Who, Where and why?
Q: Why the change?
A: Up until now audience development provision in the North West has been fairly inconsistent and imbalanced. Arts About Manchester (AAM) provided support to Greater Manchester organisations, TEAM covered Merseyside, and the Audience Alliance (a joint initiative between AAM, TEAM and ACENW) provided audience development provision across Cumbria, Lancashire and to a lesser extent Cheshire. Since the unfortunate collapse of TEAM in 2007 Merseyside was left without an agency. Arts About Manchester and LARC worked together to temporary plug this gap, but Arts Council England, other agency bodies, as well as arts and cultural organisations in the region, felt a more sustainable and permanent solution was needed. Furthermore, the Audience Alliance had limited resource and capacity, and it was felt a more robust solution would be beneficial in those areas. Conversation soon began around the idea of a regional agency and Arts About Manchester were keen to be central to the planning process.
Having already established an identity beyond Greater Manchester, through the Audience Alliance, LARC partnership, and other NW projects and activities, Arts About Manchester was in the perfect position to take on this wider North West role. They had an excellent reputation locally, regionally and nationally, and had developed the skills, knowledge and expertise needed to extend their remit.
The regional model that All About Audiences has adopted has been working well across the rest of the UK for some time, and the North West was one of only a few areas still working at a sub-region level. All About Audiences is part of Network, the umberella body for the UK’s Audience Development agencies, and will continue to work closely with, and learn from, the other agencies across the country.
For obvious reasons it was felt that it was not appropriate for Arts About Manchester to expand under it’s existing identity and brand, so working with stakeholders, partners and clients, and alongside Hemisphere Design & Marketing Consultants a new name and brand was created for the new regional agency.
Following an extensive period of consultation with peers, partners and potential subscribers, Arts About Manchester was able to identify the needs and demands of the region’s sector. The agency was subsequently able to tweak and tailor its offer to reflect the requirements of the wider region and a new subscription model, with new benefits and services have been implemented.
Q: How relevant is it to me/us outside Manchester?
A: All About Audiences is relevant to any professional organisation in the North West with an interest in arts, culture or heritage and a commitment to developing audiences.
Despite originally operating as a Greater Manchester organisation, we have been working beyond the city-region for some time. We’ve worked on research and evaluation projects in Cheshire and Lancashire, worked in partnership with LARC delivering audience development in Merseyside, and we founded the Audience Alliance which worked across Cumbria, Lancashire and Cheshire. We have built networks, partnerships and contacts throughout these areas, and have developed excellent knowledge and understanding of the attributes and needs of these different sub-region. As All About Audiences we will be working equally across each of the sub-regions, helping organisations see the bigger, regional picture and work more collaboratively with one another.
We took the time to ask arts, heritage and cultural organisations in the region what they wanted, needed and expected from a regional audience development agency. We have therefore made sure our offer reflects the outcomes of this consultation.
Q: How are you going to prove you are not Manchester –centric?
A: We have been working beyond the Greater Manchester sub-region for sometime. As All About Audiences we are committed to working equally across the region, making sure our projects, services and activities are relevant in all areas.
From drop-in days to consultancy surgeries, we will be out and about regularly, ensuring we have a physical presence throughout the region. We understand the importance of face to face contact and of experiencing the organisations and areas we are working with and in firsthand.
Q: How will you serve the whole North West from Manchester? Are any staff based permanently or part of the week in each sub-region?
A: Although our base will be in Manchester many staff members will work remotely. The Client Services Mangers, for example, will spend most of their time working out of the office, hot-desking at various locations across the region. Other staff members will also work out and about when required.
Our events programme will serve the whole region with five sub-regional industry seminars a year, a regional annual conference, plus regional forums and masterclasses.
The Client Services team will provide regular contact with subscribers via weekly drop-in days out in the region, one-to-one account meetings and regular calls to subscribers. Each subscriber will be ‘account managed’ by one of the Business Development & Client Services team.
Our CRM solution will ensure we maintain regular contact with all our subscribers and partners, and operate to a high level of customer service. Subscribers will also receive regular e-newsletter updates and articles/resources on the website will be categorized by sub-region to ensure you can filter out items relevant to you.
Q: What are the criteria for becoming a subscriber?
A: Any professional organisation with an active interest in arts, culture or heritage and a commitment to audience development can subscribe to All About Audiences.
Q: I am an artist based in Cumbria and I want more people to buy my work. Can I join All About Audiences?
A: All About Audiences is primarily and audience development agency for arts, heritage and cultural organisations, rather than individual artsists. There may be some services we can provide you with, but there are various other support, umbrella and advisory bodies that will be better equipped to help you.
So what’s the difference?
Q: What new services do you provide?
A: Some of All About Audiences’ services are similar to those provided by Arts About Manchester. We will still be offering a range of research and audience development services, but these will now have a more regional focus. Many of the subscription benefits are new to All About Audiences, e.g. the Annual Conference, Masterclasses, Gap Analysis, drop-in days, the online Knowledge Bank etc. Our marketing services will remain focused around Greater Manchester and the immediate surroundings.
Full details of our services can be viewed in the Services section of the website.
Q: Arts About Manchester was a membership organisation. What’s the difference between a member and a subscriber?
A: There are several differences between subscription and a membership:
• A subscriber is able to self-select the package they feel is most appropriate for them, whereas members were assigned a fixed fee based on their annual turnover, marketing budget and visitor numbers.
• A subscriber can subsidise their core benefits with additional paid for services depending on their needs at the time, whereas members were given a fixed package of benefits including a certain value of services, which was not in response to needs.
• Subscription is open to any professional organisation with a vested interest in arts, culture and/or heritage and a commitment to audience development. Membership was limited to presenting arts organisations receiving core revenue funding from existing arts/heritage/local authority partners.
