This is the final post in a series of three that explore the results from the Audience Development Survey, the minutes from the new music audience development network meeting and some of my own thoughts and experience from a Sound and Music viewpoint. This one focuses on Consistency and Continuity. Previously we’ve looked into Data and Language and Communication.

The frequency of event as well as the varying content of new music events held was raised as a potential barrier to growing audiences and is a subject that has cropped up within our Audience Incubator.

One possible solution to this is to think of solus events as one part of an audience member’s journey through new music and promote these events as part of a bigger picture. What is your audience member going to go see next? Are they new to new music? Can we signal other events that might be of interest to them?

It would be great if all new music events promoted each other but not entirely realistic. One of the attendees to the network meeting suggested the idea of going to the Arts Council as part of a new music consortium to request funding for a marketing person that would work across 5 small organisations. Building networks in manners like could be a simple and clever way to build community and trust between organisations or individuals that might not usually work together.

At Sound and Music we’re currently redeveloping The Sampler into a better service for those promoting new music as well as thinking about possible ways we can support sharing and collaboration across the sector. Events like the network meeting and responses to the survey are key ways for us to understanding within the sector beyond ourselves. We also have the Audience Development Incubator which will be opening in the spring to support new ways of growing, engaging and supporting new music audiences. We’re always eager to hear from, contact me at Kealy.cozens@soundandmusic.org.