Patternmakers 2/8/23 Patternmakers 2/8/23

Why we created the Culture Panel, and what it means for Australian culture

One of the biggest challenges for quality research is designing representative samples, and recruiting participants. Our new Culture Panel is going to make it easier and more transparent for all invovled.

In this article, we share the story of the Panel, how it came to be and what we’re most curious about for future.

In 2023, we’ve formalised the Culture Panel, as a database of Australians willing to participate in research about culture, creativity and community. It is founded on the belief that when audiences and culture organisations work together, good things happen.

How did it begin?

At Patternmakers, we’ve been working on research dedicated to culture, creative and community sectors for seven years now. In that time, we’ve heard from over 100,000 participants (crazy huh?), gathering their views, experiences and insights to help make Australian culture and communities stronger.

But it was during the pandemic that we realised there was a new way for us to be working…

Why research is valuable for audiences

In the pandemic, it really hit home that many audiences want to see arts and culture thrive in their communities. They’re willing to contribute time and complete surveys. In fact, many people get a buzz out of being asked. They like helping out - and seeing the questions that arts organisations are asking.

Feedback and input from Australian audiences helps artists, cultural organisations and community causes make better decisions. It improves people’s experiences at projects and events, it helps venues improve their accessibility, and it ensures that every Australian has access to quality cultural experiences.

Why the Culture Panel

Initially, we wanted to keep in touch with past respondents, in case further research was needed, or we wanted to dive deeper into a topic.

Our goal was to provide a way for audiences to opt-in to being contacted - and for artists and organisations to have a way to find research participants.

In 2023, we decided to formalise the Culture Panel to make research easier, more transparent and better quality for all involved.

Those who have been following our work might notice that our process for opting in now has a lot more detail, so audiences can make informed decisions about whether they want to participate.

What is it being used for?

Thousands of Australians are already participating in research through the panel, on topics like:

How cost-of-living pressures are affecting audiences attendance at events
Exhibition ideas at major cultural institutions
Barriers to audience participation in digital theatre and performance
How performing arts organisations can best connect with potential attendees.

What makes research worthwhile

We’re committed to research that adds value. We’re conscious that the way we approach research is important, and we want the experience to strengthen relationships that audiences have with artists and cultural organisations. This is why we…

Keep surveys as short and sweet as possible - ensuring that most people complete them in 10 minutes or less
Incentivise participants with generous incentives that reflect the time and expertise shared
Share the results of research with people who participated, including what changes are being made as a result of the findings
Continually strengthen our systems for data protection and privacy, and minimise storage of personally identifiable information.

Our hopes for the panel are that it provides value to both audiences and cultural organisations, improves Australian cultural research, and ultimately contributes to a more vibrant culture sector in Australia.

If you have questions or suggestions, we’d love to hear from you at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

Learn more About the Culture panel

Haven’t yet joined?

If you attend events like concerts, festivals or exhibitions, and you’re willing to participate in research once in a while, The Culture Panel is for you.

Click the button below to join, and hear about the latest research research opportunities, like surveys or focus groups. As well as the warm, fuzzy feeling of supporting the arts and the satisfaction of having your voice heard, you’ll also be in the running for some great incentives (more on that below!).

JOIN NOW

Image Credit: Missy Husband, Adelaide Fringe Festival 2023. Courtesy of Adelaide Fringe.

Patternmakers 29/11/22 Patternmakers 29/11/22

Join Patternmakers

We are looking for a Business Administrator to join the Patternmakers team in the new year to assist us with the smooth running of the business, managing all administration and finance processes, supporting business operations and managing business risks.

Business Administrator

We are looking for a Business Administrator to support the Patternmakers team in the smooth running of the business, managing all administration and finance processes, supporting business operations and managing business risks.

We would love to meet someone with business administrator experience who enjoys working independently, using their initiative, sharing ideas and has a focus on continuous improvement.

Patternmakers is Australia's research agency dedicated to culture, creativity and community. The team works with major cultural institutions, government agencies, creative businesses and non-profit organisations to reach new audiences, secure support and grow their impact.

The role is highly flexible and can be partially undertaken from your own home or workspace, though you will need to attend regular team meetings online and face-to-face.

We are offering the right candidate a permanent part-time role, with potential to extend or expand. The contract will be for 23 hours per week (equivalent of 3 days), ideally spread across four or five days. Choose the hours that work for you - morning, noon or night.

We will provide the online software applications you require for your role and systems/process training.

We are a fully flexible, mobile team who work from home - and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

If you would like to apply for this role please email your resume and a cover letter telling us how your experience, approach and goals suit the role.

Submit your application on Indeed here.

Applications close on Thursday 8 December at 5.00pm AEDT.

