Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
Acknowledgements This report was commissioned by Performing Lines on behalf of the Road Work initiative, supported by the Australia Council for the Arts. It was prepared by research agency Patternmakers in collaboration with Performing Lines. In partnership with Patternmakers, WolfBrown provided the Intrinsic Impact survey design template and online dashboard reporting interface at no charge to this project as part of its ongoing commitment to developing methods of assessing the impacts of arts experiences in a wide range of disciplines and settings. Performing Lines would like to acknowledge No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability, Side Pony Productions and Roslyn Oades & Collaborators, and the casts and crews of Sons and Mothers, The Confidence Man and Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday. Patternmakers and Performing Lines would also like to thank the Road Work consortium members, the presenting venues of the three productions and audience members from around Australia who took the time to participate in the study. All images included in this report by Amy Brown Photography, captured at the Theatre Royal, Hobart. This report is licensed under: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License 1
Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
Contents Summary
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Introduction Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study Intrinsic Impact pilot: Sons and Mothers The Confidence Man Data Collection Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday
4 4 5 5 6 7 8
Results: Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday Demographics Buyer Behaviour Impacts Overall impact Audience development Presenter feedback
9 9 10 11 14 15 16
Conclusion Opportunities
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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
Summary Between 2015 and 2017, Performing Lines worked with Patternmakers, Wolf Brown and presenters across Australia to explore the audience response to three touring theatre productions. The productions were part of the Australia Council’s Road Work initiative, designed to enable regional audiences to engage with contemporary, original thoughtprovoking new Australian work. Although presenters found the productions challenging to market to their communities, and many reported disappointing ticket sales, people who did attend experienced a wide range of positive impacts: •
Audiences at the 2017 tour of Roslyn Oades’ Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday, reported high levels of captivation (audiences rated it an average of 4.2 on a scale from 1 to 5). The next highest areas of impact were in terms of aesthetic growth and emotional resonance, which were rated 3.99 and 3.98 respectively.
•
Audiences of the 2015 tour of Side Pony Productions’ The Confidence Man were absorbed in the play’s multiple narratives and empowerment of the audience through technology, scoring 4.51 in terms of captivation. Audiences also found it impactful in terms of aesthetic growth (4.49).
•
In 2014 audiences at No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability’s Sons and Mothers were also highly captivated (4.80), however they reported highest levels of inspiration (4.82). The Sons and Mothers audience also felt an emotional resonance (4.74) with the show’s themes of disability and motherhood.
In total, three quarters (72%) of the 1,640 respondents said they were exposed to a new style of theatre they didn’t know about previously and 77% said show exceeded their expectations. Almost all of those surveyed said they are likely to attend theatre in future (89%), and those that had positive experiences are the most likely to. Analysis of all 1,640 responses shows that what happens before and after a show could be important. Across the three tours, factors associated with above average experiences included reading a review or article about the play beforehand, discussing the show ‘intensely’ afterwards and attending a post-show Q&A. The results also suggest a strong association between captivation, overall experience and likelihood to attend in future. Evidence collected in this study confirms the value of contemporary Australian performance for regional audiences. However, if such performances are to fulfil their potential in regional Australia, greater investment is needed to help tour coordinators, producers and presenters deliver the marketing and engagement programs needed to engage more members of the community and build audiences over the long-term.
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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
Introduction Road Work Road Work was a national performing arts touring initiative funded by the Australia Council for the Arts and managed by Performing Lines. Running from 2010 to 2017, Road Work provided opportunities for regional audiences across Australia to engage with contemporary, original thought-provoking new Australian work. It’s aims are to: • •
• • • •
connect regional audiences with exceptional and ambitious artists; build engagement with high quality productions that are challenging and ambitious in terms of ideas and form and can engage and inspire regional audiences and artists; deepen the impact of the theatre/dance work within a community by extending its life beyond the performance; forge a dialogue and relationship between regional presenters and producers/artists; increase touring opportunities for high quality, original work to regional areas of Australia; and encourage dialogue about and interest in performance and culture in regional areas.
