Talking theatre is more than a test drive: two audience development methodologies under review

Article


Scollen, Rebecca. 2009. "Talking theatre is more than a test drive: two audience development methodologies under review." International Journal of Arts Management. 12 (1), pp. 4-13.
Article Title

Talking theatre is more than a test drive: two audience development methodologies under review

ERA Journal ID39929
Article CategoryArticle
Authors
AuthorScollen, Rebecca
Journal TitleInternational Journal of Arts Management
Journal Citation12 (1), pp. 4-13
Number of Pages10
Year2009
PublisherHEC Montreal
Place of PublicationMontral, Canada
ISSN1480-8986
Web Address (URL)http://www.gestiondesarts.com/index.php?id=2046
Abstract

Test Drive the Arts (Morris Hargreaves McIntyre) and Talking Theatre (Scollen) are two successful audience development methodologies committed to building new audiences from non-attenders. This paper details the two methodologies to explain their similarities and differences, and to examine these in relation to the findings of case studies in the United Kingdom (UK), New Zealand and Australia. Although Test Drive the Arts has helped performing arts organisations in the UK to retain 30% of the new audiences who participated in their program, the New Zealand pilot of this scheme in 2007 has fallen well short of the mark. Talking Theatre has retained 30% of its participants as returning new audiences for performing arts centres in regional North-Eastern Australia by placing strong emphasis on post-performance audience reception, and by investing more in mutually beneficial relationships between new audience members and performing arts organisations.

KeywordsTalking Theatre; Test Drive the Arts; new audiences; non-theatregoers; audience development; reception studies; performing arts
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020360403. Drama, theatre and performance studies
350605. Marketing management (incl. strategy and customer relations)
470203. Consumption and everyday life
Public Notes

File reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher/author.

Byline AffiliationsArtsworx
Permalink -

https://research.usq.edu.au/item/9yxq8/talking-theatre-is-more-than-a-test-drive-two-audience-development-methodologies-under-review

