tactical

13. audience development approach • A partnership: Ambassador is a two-way advocate • Context: a wider arts development programme • Integrated range of activities: targeted training, programming, commissioning, services. • Likely to impact the whole organisation. • Must have support/involvement of the CEO

14. which model? • In reality not a sharp division • Promotional tools may be the same • Key difference is Audience Development approach requires: Deeper relationship with the target audience Greater degree of responsiveness (or change)

15. what audiences say “It was lovely to go to the theatre after all these years – I enjoyed every minute” older attender “Having someone to meet you is such a help and a relief.”young attender

16. Poole Arts: Tipping Point • 5 arts organisations: Gallery, Arts Centre, Orchestra, Film Festival, Arts Development Unit. • 14 month project • Budget: £15k

17. Poole Arts: Tipping Point • 100 ambassadors aged 18 - 45 • 70 were women • 80 were new attenders (no previous sales) • 20 were regulars (3+ times a year) • 55 were in full-time work (arts, teaching, marketing, caring)

18. Poole Arts: Tipping Point They got: • Free tickets • 2 for 1 vouchers • Training at fun workshops They gave: • ‘Talking time’ • Attended briefing and training sessions

19. Poole Arts: Tipping Point Achievements • 2,887 attenders • 50% new attenders, 19% occasional attenders. • 10% of Ambassadors created 53% of ticket sales. • Attitude changes of contacts. • 20% of Ambassadors volunteered in other capacities.

20. Poole Arts: Tipping Point Challenges • Dealing with ultra-eager Ambassadors • Saying 'no' to some suggestions • Aligning box office staff with the scheme • Dealing with less effective Ambassadors

21. Arts Ambassadors Unit Manchester

22. Arts Ambassadors Unit (AAU) • Partners: Arts About Manchester and arts venues in Manchester • Targeted: African, Caribbean, South Asian, Chinese audiences • In response to low take-up of ‘mainstream’ provision by these audiences.

23. AAU: what they did… • Employed 42 Ambassadors and workers • Supported the development of 11 new arts projects and commissions, and major season of Black dance • Involved 33 venues and agencies in a variety of ways on the marketing of 112 different Black arts events including 44 participative projects

24. AAU: what they did… • Trained 40 young Black people in arts marketing, facilitated placements • Created database of 7774 people interested in Black arts events • 4 issues of a new cultural magazine profiling 83 (mainly local) artists; Produced 8 hours of radio broadcast

25. AAU: achievements • 31,000 people attended and participated in AAU supported projects over 3 years. • 43% cited ambassadors as their primary influence in deciding to attend • Overall representation of Black audiences increased in the region from 3% to 5%

26. London Symphony OrchestraStudent Ambassadors Scheme

27. London Symphony Orchestra • 2004 season: 41 ambassadors • Students (not all music students) • 488 ticket sales • Most successful ambassador: 84 tickets • Tickets sold via SMS. Cost partly offset by selling ringtones. • See as an investment project: invite new attenders on to higher value attendance

28. "I've found the opportunity a very helpful insight into the workings of an orchestra that you can't appreciate by simply attending concerts or buying CDs". London Symphony Orchestra Ambassador

29. benefits to audiences • Guidance from trusted contacts • Additional, tailored information •  Support at time of visit

30. benefits to arts organisations • Access hard-to-reach communication channels and community networks • Support in developing databases •  Last-minute sale of empty seats

31. benefits to arts organisations • Direct, live targeting and feedback • Speak the language of the target market • Overcome customer cynicism or information overload

32. other benefits • Think of the long-term impact and lifetime value • Not just how many but who • Learning • New ideas • New contacts

33. challenges • Management time • Sole worker/small team burn out/moving on • Accuracy of information, ineffective ambassadors • Lack of organisational ‘buy-in’ • Lack of box office ‘buy-in’ • Can be difficult to monitor

34. remember… • Must have ‘buy-in’ at top level to effect real change • Set clear objectives but be prepared to be flexible when required • Ambassadors are an extension of your organisation and a part of your audience.

35. Success Strategies • Great recruitment • Plan in management and development time • Good communication with all involved • Effective teamwork • Good delivery to the new attenders • Evaluate and take it forward

36. “ Never undervalue the knowledge of your Ambassadors. We couldn’t have done it without them. They were our eyes and ears on the ground, and we relied on them. ”