Road Work is implemented in partnership with a national consortium comprising 10 regional presenters across six Australian States, including Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre, Civic Theatre, Wagga Wagga, Merrigong Theatre Company, Wollongong, Orange Civic Theatre, Theatre Royal, Hobart, The Capital, Bendigo, The Arts Centre Gold Coast, Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, Portland Arts Centre and Country Arts SA. The Road Work tours were: 2010: The Age I’m In/Force Majeure; Red Sky Morning/Red Stitch Actors Theatre 2011: Untrained/Lucy Guerin Inc 2012: CIRCA/Circa; Bare Witness/Mari Lourey 2013: Sundowner/KAGE; Table of Knowledge/version 1.0 2014: Lake/Lisa Wilson; Sons and Mothers/No Strings Attached 2015: The Confidence Man/Side Pony Productions 2017: Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday/Roslyn Oades & Collaborators Over more than eight years of operation, the consortium members became increasingly confident in their presentation of riskier and more innovative performing art works. As a result, Road Work evolved into a program intimately entwined with regional audience development and aesthetic growth, with a focus on developing connections over time to build an understanding of the work (amongst all stakeholders), to foster relationships with audiences and to develop advocates and champions for the work, which strongly encourage word of mouth.
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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
Intrinsic Impact Study The Road Work Strategic Plan 2010-2012 referenced the work of Alan Brown and Jennifer Novak, leading international thought leaders in the field of audience experience and intrinsic impact: ‘Aesthetic growth allows for progressively deeper engagement of audiences and is the primary means of awakening new interests and unlocking additional demand for performing arts programs… it is central to a long-term audience development agenda on the part of the presenter’ A. S. Brown and J. L. Novak, ‘Assessing the Intrinsic Impacts of a Live Performance’ Performing Lines was supported by the Australia Council to conduct an Intrinsic Impact survey for the Road Work 2014-2016 funding triennium. Developed by Alan Brown and colleagues at WolfBrown, the Intrinsic Impact survey tool is a methodology used by cultural institutions around the world to explore audience experiences of live performances and look beyond box office results to examine artistic merits. In this case, the objectives of the Intrinsic Impact study were to help Performing Lines, Road Work consortium members and other presenters to better understand audiences who attend Road Work tours and their experiences of the works. In particular, the study would also allow the partners to explore how each tour delivered on the overall Road Work commitments outlined above. The Intrinsic Impact tools were selected for this study because they facilitated artistic reflection. This does not mean that presenters should always provide audiences with accessible or enjoyable work. ‘Intrinsic Impact’ includes a number of different facets, including captivation, intellectual stimulation, emotional resonance, aesthetic growth and social bonding. The Australia Council’s Artistic Reflection Kit states that to be artistically vibrant, an organisation should understand which of these facets it is striving for, and then ask for feedback from its audience to find out if it is achieving them. 1
Intrinsic impact pilot: Sons and Mothers In late 2014, Performing Lines piloted the intrinsic impact survey with Sons and Mothers, an Australian production by No Strings Attached selected by Road Work. Featuring six male characters, Sons and Mothers is described as ‘a love letter to mothers’. With heart and humour, six sons tell stories of their mums as they draw or dance or sing their lives, complete with stumbles and triumphs. These are love stories made all the more potent because of disabilities the men live with and their humble take on discriminations they've faced. 1 Australia Council for the Arts, Artistic Reflection Kit, Sydney, Australia Council for the Arts, 2010 [http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/artistic_reflection_kit] 5
Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
Funded through Playing Australia, the tour consisted of 17 performances at 14 venues across Australia and played to over 2,745 patrons. Due to a concerted effort by the relatives of cast members in each venue, 727 survey responses were collected from audience members, representing an overall response rate of 26%. As a means to cost-effectively analyse the responses, Performing Lines randomly selected 460 responses (including a portion from each presenter) for entry into Survey Monkey for analysis. Initial analysis conducted by Performing showed that: • 82% of respondents said they were absorbed in the show, and 84% felt inspired. • 72% felt they had gained ‘a new appreciation for people with a disability’. • 78% agreed that after viewing the performance, they ‘are more likely to attend future theatre shows’. A separate survey was used to collect feedback from the presenters. Their responses indicated: • The production was well received, with 80% listing quality, audience response and overall reception as excellent. • Whilst 89% said they had targeted new audiences, only 43% felt they were successful in doing so. • There were challenges marketing the show and ticket sales were somewhat disappointing. Several felt they needed more resources to build connections and market the show effectively. The pilot confirmed that Son and Mothers was enabling regional audiences to have rich artistic experiences. It also suggested that box office data is not a valid measure of intrinsic impact – and that there is a role for research in understanding the patterns, and extent, of impact on audiences.
