Audiences Central Blog

Last week we started thinking about clearing the office, and within minutes of sending out a couple of emails, we had people banging on the door here at AC-HQ, firing over multiple emails and phoning.

We said ‘everything must go’, and everything has now gone – and we mean everything! There’s barely an item left in the office that doesn’t have a ‘SOLD’ label stuck to it - from desk lamps, PCs, chairs, monitors, tables, book cases and kitchen equipment, to envelopes, plants, empty CD cases, pictures on the wall, and even the wall itself.

Yes. Someone has bought The Wall!

Not too long ago, if we needed a break from whatever we were doing, we’d just save a file and open another folder on the network to do a bit on another job or project; now, when we need a break, we’re taking shelving units apart, emptying filing cabinets and filling recycling bags with Arts Council reports from 2007 and back issues of Arts Professional.

It’s been a strange few weeks.

Today, we sent out the last ever Scene Central newsletter (she pretended not to be too upset, but Ali clearly had a bit of tear in her eye) prior to the Scene Central Switch Off on Jan 31, and tomorrow some of the huge desks disappear.

It’s not all grimness though, as while we watch the office get increasingly sparse, we’ve been busy delivering ABC project, membership and regional network sessions that have prompted some great responses from attendees.

So thanks for all your kind words.

Top level domain names are changing.

For later this year, organisations will no longer be limited by simply .com, .info, or .co.uk domain names as the internet opens up to, well, anything.

The Royal Shakespeare Company could potentially sign up for such web addresses as tamingoftheshrew.rsc or theheresyoflove.rsc or matilda.rsc, while localised geographical domains could spring up - for example, .ludlow, .dudley, or .worcs.

Of course, as with anything new, there's a cost involved (£120,000?), but if you're a Big Brand or sizeable location, it could be an appealing prospect.

If you have that kind of cash lying about, register your interest now for Top-Level Domains (New gTLDs) via the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). www.icann.org

NESTA have kicked off 2012 with a dozen predictions for the year ahead covering technology, retail and entertainment industries as well as business and the public sector.

Among their predictions are:

Innovation for frugality - as the impact of the current financial crisis continues to see economies contract and unemployment rise, perhaps we'll see a rise in "business models in which the customer does more of the work"? Also, "watch out for a new generation of frugal innovators, frugal laboratories and frugal innovation programmes trying to maximise creative impact for the minimum expense."

Your mobile wallet - How long before we're able to purchase tickets at venues, tour merchandise, prints in the gallery shop or coffee in the cafe with just the wave of our mobile phones? Very soon, reckons NESTA: "We've been promised a wallet in our phones for years, but 2012 will be the year that it breaks through..."

3D printing - 3D printers are not cheap, but they are coming down in price. Artists and craftmakers get ready...

The year of the crowdfunder - "2012 will prove an important year for the evolution of business funding," NESTA reckons. With funding cuts hitting the cultural sector, it's something the entire sector is keen to explore (slight understatement there). The bigger picture reveals that there are a number of issues and hurdles to resolve, but that crowdfunding offers huge potential: "...unlocking an enormous new source of potential capital for businesses struggling to get the finance they need to grow and create wealth and employment."

* Read more: 12 predictions for 2012

I’ve both heard and said it many times before whilst at a theatre, we should do this more often. Now people have the opportunity to pledge to actually do it more often and get a few reminders to help them remember.

I Like Theatre is a new initiative from Stan’s Cafe and theatres in the West Midlands to gently encourage us to do a little bit more of what we like, but don’t quite get around to doing in-between working, commuting, doing the washing-up, paying the bills and in my case decorating and making frequent trips to B&Q for yet more DIY equipment that I didn’t know I needed.

You can sign up on the website www.iliketheatre.co.uk, keep up with what’s going on via #iliketheatre on Twitter, or on Facebook like Iliketheatre.co.uk. There’s also a resolution card to fill out and use as a reminder to keep that promise to yourself. To get one of these, pop along to a participating theatre in the West Midlands or download one from the website.

Apparently there’s going to be a West Midlands Theatre Awards night at the end of the year too. I love a good gong ceremony, especially if it’s an alternative one, so I shall be filling out my resolution card and sending it back to Stan’s Cafe to ensure an invitation. My tiara and pearls will be polished for the occasion too!

And for my next theatre adventure - Tuesday 22 November, 6.30pm - Gay Birmingham Back to Back by Women & Theatre, part of the Shout Festival in the National Trust’s Back to Backs. Perhaps I’ll see you there and afterwards we can have a conversation that goes something like I enjoyed that, let’s do this more often.

Gay Birmingham Back to Back
http://www.womenandtheatre.co.uk/projects/gay-birmingham-back-to-back/
Tickets. http://bit.ly/tiCV4F

I Like Theatre
W. www.iliketheatre.co.uk
Fb. http://on.fb.me/t7f87I
Tw. Follow the hash tag #iliketheatre

Are you a Bedroom DJ, Poor Time Dreamer or Mid-Life Hobbyist?

The Arts Council have launched an online quiz to support their segmentation tool, Arts Audiences: Insight, which aims to find out which segment youo fall into.

The 60-second quiz, Arts audiences: what segment am I?, asks you about your level of cultural consumption, from film and festivals to opera.

Try the quiz here: whatsegmentami.artscouncil.org.uk

A quick road-test in the office found some interesting results: two Urban Art Eclectics, one Culture Vulture ... and a Dinner And A Show who was so furious about falling into this category they insisted on doing the quiz again. And no, we won't tell you who it was....

Download the full Arts Audiences: Insight 2011 document.