Project Summary

As the competition for leisure time and expenditure intensifies, the performing arts is also facing an increasingly uncertain demand. Competition is increasingly diverse and sophisticated, and marketing of the performing arts must meet this challenge. This development is encouraging a far more comprehensive and systematic approach to the science of performing arts marketing, utilising skills and methodologies already standard in other industries.

Crucial to this development in marketing professionalism is the issue of knowledge and understanding of the variables describing the composition of the marketplace in which performing arts organisations must compete, together with empowering staff with the tools and skills to meet the challenge of this new environment

The Australia Council, Audience Development and Advocacy Division has funded a project headed by Dramatic Improvements Arts Management and Media Consultants and ARTS (Arts Research & Ticketing Services) Australia to lay some foundations to addressing the challenge of advancing the industry knowledge of Australia’s performing arts attendees. The project also aims to equip the management and staff of performing arts centres to employ this knowledge and geodemographic techniques to a greater degree of sophistication in their marketing initiatives.

The project revolves around sourcing and analysing the purchase data contained in box office databases of up to 30 regional performing arts centres across the country. This is a largely untapped rich source of behavioural history (often up to five years) with regards to performing arts consumption and when it is matched to geodemographic data a detailed picture of existing consumers emerges. By unlocking the potential of this information on an industry and individual venue level, venue managements will be more informed regarding the profile (comprising demographic and psychographic variables) of their existing and potential markets to better target penetration and development strategies.

Pioneering work by the Arts Council of England, has ensured that this analytical framework and data has been available to performing arts organisations and venues throughout the UK for over twelve years, we now have the opportunity to apply this sophisticated analysis throughout regional Australia.

The Project involves:

Sourcing and collating data from the computerised ticketing systems of regional performing arts centres around Australia;

Production of geodemographic segmentation analysis of patrons for each of the participating venues;

Generation of attendance and booking pattern analysis for each venue;

Delivery of individual venue marketing analyses for all participating performing arts venues;

Developing a training and information resource for regional performing arts centre managements that will allow them to utilise the information gathered by the Project, and to apply it within their marketing strategies;

Compilation of regional, State and National summaries for industry analysis and advocacy.

The information that is generated will be able to be used directly by a venue for its ongoing marketing strategies and activities, and be aggregated by region, state and on a national level to provide the first ever comprehensive picture of the events and the people who actually attend.

The results of the Project will be published in a variety of formats, including Fact Sheets summarising research results, a comprehensive report for the Australia Council, and online as a web site.

The Project will commence in July 1998, with the first results planned to be available early in 1999.

For further information please contact

David Eedle - Partner, Dramatic Improvements

Telephone (03) 9682 9920
Facsimile (03) 9682 9930
Email david@dramatic.com.au
Web Page http://www.dramatic.com.au

Tim Roberts - Principal, ARTS Australia

Telephone (02) 9356 3777
Facsimile (02) 9356 3776
Email tim.roberts@artsoz.com.au

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This project is conducted in partnership with the Australia Council, the Commonwealth Government's arts funding and advisory body.

Sponsored by Pacific Micromarketing the Asia Pacific licensee for Experian Micromarketing. MOSAIC is jointly developed by Experian and Pacific Micromarketing