12-1pm webinar; 1-1.30pm Q&A
As part of our three-year pilot programme, Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities, this webinar offers attendees the chance to gain insight into how theatres can collect and use data for maximum impact.
Attendees will hear from two very different theatres about their ethos and approach to monitoring and evaluation. Focusing specifically on their approach to data, each theatre speaker will share why and how data is important to them, their experience of collating it from multiple places or on complex projects, and the different ways in which they manage and share it.
To broadly introduce the topic, evaluation consultant Catherine Bloodworth will outline why evaluation matters, what theatres should aim to evaluate and her top tips on how to embed evaluation into regular practice. Catherine has worked extensively with arts and heritage organisations and will share insights into the impact of collecting both quantitative and qualitative data and evidence to support decision making.
The first theatre speaker will be Abbi Roberts, Development and Communications Director of The Mercury in Colchester, Essex. Abbi will talk about data from an economic impact report that was jointly commissioned by The Mercury and other cultural organisations in the region. Collated from partner organisations, data included employment, procurement, supplier and audience data as well as consultations with stakeholders. The commissioned report’s findings helped The Mercury to develop and realise its major capital project and is now being used to commission an updated report.
The final speaker will be Professor Vanessa Toulmin, chair of Morecambe Winter Gardens Preservations Trust Ltd, which is on Theatres Trust’s Theatres at Risk Register. Vanessa will speak about the value and importance of raw data, especially from her perspective as the leader of a regional, largely volunteer-led organisation that is working with many national, regional and local partners and funders.
This webinar will provide an overview of the important role data plays in helping theatres understand the impact of their work. It is suitable for anyone with an interest in improving their theatre’s monitoring and evaluation practice through their management and use of data.