Phase Two: The Confidence Man The Confidence Man is a dark suburban thriller in the form of an interactive theatre experience, where audience members use handheld devices to navigate the performance. While quite different to Sons and Mothers in both content and form, it offered some similar challenges. The costs and logistical challenges of delivering performing arts tours in regional Australia demand careful allocation of resources and rigorously efficient scheduling, despite an ongoing national dialogue about ‘slower, deeper’ touring models. Tight timelines, small budgets and a lack of staff time at venues and within Performing Lines meant there were limited resources for marketing or community engagement around the show. Ultimately, a total of 988 tickets to The Confidence Man were sold across the 13 tour locations. A further 410 complimentary tickets were provided, meaning total attendances reached 36% of the available tickets.
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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
Data Collection Performing Lines commissioned Patternmakers to advise on data collection in the lead up to the tour. Two sets of guidelines were developed to direct data collection for the study – one for Performing Lines and one for the presenters of the show. These included step-by-step instructions on how to plan and administer the survey in a robust and cost-effective manner. These guidelines covered audience communications and FAQ, collection methods (paper or electronic), the collation of responses and resourcing. The majority of the questionnaire (a condensed version of Wolf Brown’s full Intrinsic Impact survey protocol) was maintained across the three shows to preserve comparability between tours. Performing Lines worked with presenters to implement a mixed format approach to data collection at each tour location. Whilst online administration via Survey Monkey offered a number of efficiencies, only a minority felt this was appropriate, given the limited number of email addresses available and the lack of audience familiarity with online survey tools. In total 37% of The Confidence Man audiences completed a condensed Intrinsic Impact survey after the show, either online or in hardcopy. Notwithstanding the marketing and engagement challenges, those that did attend the two shows reported high levels of audience engagement overall – and a different pattern of impact emerged relative to Sons & Mothers. On average Sons and Mothers attracted a relatively older audience and reported higher levels of emotional resonance and social bonding, while The Confidence Man’s younger audience reported higher levels of aesthetic growth, consistent with the themes explored in each production. The format of The Confidence Man was challenging for presenters in marketing the show, and some audience members found the plot difficult to follow. However, most were fascinated by the concept and creative process and reported rich conversations after the show. There was strong engagement with post-show Q&A sessions with the artists with 10% of audiences reporting they had met the creators. As few venues were able to present more than one performance of The Confidence Man, there was little opportunity for word-of-mouth recommendations. Those presenters that did present two or more performances indicated that word did begin to spread after the show, and at least one presenter reported multiple attendances by the same audience members. Infrequent theatre-goers (those usually attending 0-2 times per year) reported high levels of captivation at both performances, and 83% said they would be likely to attend the theatre in future. Despite disappointing ticket sales, all 10 presenters responding to a post-event survey said they would program something like The Confidence Man again.