• Subscription is based on an organisation’s need, priorities and aspirations, whereas membership is based on size and turnover.
• Subscription is flexible, accessible and cost effective, whereas membership was relatively inflexible and often expensive.
Q: How will you meet the needs of both large, high profile urban organisations AND small, rural organisations?
A: During our time as Arts About Manchester we built up a lot of experience working with a wide range of arts, cultural and heritage organisations, ranging in size, remit, location and outlook. We bring this experience with us to All About Audiences.
Q: When can I start talking to you about projects?
A: You can talk to us about projects at any time. Have a look at the Projects section of the website for information on current and past projects. If you have an idea for a new project contact Catherine Bradley, Deputy Head of Evidence & Engagement.
Q: Can we talk to you about funding opportunities?
A: All About Audiences doesn’t offer funding directly. We can offer limited advice on funding opportunities, but other industry bodies may be better placed to help you.
Q: What’s your relationship with Arts Council? Has it changed?
A: Arts Council England North West is a key stakeholder and partner of All About Audiences. We receive regular Arts Council funding and have also been awarded additional support through the Grants for the Arts programme to assist our transition to become the regional audience development agency. ACENW also support some of our audience development projects, and work closely with us on various other activities and initiatives.
Support and benefits
Q: Why should I join if I can access your services as a non-subscriber?
A: Although many of our services are available to non-subscribers, it’s our subscribers that will fully benefit from ongoing support. As a subscriber you will have access to core benefits, including consultancy surgeries, drop-in days, regular contact with your account manager, access to forums and networking events, access to online resources and intelligence, and discounts on our services.
Q: How much does it cost for…?
• Subscription
A: subscription to All About Audiences costs between £300-£1250 (+VAT). The cost varies depending on what level of support you are looking for. We also offer an ‘Information Only’ level of subscription aimed at individuals or those just wanting access to our network and information resources, costing £150 (+VAT). For more information on the different subscription bands and associated benefits visit the Join Us section of the website
• An area profile report
A: An area profile report costs £25 (+VAT). Regularly funded organisations are entitled to free reports and local authorities within England can have three free reports per year. For more information visit the Research Services section of the website.
• Bespoke research/audience development consultancy
A: Bespoke consultancy is charged at a daily rate. The cost depends on the type of consultancy you require, but rates range from £350-450/day.
• Arts Audiences: Insight/ACORN profiling
A: ACORN profiling is priced at £500 (+VAT) for one dataset and Arts Audiences: Insight profiling is £200 (+VAT) for up to 3 datasets. There is an extra charge for datasets with more than 65,000 records.
• Box Office Data Analysis
A: This is bespoke and can incorporate profiling and mapping so fluctuates considerably depending on what is required.
• Print distribution
A: The cost of print distribution varies depending on where you want to send your print, its size/thickness and the quantity. Discounts are available to subscribing organisations. For more information visit the Marketing Services section of the website.
• Inclusion in an e-Newsletter / bespoke e-Broadcast
A: The cost of listing an event in one of our themed e-Newsletters ranges from £70-115 (+VAT). The cost of an e-Broadcast varies depending on the number of recipients. A broadcast contains only your message and is sent to a targeted list of recipients. The cost is therefore usually higher than that of a newsletter. For more information visit the Marketing Services section of the website.
• Listings on www.goseethis.com
A: Contact B Hunter, Digital Services Manager for more information about subscribing to the Go See This portal.
Q: Do you have any free services (we have no money)?
A: If you cannot afford to subscribe to All About Audiences you may still be able to access some of our services on a one-off basis. The majority of our services do however carry a cost – see the Services section of the website for more information. You will be able to access the core content of the website e.g. general information, events, news, arts jobs, but the rich content e.g. the Knowledge Bank and discussion forums, will be restricted to subscribers.
Q: How come ‘that’ organisation got this service and you don’t have the capacity for me to get it?
A: During our first year, while we settle into our new regional role, we will have limited capacity to deliver some of our services. We will endeavour to meet the needs and demand of all our subscribers and clients, but some of our services will be offered on a first come first served basis. We recommend you think ahead and book services such as research, consultancy and one-to-one surgeries well in advance.
Q: What individual support can you give my organisation?
A: Subscribers receive one-to-one support in a number of ways.
Regular contact with your personal account manager
One-to-one account meetings
Regular drop-in days in your area
Consultancy surgeries and Gap Analysis
Q: I don’t feel as though any of your subscription packages meet my needs or organisation’s priortities. Are there any other, more bespoke, subscription packages available?
A: Tailored subscription packages are available if you don’t feel any of our subscription packages meet your needs, but these will be based on the three core subscription bands. Group membership will also be considered. Tailored subscription such as this will be considered on a case by case basis. Please contact Jo Kay, Head of Business Development & Client Services, to discuss your requirements and we’ll see how we can best help you.
Q: Who should we talk to in the first instance?
A: Any member of the team will be happy to help you, but your first point of contact is the Client Services team (or if you are a subscriber, your allocated Client Services Manager). They will be able to answer your queries, or pass you to the relevant member of staff.
Print distribution
Q: Will you now be offering print distribution across the whole of the North West?
A: Our print distribution services will not be changing. We can provide a detailed service in Greater Manchester and surrounding areas and in places further a field we can facilitate distribution through partner suppliers in Cumbria, Merseyside and other areas.
Q: If the same subscription rates apply for organisations based outside your regular delivery areas, shouldn’t we be paying less?”
A: The core benefits of subscription do not include print distribution. Print distribution is an additional service which both subscribers/non-subscribers can access. Discounts may be offered to subscribers, but this is not a core benefit of subscription, and therefore does not impact the value of your package.