laura crossley: top tips for museums at night clusters
DESCRIPTION
Heritage and Audience Development Consultant Laura Crossley shares her recommendations for getting local heritage organisations to work together to plan and market a joint programme of events: a Museums at Night festival "cluster". This includes three case studies from the Norfolk area.TRANSCRIPT
Museums at Night Clusters
Laura CrossleyFreelance Heritage and Audience Development Consultant
Norwich 2010
• Aim: Bring together and collectively promote 5 venues
• Audience: Families and adults• Events: Art, tours, sleepover• Marketing: Flyer, website, venues• Organisation: Venues• Budget: Small
Sheringham 2011
• Aim: Create a partnership between 3 small cultural venues.
• Audience: Families, first-time visitors
• Events: Pirate-themed• Marketing: Poster, venue websites• Organisation: Venues• Budget: Very, very, very small
Cromer, Sheringham and Wells-next-the-Sea 2012
• Aim: Bring together 9 diverse cultural venues; attract first-time local visitors
• Audience: Families• Events: Victorian-themed• Marketing: Leaflet,
website, venues, social media• Organisation: Co-ordinator and venues• Budget: HUGE
Victorian Nights
• Why North Norfolk?• Victorian theme• The benefits of funding• What we achieved:– Lots of visitors, particularly target audience– Future repeat visitors– Income generation– Huge marketing reach– Improved partnerships
Benefits of Clusters
• Improves your offer• Creates a buzz• More opportunities for media
coverage• Reach your target audience• Increased local support for venues• Improved local partnerships• Brings together diverse venues• Great way to pool resources
Challenges of Clusters
• Funding• Sustained funding• Lack of buy-in• Sustaining motivation and focus• Lack of staff resource• Time issues
Tips for Developing a Cracking Cluster
• What’s in it for us?• Don’t just think ‘museum’• Target, target, target• I love themes• Think simple• Is it affordable for our audience?• Beware clashes• Leave enough time• Keep it going!
Questions?
Laura Crossley
Freelance Heritage and Audience Development Consultant
www.lauracrossley.com