Information on Arts Audiences’  work programme for 2012, and some of the projects which it will carry out with the arts sector, is contained in a detailed announcement now available on the Arts Audiences website www.artsaudiences.ie. If you are interested in improving the information and skills you bring to the job of connecting with your audience, then Arts Audiences can help you, by providing information and audience insight, as well as direct training programmes.

The Arts Council, through Arts Audiences, is investing in projects in 2012 to assist and support members of the arts community to develop new skills and tools to connect and engage with existing audiences and create new ones and ensure a long-term sustainable future. Major projects will include:

• Marketing help for touring
• A  new annual marketing
  training programme for  venues and festivals, with partners
• Continuing improvement on levels of
  knowledge and information about audiences for different artforms

This year, Arts Audiences will continue to develop best practice tools and programmes that represent international and national models,  and are made available to Irish arts organisations for free or at
a nominal cost.  Arts Audiences has already carried out extensive training in the areas of touring, marketing, online marketing, cross promotion, customer retention and cultural tourism and regularly publishes valuable demographic and qualitative research on audiences within the arts sector.  In 2011 , Arts Audiences worked with Galway Arts Festival, Chester Beatty Library, The Abbey Theatre,
Riverbank Arts Centre, to help improve their performance. In 2012, we aim to streamline the work programme and make it accessible to many more organizations. Details of targeted programmes will be made over the coming weeks.

The Arts Council has identified the area of audience development as a strategic priority and by integrating the work of Arts Audiences more into The Arts Council’s own activities, the Council will give expression to its prioritisation of this work.

Arts Audiences is a partnership initiative between the Arts Council and Temple Bar Cultural Trust.

For more information click here