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

Tandi is Founder and Managing Director of Patternmakers. She’s an arts research specialist and leader of the agency’s research projects.

Past posts on this blog

Patternmakers 20/10/22 Patternmakers 20/10/22

Join Patternmakers

We are looking for an experienced leader to join the Patternmakers team in a Manager capacity to assist us with research and insights.

Manager, Research and Insights

An exciting opportunity to join the brilliant team at Patternmakers in the newly created role of Manager, Research and Insights.

This role oversees projects, leads the team of Research Analysts, facilitates client meetings and workshops and ensures the integrity of outputs relating to research and analytical insights.

It is the perfect role for someone who loves to collaborate, work in a flexible and well paced environment with an interest in building teams, business and diversifying the client and income base.

A key senior leadership position, this role can be based from home (70%) and in person (30%) with flexible working arrangements. The 30% will take place primarily in Sydney and Melbourne (majority of clients are based here) and for quarterly retreats and as negotiated, at HQ in Sydney.

For the Position Description, please see here.

For a confidential discussion or more information, please contact Recruitment Lead, Jade Lillie on hello@jadelillie.com

To apply, please email Jade with your CV and cover letter (maximum two pages) outlining your suitability for the role and using subject line: Pattermakers: EOI - Manager, Research and Insights.

Applications close on Friday 25 November at 12.00pm AEDT.

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

Tandi is Founder and Managing Director of Patternmakers. She’s an arts research specialist and leader of the agency’s research projects.

Past posts on this blog

Patternmakers 29/8/22 Patternmakers 29/8/22

Privacy Collection Statement and Information for NGV Visitor Research Participants

Visitor research is being carried out at NGV by Patternmakers and Milicante Consulting to ensure it is delivering the best experiences it can. This page lets you know what personal information of yours we hold, what we do with it, who we will disclose it to and how you can access it.

About the study

Visitor research is being carried out at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) by Patternmakers and Milicante Consulting to ensure it is delivering the best experiences it can.

Participation is completely optional, and results will only be viewed in aggregate. Your survey responses will be treated as anonymous and confidential. Below, you can read the privacy collection statement for the study.

Privacy collection statement

Introduction

Both Patternmakers and our fieldwork partner, Milicante Consulting, respect and uphold your rights under the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) ("Privacy Act"). As Australian research organisations, Patternmakers and Milicante Consulting adhere to the Privacy (Market and Social Research) Code 2014 (“Code”). For more information about the Privacy Act, the Australian Privacy Principles and the Code click here.

This page lets you know what personal information of yours we hold, what we do with it, who we will disclose it to and how you can access the personal information we hold about you.

What personal information about you will be collected?

The survey will ask about your views on NGV and it’s exhibitions and events. To help interpret responses, the survey will also collect some demographic information. If you prefer not to answer demographic questions, you can select ‘Prefer not to say’.

This data will be collected via Web Survey Creator, an Australian online survey platform. All of your information, including any personally identifiable information, will be collected on servers located in Australia.

Please note that at the end of the survey, you will be given the option to go in the draw for the chance to win a prize. If you click next, you will be taken to a separate survey hosted on Web Survey Creator, where you will have the option to enter the draw by providing your email address and name. You will also be asked if you are open to participating in further research on this topic. If you indicate that you are interested, Patternmakers will collect your name and email address for the purpose of contacting you for other research opportunities, such as paid focus groups.

By selecting ‘yes’ you are indicating that you acknowledge the statement and consent to this Privacy Collection Statement. Your email address and other details will be treated as anonymous and confidential. Your email address will only ever be used for research.

What are the purposes for which Patternmakers use, handle and disclose your personal information?

We will only use and disclose your personal information for the purpose of conducting our research and in accordance with our Privacy Policy. We will not use or disclose your personally identifiable information provided for research for the purpose of advertising, promotions or direct marketing activities.

If you have participated in our research, we will only re-contact you if you were informed of this, opt-ed in, or we have valid reasons to believe a genuine research concern warrants such re-contact. You can opt-out or unsubscribe at any time.

Who will Patternmakers disclose your personal information to?

We will not disclose any personally identifiable research information we collect from you unless we have your express prior consent and will only report the information you provide in an aggregate form that will not personally identify you. We will not disclose any personal information or personally identifiable research information to a third party for a purpose other than conducting our research unless we have your express prior consent or are required to do so by an Australian law or court/tribunal order.

In the course of conducting our research we may rely on third party service providers to host or store the data we collect, who may be located overseas. The names and locations of those suppliers are:

Microsoft, based in the U.S.

Web Survey Creator, based in Australia.

Milicante Consulting, based in Australia.

Mailchimp, The Rocket Science Group LLC, based in the U.S.