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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
Phase Three: Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday In 2017, Performing Lines again worked with presenters to collect data for the study. A total of 667 surveys were completed by audience members of Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday, equivalent to 16.6% of attendances across the tour. This included some complimentary ticketholders. Of those presenters responding, eight said they forwarded the online link and all venues provided paper surveys. There were 501 paper surveys, resulting in a significant data entry task. Some presenters were particularly active in promoting the survey, and two gathered over 100 responses. Figure 1 - Total attendance and respondent profile, by audience range Number of presenters
14
Tickets available
11,657
Total attendance
4,029
Complimentary tickets
1,046
Paid attendance
2,993
Survey responses
667
Response rate
16.6%
Presenters were also sent a separate survey to evaluate the tour, as they are after every Performing Lines tour, and 5 out of the 14 responded. This report has been prepared by Patternmakers and Performing Lines to document the findings and opportunities emerging from the study. It analyses the demographic characteristics of audiences at Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday relative to Sons and Mothers and The Confidence Man, before exploring the intrinsic impacts of Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday in greater detail, along with presenter feedback on the tour. The final chapter draws some tentative conclusions, for the purposes of discussion among Road Work stakeholders.
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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
Results: Hello, Goodbye, & Happy Birthday Demographics Over half (53%) of the audience for Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday were 55 years or older. This is an older profile than was seen for The Confidence Man, where one-third were under 24 and half were under 35. The audience for Sons and Mothers was somewhat older, with 77% over 45 years of age and 26% over 65. Figure 2 - Age profile of survey respondents, by tour
Under 24
Hello, Goodbye, Happy Birthday
25 to 34 35 to 44
The Confidence Man
45 to 54 55 to 64 65 to 74
Sons and Mothers
75+ 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
For all three tours, there were more female than male respondents. The gender breakdown was most balanced for The Confidence Man, where two-thirds were female, compared to Sons and Mothers and Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday which both saw four-fifths of the audience identify as female. Figure 3 - Gender of survey respondents, by tour
Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday
Female
The Confidence Man
Male Sons and Mothers 0%
20%
40%
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60%
80%
100%
Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
Buyer Behaviour The audience that attended Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday was made up of more subscribers and frequent attendees than The Confidence Man. Just 15% were infrequent attenders (seeing up to 1 or 2 shows per year), while 30% of The Confidence Man audience were infrequent attendees. The motivations for attending were similar to those seen for Sons and Mothers, with the top motivation being ‘to be emotionally moved or inspired’. In contrast, three quarters of the audience for The Confidence Man said they were motivated to try something new. Figure 4 - Audience motivations for attending, by tour Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday
The Confidence Man
Sons and Mothers
To be emotionally moved or inspired To spend quality time with family or friends To try something new To energise your own creativity Because someone invited you To expose others to the arts You knew someone involved in the show You follow the artist's work You participated in a community activity relating to the show 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Audiences for all three tours were equally likely to be looking forward to the show, on average rating their anticipation levels as 4 out of 5. One-fifth participated additional engagement activity before or after the show, compared to half of those attending The Confidence Man.
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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
Impacts In developing the intrinsic impact tools, Wolf Brown’s research identified a range of different impact areas, including: • Captivation • Inspiration • Emotional resonance • Social bonding – both with loved ones and others in the audience • Audience involvement • Aesthetic impacts: o Being exposed to a new style o Being more able to appreciate theatre o Being validated in terms of aesthetic choices. Each of these was probed in the questionnaire, by asking questions like ‘During the performance, to what degree were you absorbed in the show?’ and ‘To what extent were you exposed to a new style of performance that you didn’t know about previously?’. Looking at the pattern of intrinsic impacts for Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday, on average audiences reported higher levels of captivation than any other area (score of 4.2 on a scale from 1 to 5). The next highest areas of impact were in terms of aesthetic growth and emotional resonance, which scored 3.99 and 3.98 respectively. With very different audiences, there are limitations in the conclusions that can be drawn from comparing the scores of each production. However, it is interesting to analyse the pattern of impacts within each show. The pattern of impact for Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday was similar to The Confidence Man. Audiences for The Confidence Man were captivated by the multiple narratives and empowerment of the audience through technology, scoring 4.51 on captivation. They also found it impactful in terms of aesthetic growth (4.49). Audiences at Sons and Mothers were also highly captivated (4.80), however they reported highest levels of inspiration (4.82). The Sons and Mothers audience also felt an emotional resonance (4.74) with the show’s themes of disability and motherhood. In contrast to The Confidence Man, social bonding was higher than aesthetic growth for Sons and Mothers audiences.
