INFORMATION FOR VENUES

Background

The Australia Council for the Arts has funded a proposal by David Eedle of Dramatic Improvements and Tim Roberts of ARTS Australia to prepare geodemographic analyses of ticketing databases for around 30 regional APACA performing arts centres. By analysing the consumption information contained in computerised box office systems, the Project will provide a more detailed picture of current performing arts attendees and areas of potential for audience development. The Project involves extracting transaction and patron data and marrying it with external geodemographic information to generate profiles of existing patrons and isolate neighbourhoods under-represented in similar profile segments.

Additionally, the individual analyses will be aggregated by artform, region, state and nationally to provide the first comprehensive picture of performing arts consumers and purchasing behaviour in regional areas throughout Australia.

Fortunately, the majority of APACA venues use Tikex making it simpler to access standardised detailed data. The Tikex database stores a large amount of detailed transaction information, much of which is inaccessible during normal operation.

How will participating venues be selected?

All participating venues must have computerised box office systems, and have been using those systems for at least 12 months.

The Project is not restricted to the TIKEX users, and other computerised systems may be considered. However, this will need to be in consultation with the Project leaders to ensure that the data is accessible and appropriate for the Project.

The final list of participating venues will be drawn up with geographic and demographic considerations taken into account, so that the sample is as representative as possible.

Can non-regional venues participate?

The intention of the Project is to study regional performing arts audiences. However, some metropolitan venues will be included to provide contrast and comparibility.

What does the Project require each venue to do?

Each venue will be required to:

• Supply a backup of the data from their computerised ticketing system. In the case of TIKEX users this is the same backup you do at the end of each day. On one particular day you would be asked to do the backup twice and send one set of disks to the Project Team.
• Pay a contribution of $250 to the Project - please note that this is very heavily subsidised price, courtesy of the Australia Council funding and Pacific Micro Marketing sponsorship, with the true cost per venue for the analysis over $4,000

Is my information confidential?

The Project Team and the Australia Council are very aware of the sensitivity of the information provided by each venue and the importance of the strictest confidentiality. The agreement between the Project Team and the Australia Council contains specific privacy and confidentiality provisions. The Project Team will undertake a a confidentiality agreement with all participating venues guaranteeing the privacy of box office information.

The research results will be aggregated, summarised and published in the form of Fact Sheets and a Project Report. No individual venue will be identified, nor any of this information made public. The individual analysis for each venue will only be distributed confidentially to the venue itself.

When will the results be known?

The Project findings will be made available early in 1999. A series of interim 'Fact Sheets' will be published looking at various aggregations of the research results and a final report will summarise the findings Aggregated results in the form of industry state and national summaries will also be available online on one of the major cultural web sites.

Who is the Project Team?

The Project has been developed by Dramatic Improvements and ARTS Australia, and funded by the Audience Development and Advocacy Division of the Australia Council with sponsorship by Pacific Micro Marketing distributor of MOSAIC geodemographic services throughout Australasia and South East Asia.

David Eedle from Dramatic Improvements is a former regional arts centre manager and past secretary of APACA. Tim Roberts from ARTS Australia has had a long association with APACA venues as specialising in the areas of Market Research, Ticketing and Marketing Databases and is currently convening the an.ticket on @rtsnet.

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

Back to National Research Project Entry Point

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