Building audiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts
- 1 Oct 2015
Why are some Australians embracing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts while others are not sure how to engage? To shed some light on this issue, the Australia Council commissioned and has recently published some revealing research.
The Australia Council’s Arts in Daily Life: Australian Participation in the Arts (2014) report highlighted that nine in 10 Australians believe Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts are an important part of Australian culture. Although two-thirds of Australians had a strong or growing interest, only one quarter had engaged in Indigenous arts in the previous year. This gap between attitudes and actual audience participation prompted the Australia Council to undertake further research, resulting in the Building Audiences: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts report released in August 2015.
The purpose of the report
Building Audiences explores the connection between the collective experiences of arts audiences and the wider public by examining the attitudes, beliefs and behaviours that frame their responses to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and culture. The project identifies the barriers faced by audiences and outlines how some issues might be addressed. The information provided in the report is also valuable to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts community as an advocacy tool and to inform audience development strategies – from representation of Indigenous peoples in key roles, to marketing and presentation strategies which better reflect the diversity of Indigenous arts. The findings also present significant opportunities to increase awareness across the national arts sector and inform their future activity.
The research approach
Interviews were conducted with a broad range of members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts community. A series of exploratory focus groups was also conducted to understand the motivations and inhibitors to audience participation and engagement. These were characterised by two groups – current attendees or potential attendees. A series of five industry forums were then convened across Australia to test the findings with a larger representative group and as a means of workshopping strategies for audience development. Finally the project identified exemplars – artists and organisations that have successfully addressed an audience development challenge.
Key questions addressed through the research
People involved in the consultation process were asked to consider the following questions:
- What factors are present in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts ecology that facilitate and impede audience development?
- What currently motivates audiences to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts?
- What are the barriers (perceived or real) to audiences engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts?
- What is currently being done to address audience development in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts ecology?
- What opportunities exist to develop audiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts?
What’s in the report
One of the barriers identified in the report is limited exposure to Indigenous arts experienced by many Australians. As a consequence, audiences are uncertain how to engage appropriately and have a limited understanding of what is on offer. There is also uncertainty about how to behave at cultural events and fear of offending, as well as a general lack of awareness with audiences not actively seeking information about Indigenous arts. This can result in outdated perceptions of the sector – that it is perceived only as ‘serious’, ‘educational’ or ‘traditional’.
The researchers also identified a number of strengths which could boost attendances, especially the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and cultures and what they offer. There is the inherent human attraction to stories and storytelling and the desire for contemporary as well as traditional experiences, recognising the uniqueness of those experiences. Personal connections are important – knowing the artists involved or responding to word of mouth from family, friends or peers. There is also an overriding desire for greater cultural insights and a much deeper understanding of the arts and cultures of Australia’s first peoples.
Strategies for building future audiences
Building Audiences recommended several strategies to help build future audiences for Indigenous arts such as providing skills development, advice and resources to Indigenous practitioners within the arts sector. Increasing the representation of Indigenous artists in the main programing of arts companies by including more Indigenous people in decision making roles is also important, as well as promoting stronger relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous arts companies to present their work to wider audiences.
To build on the 25 per cent that are current attendees, introducing children and young people to Indigenous arts through schools and extracurricular activities is seen as critical. Engaging those identified through the research as potential attendees means finding ways to make them feel more comfortable by creating accessible experiences, while at the same time developing strategies to change any negative perceptions they might have of Indigenous arts.
Want to know more?
For further information, go to http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/research/building-audiences-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-arts/
This research project was commissioned by the Australia Council for the Arts. Funding partners included The Australia Council for the Arts; Faculty of Business and Law and Institute of Koorie Education, Deakin University; Melbourne Business School, The Melbourne University.