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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
Figure 5 - Average level of impact for five main impact areas, where 5 is the highest and 1 is the lowest, by tour
Sons and Mothers
The Confidence Man
Hello, Goodby & Happy Birthday
Captivation 5 4 3 Aesthetic growth
Inspiration
2 1
Emotional resonance
Social connection
The survey had two qualitative questions, ‘Is there a question you would have liked to ask the creators and/or director?’ and ‘Do you have any general comments or feedback?’. Many said they found Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday fresh and engaging, and that it “presented an age old issue in a brand new way”. However, others were disappointed that there was not a clear message. In terms of questions raised, audience members most commonly questioned the purpose of the production, wanting to know more about why it was created and/or what the creator was trying to say. Some people wanted a more traditional plot, for example, “What were you trying to achieve? I feel the plot didn’t go anywhere”, while others were intrigued by the form. There were 175 questions for the creator of the show, often centering around the concept and process of developing the script: [My questions are] mainly about the editing process of the source material… On what grounds were bits selected, how and why? Did the interviews shape the direction of the show or were the creators able to manipulate the material to tease out the works overall shape and texture?
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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
Some people felt that the verbatim style was interesting, and were fascinated by the characterisations and switching of roles. The content of the play and the performances were felt to be highly realistic – though some felt it was superficial, with one commenting, “it just felt like a set of beautifully performed clichés about old and young - none of the surprises you usually get from proper contact and research with such groups.” For some people, particularly those with personal experience of ageing and aged care, it touched a nerve. One shared, “As I have recently lost family members this was too close for comfort. Very realistic!” Another wondered whether it was the creator’s intention to make people uncomfortable; “did the author realise the effect it could have on people watching who are living this story… or is that what she was hoping to have happen - for the truth of this life stage to be shown?” The use of headphones attracted several comments and some were confused about what their role was, for example, “Were the headphones really necessary or were they there to symbolise that the dialogue was from real people?” Others were keen to listen through the headphones themselves and hear what the performers were hearing. For example: What is the actor hearing, does it actually include movements? Does the director suggest movement to emulate what the speaker is doing/saying? I assume the actor is just repeating what the writer has recorded. It is all just very interesting, a process unlike anything I've ever experienced. Almost one quarter (22%) of the total audience said that attending a post-show Q&A enhanced their appreciation of the show. Almost one-third said that the program and artist notes helped them, though two people commented that no performer information was included. Those with insight into the creative process appeared to get more out of the show. Audiences “laughed and cried” at the portrayals and several commented on the skill of the performers in capturing the mannerisms of each character. For instance: I subscribe - 5 plays a year - and this was my favourite so far this year. Especially Matthew Connell's portrayal of the older man who had to put his wife into a nursing home. I had tears running down my face. He evoked the character just by wiping his face with a handkerchief - brilliant!
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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
Looking at impacts of the experience overall, 9 out of 10 attendees said the show met (78%) or exceeded (55%) their expectations. Only 12% said the show was below their expectations, although this was a higher proportion than that seen for The Confidence Man (6%) and Sons and Mothers (0.2%). Figure 6 – Overall experience, by tour Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday
Below Expectations 2 Met Expectations
The Confidence Man
4 Above Expectations Sons and Mothers
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
As with past productions, audiences responded very positively when asked if they would attend theatre in future. Most people (91%) said they are likely to attend future theatre shows, and 8 out of 10 said they would attend shows that are a bit ‘out of the ordinary’ or potentially challenging in nature.
Factors related to impact Looking at the aggregate dataset from all three tours, there appear to be a range of factors associated with positive overall experiences. Analysis of the 1,640 survey responses collected across the three years suggests that what happens before, during and after the show could be important. Above average experiences were associated with novelty (infrequent attenders scored higher impacts than frequent theatre-goers), intention (decision-makers scored higher than their spouses/guests, as did those who were most looking forward to the show) and discussion (those leaving with a question or attending a Q&A session had more positive experiences than those without).
