HI-Arts is pleased to announce a range of practical audience development tools and training for cultural organisations across the Highlands and Islands to develop their audiences in the run up to and during Highland 2007, the year Scotland celebrates Highland culture.

The key aims of the project are as follows:

• To raise the skills, ambitions and confidence of events promoters in audience development
• To encourage best practice in evidence-based and strategic marketing planning
• To assist events and venue promoters in reaching new and tourist audiences, thus expanding audiences
• To increase access to cultural and events information for audiences
• As a result, to increase access to, and attendance at, cultural events and venues and thereby maintain viable event promoting venues and festivals at a local level

It is recognised that the type of marketing training, resources and assistance that is appropriate will differ depending on the nature of the event promoter.  For instance, a large-scale, core-funded arts venue with Box Office will have very different requirements to a small-scale voluntary festival organiser.

Therefore, for the purposes of the ADCB project, arts and heritage promoters will be divided into four main groupings, with each group receiving a tailored menu of audience development training and practical tools to suit their needs.
 

A range of audience development training, consultancy, practical tools and services, will be offered to each of these groups*.  Click here for details of the ADCB project groupings.

*Priority will be given to arts and heritage groups and organisations working within the Highlands and Islands, and in receipt of Highland 2007 funding.  However, Highland 2007 funding is not necessary for participation in the project.

Project Staff

Marcus Wilson

Marcus Wilson is HI-Arts' Audience Development Coordinator, and has worked with the cultural sector of the Highlands and Islands since 2000.  Marcus has practical experience working in both marketing departments and Box Offices of a range of arts venues, and has delivered arts marketing consultancy for a number of arts organisations throughout the region from Shetland to Mull.  marcus@hi-arts.co.uk
 

Stuart Brownlee

Stuart joins the ADCB project, having had a vast amount of previous experience working with the region's promoters during the Promoters Arts Network's Audience Development project over the past few years.  Stuart has also worked as consultant on a range of cultural projects with his own consultancy firm, sbworks.  He is currently the Marketing & Information Co-ordinator for the Highlands & Islands Theatre Network (HITN).  stuart@hi-arts.co.uk
 

Heather Maitland

Heather is an arts consultant, and Research Associate of the Centre for Cultural Policy Studies at University of Warwick.  She has worked for a range of arts organisations: from the smallest of touring companies to running the London end of the Royal Shakespeare Company's marketing operation.  She worked on audience development as head of two of England’s audience development agencies, and has written seven books on arts marketing.  She is Director of the Theatrical Management Association’s marketing courses in the Republic of Ireland and in Scotland, and has been a tutor at Druidstone for ten years (four as Director).  She particularly enjoys working with small and voluntary organisations to help them find practical and sustainable ways to get more visitors, audiences and participants.