Download files


Accepted Version
Scollen_Talking_Theatre_2009_AV.pdf
File access level: Anyone

  • 2394
    total views
  • 851
    total downloads
  • 0
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Urban Pest or Aussie Hero? Changing Media Representations of the Australian White Ibis
Scollen, Rebecca. 2024. "Urban Pest or Aussie Hero? Changing Media Representations of the Australian White Ibis." Animals. 14 (22). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14223251
'Fire': An Australian Play Gives Voice to Animals Devastated by Catastrophic Bushfire
Scollen, Rebecca. 2024. "'Fire': An Australian Play Gives Voice to Animals Devastated by Catastrophic Bushfire." Animal Studies Journal. 13 (1), pp. 82-102. https://doi.org/10.14453/asj/v13i1.5
Clown-based Social Work as Dissent in Child Protection Practice
Steggall, David and Scollen, Rebecca. 2024. "Clown-based Social Work as Dissent in Child Protection Practice." The British Journal of Social Work. 54 (5), p. 2124–2141. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcae023
Shark Dive and Hologram Zoo: Two Case Studies of Virtual Animal Encounters as Possible Models for Sustainable Wildlife Tourism
Scollen, Rebecca and Mason, Andrew. 2024. "Shark Dive and Hologram Zoo: Two Case Studies of Virtual Animal Encounters as Possible Models for Sustainable Wildlife Tourism ." Animals. 14 (926). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14060926
Exploring the experiences of female paramedics in Australian ambulance services through arts-based research
Hobbs, Lisa, Scollen, Rebecca, Batorowicz, Beata and Devenish, Scott. 2022. "Exploring the experiences of female paramedics in Australian ambulance services through arts-based research." UniSQ 2022 School of Creative Arts Research Symposium on Arts and Wellbeing . Australia 22 2022 - 23 Oct 2023 Australia.
Artistic freedom or animal cruelty? Contemporary visual art practice that involves live and deceased animals
Coleman, Ellie, Scollen, Rebecca, Batorowicz, Beata, Akenson, David, Coleman E., Scollen R., Batorowicz B. and Akenson D.. 2021. "Artistic freedom or animal cruelty? Contemporary visual art practice that involves live and deceased animals." Animals. 11 (3), pp. 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030812
Sea World - Gold Coast, Australia's discourse of legitimation: signage and live animal shows (2015-2018) as indicators of change in messaging
Scollen, Rebecca Jane and Mason, Andrew. 2020. "Sea World - Gold Coast, Australia's discourse of legitimation: signage and live animal shows (2015-2018) as indicators of change in messaging." Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 28 (10), pp. 1686-1701. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2020.1750620
Grassroots festival keeps city alive during severe drought
Mason, Andrew and Scollen, Rebecca. 2018. "Grassroots festival keeps city alive during severe drought." Journal of Place Management and Development. 11 (3), pp. 266-276. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMD-06-2017-0059
Animals and humans on stage: live performances at Sea World on the Gold Coast
Scollen, Rebecca. 2018. "Animals and humans on stage: live performances at Sea World on the Gold Coast." Animal Studies Journal. 7 (1), pp. 248-269.
Tall tales and other adventures (Exhibition Catalogue)
Batorowicz, Beata, Pedersen, Courtney, McDonald, Janet, Scollen, Rebecca, Campbell, Ashleigh and Callaghan, Catharine. 2014. Tall tales and other adventures (Exhibition Catalogue).
Pedagogy, place and performance: the role of touring performing arts in regional Queensland - a review of Opera Queensland’s project Rossini
Hickey, Andrew, Johnson, Laurie, Scollen, Rebecca and Forbes, Melissa. 2016. Pedagogy, place and performance: the role of touring performing arts in regional Queensland - a review of Opera Queensland’s project Rossini. Toowoomba, Australia. University of Southern Queensland.
Spirits in Bare Feet: a story waiting to be told
Scollen, Rebecca. 2011. Spirits in Bare Feet: a story waiting to be told. Toowoomba, Australia.
Introduction: resistance and resilience
Scollen, Rebecca and Smalley, Michael. 2016. "Introduction: resistance and resilience." Scollen, Rebecca and Smalley, Michael (ed.) Resilience: revive, restore, reconnect: Australasian Association for Theatre, Drama and Performance Studies (ADSA) 2016 Conference Proceedings, Volume 1. Toowoomba, Australia. University of Southern Queensland. pp. 1-4
Same but different: growing new audiences for the performing arts in regional Australia
Scollen, Rebecca. 2015. "Same but different: growing new audiences for the performing arts in regional Australia." McDonald, Janet and Mason, Robert (ed.) Creative communities: regional inclusion & the arts. Bristol, United Kingdom. Intellect Books. pp. 219-235
Olivia has lost her voice!: an audience reception study of children's response to new Australian play, Spirits in Bare Feet
Scollen, Rebecca. 2012. "Olivia has lost her voice!: an audience reception study of children's response to new Australian play, Spirits in Bare Feet." Youth Theatre Journal. 26 (2), pp. 158-172. https://doi.org/10.1080/08929092.2012.722905
Does the 'Shakespeare' in Shakespeare in the Park matter?: an investigation of attendances and attitudes of the USQ Shakespeare in the Park Festival
Scollen, Rebecca. 2011. "Does the 'Shakespeare' in Shakespeare in the Park matter?: an investigation of attendances and attitudes of the USQ Shakespeare in the Park Festival." Applied Theatre Researcher.
Approaches to teaching Grass's The tin drum by Monika Shafi
Scollen, Rebecca J.. 2008. "Approaches to teaching Grass's The tin drum by Monika Shafi." AUMLA: Journal of the Australasian Universities Modern Language Association. 2008 (110), pp. 136-137.
Bridging the divide: regional performing arts centres and non-theatregoers introduced
Scollen, Rebecca. 2008. "Bridging the divide: regional performing arts centres and non-theatregoers introduced." Applied Theatre Researcher.
New audiences' reception of plays (before, during and after)
Scollen, Rebecca J.. 2008. "New audiences' reception of plays (before, during and after)." Maxwell, Ian (ed.) 2006 Australasian Drama Studies Association Annual Conference: Before, During and After. Sydney, Australia 04 - 07 Jul 2006 Sydney, Australia.
Talking theatre: developing audiences for regional Australia
Scollen, Rebecca J.. 2008. "Talking theatre: developing audiences for regional Australia." The International Journal of the Arts in Society. 3 (3), pp. 103-114.
Talking theatre: can we turn 'non-theatregoers' into paying audiences?
Scollen, Rebecca J.. 2005. "Talking theatre: can we turn 'non-theatregoers' into paying audiences?" Artreach: the Regional Arts NSW Quarterly Magazine. Autumn, pp. 12-13.
Talking theatre: an audience development programme for regional Queensland and the Northern Territory 2004-2006
Scollen, Rebecca, Martin, Jacqueline, Radbourne, Jennifer and Haseman, Brad. 2006. Talking theatre: an audience development programme for regional Queensland and the Northern Territory 2004-2006. Brisbane, Australia. Queensland University of Technology.
On the record: an account of regional non-theatregoers' responses to a selection of plays toured to northern Australia in 2004-2005
Scollen, Rebecca. 2007. "On the record: an account of regional non-theatregoers' responses to a selection of plays toured to northern Australia in 2004-2005." Australasian Drama Studies. 50, pp. 183-201.
Of training, tokenism and productive misinterpretation: reflections on the After China project
Copeman, Peter and Scollen, Rebecca. 2000. "Of training, tokenism and productive misinterpretation: reflections on the After China project." Journal of Australian Studies.
Sport as theatrical event
Scollen, Rebecca. 2000. "Sport as theatrical event." Keech, Marc and McFee, Graham (ed.) Issues and values in sport and leisure cultures. Oxford, United Kingdom. Meyer & Meyer Sport. pp. 229-254
Theatre talks evolve into talking theatre
Scollen, Rebecca. 2007. "Theatre talks evolve into talking theatre." Feiler, Y., Hoogland, R. and Westerling, K. (ed.) Willmar in the world: young scholars exploring the theatrical event. Stockholm, Sweden. Stockholm University. pp. 46-58
Understanding new audiences: an audience reception study of 'non-theatregoers' attending La Boite Theatre Company's 1998 season
Scollen, Rebecca. 1999. "Understanding new audiences: an audience reception study of 'non-theatregoers' attending La Boite Theatre Company's 1998 season." Australasian Drama Studies Association Annual Conference (ADSA 1999): Industrial Relations. Brisbane, Australia 05 - 09 Jul 1999 Sydney, Australia.
Regional voices talk theatre: audience development for the performing arts
Scollen, Rebecca J.. 2008. "Regional voices talk theatre: audience development for the performing arts." International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing. 13 (1), pp. 45-56. https://doi.org/10.1002/nvsm.298
The valued customer: investigating Brisbane audiences
Scollen, Rebecca. 1998. "The valued customer: investigating Brisbane audiences." Ignite. 2, pp. 54-55.