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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
Figure 7 - Audience segments with above average overall experiences Average Discussed the show intensely afterwards Attended a Q&A session 'Very much' looked forward to the show beforehand Had a question to ask the makers of the show Infrequent theatre goers Read a review or article about the show Ticket-buying decision-makers 1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
Audience development For the first time in the study, the questionnaire asked audience members if they had seen other productions previously toured as a part of Road Work. Approximately 17% (116 people) indicated they had seen at least one other production in the past five years and 3% had seen two or more Road Work productions. Audiences at Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday had most commonly seen Circa by Circa (2015), The Table of Knowledge by version 1.0 and Sons and Mothers. Please note, an error in the survey programming meant that some audience members could not select all the previous productions mentioned. These results should read as the lower limit of past attendances and should be interpreted with caution. Figure 8 – Number of audience members attending past Road Work productions Circa by Circa (2012) The Table of Knowledge by version 1.0 (2013) Sons & Mothers by No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability (2014) The Confidence Man by Side Pony Productions (2015) Sundowner by KAGE (2013) Bare Witness by Mari Lourey (2012) Total attending one or more 0
15
50
100
150
Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
Audience members who have attended at least one previous Road Work production are more likely to strongly agree with the statement ‘I am likely to attend theatre shows in future’. They are also more likely to agree with the statement ‘I am likely to attend shows that are a bit ‘out of the ordinary’ or potentially challenging in nature. One audience member commented, “I have enjoyed all the shows I have seen, as they are all totally different, so it is a surprise each time!” Figure 9 – Likelihood to attend theatre in future, by prior attendance at Road Work tours
Very likely to attend theatre shows
Very likely to attend shows that are a bit ‘out of the ordinary’ or potentially challenging in nature 0%
20%
Attended 1 or more Road Work production
40%
60%
80%
100%
Not attended Road Work previously
Presenter experiences Performing Lines’ separate survey of Road Work presenters provides insight about their experience of Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday. Five presenters completed the questionnaire, so quantitative results should be interpreted with caution. Two additional presenters were separately asked to provide qualitative data about their experiences. While most presenters said the production was not well attended, all responding presenters indicated that the audience response was good (3 out of 5) or excellent (2 out of 5). Most (4 out of 5) thought the quality of the production was excellent. School groups and university students appear to have connected well with the form and content of the show. One presenter said, `School students were highly engaged. The show was a great fit for their curriculum requirements (verbatim theatre) so a very lively discussion, especially because the writer, Roslyn Oades, was able to facilitate and provide a level of insight they would otherwise not be exposed to.’ In one location, additional funding enabled an engagement program with local artist Eliza Hull collaborating with Roslyn Oades, which culminated in an audio work now permanently installed at the venue. Another presenter said they were pleased with the quality of the pretour workshop delivered by Roslyn Oades for members of the community, local University and high school students.
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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
However, as with the previous two productions in the study, generally the presenters found it difficult to market the show. One presenter explained, ‘The show was incredibly difficult to describe in both its form and content, even though it was moving, funny, sad and featured some great performances it was hard to get people interested.’ Several presenters mentioned the persistent difficulties marketing unfamiliar works to regional audiences, with one wondering, ‘The fear of the unknown? We didn't focus on it being headset theatre but found it hard to tell "the story" of what the audience could expect.’ However, there are some useful learnings for future marketing efforts. One presenter found that focusing on the content, rather than the form, helped to attract a sizeable audience in their small venue: ‘It really started to sell well from the [season] launch. You could hear in the audience when I talked about the show that they were interested in the idea. I have to say that I have deliberately not mentioned that they will be wearing headphones although I have clearly explained that it is verbatim and was created from interviews… The idea that the young actors play older people and vice versa seems just to have captured people’s imaginations.’ Another presenter shared, ‘One lesson learnt was that sometimes a great image is the best way to sell a show that defies categorisation. Grabbing the attention of your audience with an arresting image is a battle won. It doesn't always have to be a cast member or strictly related to the show but it has to say "Hey look at this!". Although Performing Lines has continued to invest in high quality marketing materials and provide advice in the lead up to tours, many presenters have insufficient resources to execute marketing and/or engagement programs to connect the shows with local audiences. One presenter shared, ‘I think Performing Lines made a significant effort to assist with innovative marketing strategies and collateral and we are very grateful for that.’ Another said, ‘There’s a reason why we’ve chosen to present the show, but we need to find the time within someone’s workload to go out and find the right people and communities. It varies from piece to piece – that’s why it’s resource intensive, because it needs a new model every time.’ One presenter representative said, ‘Local connection needs to happen early on. This requires engagement officers – it’s not about marketing.’ Among the three recent tours, the work that appeared to translate best in terms of ticket sales was Sons and Mothers. A more traditional format, in key locations this work was able to connect with local families, community organisations and local mixed ability theatre groups. One presenter said ‘there was enthusiasm from both sides: the producer met with the leader of the local mixed ability theatre group and made it happen.
