When your audience is also part of the crew

A photo of a village hall with tables of people sitting down
12 Mar 2020

Working with rural communities to stage small-scale performances is good for the arts, the environment and local people, writes Sophie Motley.

'New artists' don't have to be young

A photo of women and men holding pom-poms
12 Mar 2020

The arts sector must do more to include older people, not only as consumers but also as creators of culture, says Stella Duffy.

ACE warned of ‘structural problems’ with strategy

11 Mar 2020

Advocates hope the funder’s upcoming delivery plan will address concerns its strategy does not support communities’ involvement in decision making.

'Overambitious' about placemaking? We've only just started...

05 Mar 2020

The Great Place Scheme demonstrates how projects flourish when official bodies allow them freedom from pre-determined outcomes, says Jill Cole.

How community engagement can change your life

A photo of people dancing and a woman reading from a sheet
05 Mar 2020

We can only change our local communities if we’re willing to change ourselves, says Carol Jones.

ArtsProfessional meets… Nicholas Serota

Photo of Nicholas Serota
27 Feb 2020

Lottery funding, low pay, and that boat…Amanda Parker meets the Arts Council England Chair and architect of the UK’s engagement with art.

What we've learned from car parks about boosting attendance

An overhead photo of people in an art gallery
27 Feb 2020

A flexible pricing experiment caused the Weserburg Museum of Modern Art's visitor numbers to soar while maintaining steady income levels, reports Tom Schoessler.

Wales’ new arts portfolio: expect unpopular decisions

A photo of a boy and a girl painting a small item
27 Feb 2020

Not everyone can be a winner in Arts Council of Wales’ drive to share the benefits of culture more widely, says Nick Capaldi.

Digital technology isn’t improving audience outreach

20 Feb 2020

New research says that “when it comes to reaching more diverse and younger audiences … digital may be having less of an impact now than when the study began in 2013”.

A tale of two regions? Engaging arts audiences in the West Midlands

A photo of band performing on a brightly lit stage
13 Feb 2020

Striking differences between urban and rural areas make a strong case for a dual regional policy, argue Anne Torreggiani and Zoe Papiernik-Bloor.

Please don’t turn our libraries into trendy arts hubs

A photo of three men playing in a band
30 Jan 2020

ACE is right to focus on libraries in its new strategy, says Hassan Vawda – but it must put communities at the heart of its plans to revive them.

Who's afraid of contemporary art?

'Snow White: Reimagined' performed by Collective31
23 Jan 2020

If we think of contemporary art as only suitable for experienced audiences, we are missing huge opportunities to inspire newcomers, says Naomi Wright.

Why great customer service isn't enough

A photo of a man and a woman laughing in an auditorium
16 Jan 2020

It’s time we all started thinking of ourselves as experience makers. Lasting memories and positive emotions can be created at every point of contact with audiences, writes Lucy Costelloe.

Arts professionals recognised in New Year honours

A photo of Elton John
02 Jan 2020

The former Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet and former Managing Director of Edinburgh International Festival are among those who received awards.

Crisis or opportunity?

13 Dec 2019

Arts and culture will need to prove their worth to other sectors if they are to survive under a Conservative government.

Bonding with the Bard: how Shakespeare brought East Londoners closer together

28 Nov 2019

Can theatres really forge deep and meaningful connections with their local communities across age, class and ethnicity? Douglas Rintoul explains how Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch has done just that.

Row over using the word ‘art’ in Arts Council England draft strategy

A picture of painting materials
19 Nov 2019

London arts leaders were told the word is “divisive” but wanted it included anyway.

What do we really know about audience privilege?

A photo of a ballet performance
18 Nov 2019

Research suggests that people living in ‘more deprived’ areas are less likely to engage with cultural activity. But is that true across the board, or are there different patterns between – and within – different art forms? Mark Taylor digs deep to find out. 

Can you quantify class?

A picture of four people's hands holding mobile devices
14 Nov 2019

Asking questions about someone’s social class may feel uncomfortable, but people are less sensitive than you might think. Maya Sharma and Dan Cowley explain why it’s important to tackle the subject head on – and how to go about it.

Changing the narrative in East Leeds

A photo of the Chapel FM building in a former church
14 Nov 2019

It’s been five years since Heads Together opened Chapel FM in East Leeds. Linda Strudwick looks at what can be achieved from running an arts centre in the middle of a disadvantaged community.

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