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Who are you? And why are you here?

Collaborative Audience Research project now underway in NSW

20 March 2004

WHO is sitting through the thousands of musicals, theatre, movies, circuses, ballets, recitals and concerts held every years in regional NSW? Who walks the miles of art galleries, museums and exhibitions from Wentworth's Sweat Box Art Exhibition in the far west to the new Tweed River Art Gallery in the far north?

Who goes to the arts in regional NSW?

Now a number of arts organisations are working together through Regional Arts NSW, Canberra Arts Marketing and the University of Technology, Sydney, to begin to answer this question in a groundbreaking collaborative research project.

During March and April a questionnaire is being trialed at Goulburn Regional Gallery and at Co-Opera performances of Pagliacci throughout NSW.

Visitors and audiences are being asked “Did you like what you saw?”, “How often do you go to the arts?”, “How did you hear about this event?”, “Why did you come?” and “Who are you?”

From July to December the same questions will be asked at other regional touring events including this year’s Archibald Exhibition, Musica Viva performances, Hothouse Theatre’s touring program and the Regional Cinema Program.

Once this second stage of research is completed, the project partners
will undertake a review of the survey methodology and the information collected.

Regional Arts NSW hopes that this pilot research happening in 2004 will lead to a broader, ongoing program of audience research that will include local events and venue across regional NSW.

Partners in this pilot project with Regional Arts NSW and the School of Leisure and Tourism Studies at the University of Technology, Sydney, include:

• Accessible Arts
• Arts on Tour
• Australia Council for the Arts
• Canberra Arts Marketing
• Co-Opera
• NSW Film and Television Office
• Hothouse Theatre
• Museum & Galleries Foundation of NSW
• Musica Viva
• Northern Rivers Writers’ Centre
• NSW Ministry for the Arts
• the NSW RADOs and
• Woolcott Research

as well as venues and arts presenters throughout regional NSW.

To find out more about this market research project, how you can be involved, or get a copy of the audience survey, please call Lisa Andersen Tel 02 9247 8577 x 4 (Wed—Fri) Email lisa@regionalartsnsw.com.au.