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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
Conclusion After 11 tours spanning eight years, Road Work has helped increase the supply of contemporary Australian performances touring regionally. Performing Lines notes that ‘the initiative has been a valuable resource and a critical avenue in providing access to works that would not normally be seen by audiences in regional Australia, and a strategic platform for increasing confidence in the presentation of riskier and innovative performing art works.’ Overall, Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday delivered impacts that are comparable with previous Road Work tours. Almost all of those who attended experienced captivation, emotional resonance and aesthetic growth. 89% of audiences say they are likely to attend theatre in future, and 80% say they are likely to attend shows that are a ‘bit out of the ordinary’. One presenter described Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday as ‘the perfect example of what the Road Work consortium set out to achieve - productions that will engage and inspire regional audiences and are challenging and ambitious in terms of ideas or form.’ However, there is room to grow audience demand for such works. Like The Confidence Man, Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday did not attract a large audience, and many presenters found it challenging to market the show with limited resources. One presenter said ‘We’re committed to finding ways to present this kind of work and invite new people into the venue, but we’ve found it that that requires a pretty big resource on the ground.’ Another presenter explained, ‘It is hard for us to build a strong ongoing context for work like this in a relatively small community. I remain heartened that those who saw the show loved it.’
Opportunities There are a number of opportunities that could be explored further. To build capacity across the sector, there are opportunities such as: • Sharing of ideas, projects and issues through a more integrated and more conversational model between presenters, producers and artists • Increased resourcing of marketing and engagement officers in regional presenting organisations • External short courses, additional marketing resources, and other skills and expertise development beyond tour marketing packs to support performing arts centres in their presentation of contemporary work, for instance related to social media • Exploring potential to make new works in the community or have community input/collaboration into a production
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Road Work Intrinsic Impact Study: Final Report
In terms of tour planning & coordination, there is a case to consider: • •
• • • • •
• • • • •
Regional test cases to explore audience impacts, marketing strategies and target markets before works are selected to tour Linking tours with focused audience development initiatives, where momentum can be sustained and built over time Longer lead times (12 months+) for planning and development of marketing and engagement ideas Touring to locations with sizeable populations of the target audience, e.g. towns and cities with universities for productions connecting with young people Programming in alternative venues such as pubs and campus theatres Scheduling multiple performances wherever possible to allow for word-of-mouth to spread within communities of interest Considering further national tours of selected Road Work productions to appropriate locations Early identification of target audiences/communities and development of ‘personas’ to guide tour production, marketing and engagement Identifying ambassadors to help generate buzz and explain the production to their peers in their own words Marketing strategies that amplify word-of-mouth promotion, potentially through social media and viral campaigns between regional locations Offering discounts for referrals and repeat attendances (‘bring a friend and see it again for half price’)
Evidence collected as a part of this study confirms the value of contemporary Australian performance for regional audiences. If such performances are to fulfil their potential in regional Australia, greater investment is needed to help tour coordinators, producers and presenters deliver the marketing and engagement programs needed to engage communities and build audiences over the long-term.
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