1 activating social spaces nampc 2013 v.dg

Alex Delotch Davis, addavis@atlantaga.gov

Deeksha Gaur, deeksha@woollymammoth.net

Carol Jones, carol123jones@mac.com

#socialspace | #NAMPC

ACTIVATING SPACES:Using your venue to promote engagement and drive your arts business

forward

#socialspace | #NAMPC

WHY DO IT?We’re all over-stressed, over-worked, and under-resourced. Now this

too?

Income Growth Prestige Belonging

#socialspace | #NAMPC

A BRIEF (but relevant) DETOUR into the for-profit world: why we can’t ignore our spaces if we want young

audiences

#socialspace | #NAMPC

ALSO ABERCROMBIE Now these guys take their branding to an offensive extreme, but still…

bear with us!

#socialspace | #NAMPC

THE EXPERIENCE ECONOMY “Work is theatre and every business a stage”

The text book was written in the late 70s.

Embraced by the giants: Apple, Nike, Coke to name a few.

This is the world Millennials know.

Who is better placed to succeed in an experience economy than those

who create experiences for a living?

#socialspace | #NAMPC

WHO ARE WE?What are we all about? And how did we get here? Besides by plane, of

course.

Our History

Our Mission

Our Values

What was that moment that led to us activating our missions and values through our public space?

#socialspace | #NAMPC

CHAPTERCardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

NEW APPROACHESCONNECTIONS

COLLABORATIONSCOLLISIONS

#socialspace | #NAMPC

CHAPTERCardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

Not Chapter by numbers

but Chapter by people, by spaces

and the artistic vision that molds and

drives it.

#socialspace | #NAMPC

CHAPTERCardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

So, what are we all about?Vibrant art AND community relevancewithvalues of collaboration, openness, accessibility and sustainability

Lightbox image: Bedwyr Williams

#socialspace | #NAMPC

CHAPTERCardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

New people, more people, attending more things, more often

#socialspace | #NAMPC

CHAPTERCardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

We opened our doors in 1971

a vision to bring performance, film and exhibitions together under one roof united by a dynamic social space.

#socialspace | #NAMPC

CHAPTERCardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

Nutshell Theatre, Allotment Ultrasaurus, Heather and Ivan Morison; Pete Williams

#socialspace | #NAMPC

CHAPTERCardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

CollisionsChapter is known and loved

for the open space we create and the combination of

radical new work that coexists with our many

diverse users.

A place where artforms collide

Contemporary AND Community

Arts AND Audience

The community garden. Inflatable football pitch for Iris Prize Festival. Hotel Shampoo, Gruff Rhys

CHAPTERCardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

#socialspace | #NAMPC

#socialspace | #NAMPC

CHAPTERCardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

A Social Space800,000 visits

395,000 customers for our caffi-bar

175,000 hot drinks sold (1 every 90 secs) / 150,000 pints of beer sold (1 every 80 secs) / 14,000 bottles of wine (1 glass every 2 minutes)

58,000 gallery visits

52,000 participants at classes and workshops

1,920 film screenings/ 430 theatre performances

#socialspace | #NAMPC

CHAPTERCardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

And some more numbers

Trading income - c£2.7M

Turnover - c£4M

Over 70% of our turnover is earned income—making us

one of the largest social enterprises in Cardiff.

Providing jobs for local people - we employ over 170

people, 95% live in Cardiff

#socialspace | #NAMPC

CHAPTERCardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

#socialspace | #NAMPC

WOOLLY MAMMOTHWashington, DC

#socialspace | #NAMPC

WOOLLY MAMMOTHTo ignite an explosive engagement between theatre artists and the

community;Implementing new ways of using the artistry of theatre to serve the

people of DC.

#socialspace | #NAMPC

WOOLLY MAMMOTHExplosive engagement necessitates the most vital, engaged audiences

Who is the play for? What is the conversation?Who needs to be in the house to activate the conversation?How do we prime our audience to be the most dynamic and

energized?How best can we co-create meaning with our audiences?

#socialspace | #NAMPC

WOOLLY MAMMOTHActivating spaces for each show using 3 principles: insight, interactivity,

shareability.

#socialspace | #NAMPC

WOOLLY MAMMOTHA BRIGHT NEW BOISE

#socialspace | #NAMPC

WOOLLY MAMMOTHYOU FOR ME FOR YOU

#socialspace | #NAMPC

WOOLLY MAMMOTHAMERICA ALL BETTER!!

In the context of the city

•Cardiff the capital of Wales

•Population of 350,000

•Growing reputation as a vibrant city where people want to live and visit

•Hwyl – a complex and intangible mix of passion and sense of belonging

The challenge

•Three years ago Chapter underwent a major redevelopment

•Opening up its entrances and creating a large, open central space

•The challenge – to turn a busy café-bar into something much more - a dynamic social space

Research by Matthews Millman as part of the redevelopment confirmed that loyalty to Chapter was not just repeat purchase behaviour but a stronger emotional attachment that locks audiences into our vision and aspirations

A social space that locks audiences into our vision and values

To turn an empty space

Into a place that has hwyl - a genuine sense of

belonging

Riverside Garden Market, Cardiff Ukulele Band, Caroline Sabin in rehearsal

A social space growing the public life of the city

Users appreciate the high degree of diversity, and the tolerance of people who are often not tolerated elsewhere. At the same time, cutting edge film and art helps confer a sense of status and esteem.” - People Make Places: Growing the Public Life of Cities, Demos 2005

Creative Cities

Creative cities provide countless opportunities for everything from accidental connections to formal collaborations. And it’s those opportunities, those sparks that act as a catalyst for new thinking and innovation.

It’s not just about making money – it’s about making meaning

Real creative vision requires a much deeper and wider set of transformations that takes cultural marketers way beyond the traditional view of ‘place’ in the marketing mix.

Community powered

It involves keeping community at the heart of what we do - communities of artists, audiences and local people building partnerships and re-imagining the city and its spaces.

#socialspace | #NAMPC

WOOLLY MAMMOTHBuilding relationships by serving the members of the Greater DC Community

#socialspace | #NAMPC

WOOLLY MAMMOTHFrom Emmett Till to Trayvon Martin: A Town Hall on Black Bodies & American Racism

#socialspace | #NAMPC

WOOLLY MAMMOTHElection Night Party

#socialspace | #NAMPC

WOOLLY MAMMOTHReading of 8 and Activism Fair for Marriage Equality

#socialspace | #NAMPC

WOOLLY MAMMOTHBuilding Relationships: Panels and Partnerships

#socialspace | #NAMPC

WOOLLY MAMMOTHCurating your mission-driven rentals business to build new audiences

Pop-up graffiti, Sioned Huws, 40th birthday

• Resident companies, artists and creatives - we’re home to 40 small, creative businesses

• These businesses employ over 100 more people

• Our social space acts as a catalyst for creative entrepreneurs and creative independents to meet, discuss and collaborate. It’s a vibrant platform for - social media surgeries, games events, book and film clubs etc

• Our hire spaces provide affordable options for dance classes, youth theatre, poetry, music and comedy

Major creative cluster

Catherine Ashill

Melanie Counsell goes up. Mark Gubb comes down.

Local community choir. Kids party on the frontage.

Creative CapitalWe invest in art and in our audiences - we believe that everyone has a creative voice. Our education work opens up possibilities for people who struggle to express themselves in conventional ways.

We don’t just add value we create value with projects that take the centre out into the community and also bring the community back into our arts and social spaces

Art Car Bootique

Public Experience

• “Status and esteem: Chapter manages to blend its neighbourhood social club role with a culture and consumption cache. It’s the place to be seen if you’re interested in the latest art house film or the month’s most fashionable beer.”

• DEMOS spoke to a number of young adults with learning difficulties who said that Chapter was one of the few places in Cardiff where they felt comfortable socialising.

• Chapter is a space that has “ a transformative quality, helping formerly timid Home Birds to become more confident and participate in risk-taking activities.”

• “These are exciting times: Chapter Arts Centre has just re-opened after a major redevelopment and it ’s now a stunning space for art, film and theatre, and hanging out in the cafe-bar.” - The Guardian (reasons to move to South Wales)

• “The refurbishment of Chapter has been well worth the wait, and the investment will ensure that it remains an important centre for the arts in Cardiff and Wales as a whole as well as a major landmark in Canton, well into the future. Chapter provides jobs within our local community, supports local artists and makes a massive contribution to the local economy.” - Cllr Cerys Furlong

But don’t just take our word for it...

“If there is a better municipal arts centre in

Europe I would like to see it”

Former First Minister Rhodri Morgan

#socialspace | #NAMPC

WOOLLY MAMMOTHThe Stats and the Moolah

Loyalty; quotesImage: Patrons

Word of MouthImage: Social Media

RecognitionImage: Article image

Do we make the most of our spaces to encourage shared experiences, collaborations, interactivity, and belonging?

What makes a public space effective as a social, democratic space of interaction for all?

How can we encourage those who rarely participate in civic life to take more risks and access a wider set of experiences?

What role can cultural marketers play to make this happen?

And how else are we attracting, engaging, and retaining the experience economy generation?

#socialspace | #NAMPC

PROVOCATIONSome thoughts and questions for your consideration.

Royal Welsh Collge of Music and Drama, Cardiff

Case Study

The National Conservatoire of Wales competes alongside an international peer group of conservatoires for the best students globally, enabling students to enter and influence the world of music, theatre and related professions.

The College educates some of the most talented students from around the world, aiming to give them not just the technical and craft skills they’ll need to succeed at the top levels of the profession, but also to help them to develop their individual artistic ‘voice.’

Artistic Voice

In June 2011 their dream of having their own world class performance space became

a reality

The new buildings incorporate:•The Dora Stoutzker Hall•Richard Burton Theatre•Four state-of-the-art full-sized, double height rehearsal studios•The Linbury Gallery•Cafe bar and terrace overlooking the beautiful Grade I listed Bute Park

A new community

“Offering world class facilities in such a stunning location allows us to continue to attract leading international arts practitioners to work here, and to increase national and international recognition for Cardiff as a home of world-class artistic training.These new facilities also provide enhanced opportunities for the residents of the city and region of Cardiff, and the many professional and community groups that contribute to Cardiff’s vibrant cultural life.”Hilary Boulding, Principal

Enhancing the city

To create social spaces that allowed students and the wider public to mingle, to merge – for the students to have an opportunity to share their work and for the public to encounter the life and work of the college

Both needed a sense of belonging and to feel as if it was ‘their space’.

The challenge

From this…

to this…

to this…

Students perform regular events, sometimes programmed, sometimes impromptu

Everything from jazz to folk, contemporary to classical

Plus a great café!

A dynamic social space

The College’s events calendar includes over 300 public events and many more that …just happen.

This stimulating mix of programme and ‘serendipity’ ensures a stimulating and broad experience – for everyone.

Creative Diversity

#socialspace | #NAMPC

QUESTIONS?Comments? Want to share your own activated spaces? Please contact

us!

Alex Delotch Davisaddavis@atlantaga.gov

Deeksha Gaurdeeksha@woollymammoth.net

Carol Jonescarol123jones@mac.com

@addtwitterhandle

@deekshagaur

@carol123jones