We will also take reasonable steps to ensure any service providers (and their employees and contractors) comply with relevant privacy regulations in their jurisdiction, as well as this Privacy Policy.

Questions and complaints

If you have any questions about this Privacy Collection Statement or our Privacy Policy then we ask that you contact us using the following contact details:

Operations Manager: info@thepatternmakers.com.au

Terms and conditions for the NGV Visitor Research 23/24 Prize Draw.

Eligibility

Entry is open to anyone over 16 who has completed the NGV Visitor Research Survey between July 2023 and June 2024.

Employees, immediate family members of employees, and employees of any company associated with NGV are ineligible to enter. This includes the research organisation, fieldwork contractor and supporting partners.

Entry

The Promotion commences at 01:00AM AEDT 01/07/2023 and entries close at 11:59PM AEDT 30/06/2024 (Promotion Period).

To enter, Eligible Entrants must provide their email address at the end of the survey during the Promotion Period. The prize draw is being administered via Web Survey Creator at https://www.websurveycreator.com/.

Only one entry per person.

Winning and prize conditions

The total value of the prize draw is AUD$499. This includes 1x $499 Apple e-gift card.

The winners will be randomly selected at 12:00pm AEDT on 04/07/2024 at 223 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010.

Winners will be notified by email within two (2) business days of the draw and prizes must be claimed within seven days after notification.

If there are any unclaimed or unwanted prizes within seven days, a subsequent prize draw will be conducted seven days later, at the same time and place as the original draw. Draws will be repeated as needed until a winner accepts the prize.

Patternmakers 10/8/22 Patternmakers 10/8/22

Privacy Collection Statement and Information for ACMI Visitor Research Participants

Visitor research is being carried out at ACMI by Patternmakers and Milicante Consulting to ensure the museum is delivering the best experiences it can. This page lets you know what personal information of yours we hold, what we do with it, who we will disclose it to and how you can access it.

About the study

Visitor research is being carried out at ACMI by Patternmakers and Milicante Consulting to ensure the museum is delivering the best experiences it can.

Privacy collection statement

Introduction

Both Patternmakers and our fieldwork partner, Milicante Consulting, respect and uphold your rights under the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) ("Privacy Act"). As an Australian research organisation, Patternmakers also adheres to the Privacy (Market and Social Research) Code 2014 (“Code”). For more information about the Privacy Act, the Australian Privacy Principles and the Code click here.

This page lets you know what personal information of yours we hold, what we do with it, who we will disclose it to and how you can access the personal information we hold about you.

What personal information about you will be collected?

The survey will ask about your views on ACMI and it’s exhibitions and events. To help interpret responses, the survey will also collect some demographic information. If you prefer not to answer demographic questions, you can select ‘Prefer not to say’.

Please note that at the end of the survey, you will be given the option to go in the draw for the chance to win a prize. If you click next, you will be taken to a separate survey hosted on Web Survey Creator, where you will have the option to enter the draw by providing your email address and name. You will also be asked if you are open to participating in further research on this topic. If you indicate that you are interested, Patternmakers will collect your email address, name and postcode for the purpose of contacting you for other research opportunities, such as paid focus groups.

By selecting ‘yes’ you are indicating that you acknowledge the statement and consent to this Privacy Collection Statement. Your email address will be stored separately from your survey response, so your responses will remain anonymous and confidential. Your email address will only ever be used for research.

What are the purposes for which Patternmakers use, handle and disclose your personal information?

Who will Patternmakers disclose your personal information to?

Microsoft, based in the U.S.

Web Survey Creator, based in Australia.

Milicante Consulting, based in Australia.

Mailchimp, The Rocket Science Group LLC, based in the U.S.

Questions and complaints

If you have any questions about this Privacy Collection Statement or our Privacy Policy then we ask that you contact us using the following contact details:

Sara Mason, Manager, Business Operations: info@thepatternmakers.com.au

Terms and conditions for the ACMI Visitor Research 23/24 Prize Draw.

Eligibility

Entry is open to anyone over 16 who has completed the ACMI Visitor Research Survey from August 2023 to June 2024.

Employees, immediate family members of employees, and employees of any company associated with ACMI are ineligible to enter. This includes the research organisation, fieldwork contractor and supporting partners.

Entry

The Promotion commences at 01:00AM AEDT 1/08/2023 and entries close at 11:59PM AEDT 30/06/2024 (Promotion Period).

To enter, Eligible Entrants must provide their email address at the end of the survey during the Promotion Period. The prize draw is being administered by Patternmakers via Web Survey Creator at https://www.websurveycreator.com/.

Only one entry per person.

Winning and prize conditions

The total value of the prize draw is AUD$500. This includes 1x $500 Apple e-gift card.

The winners will be randomly selected at 12:00pm AEDT on 01/07/2024 at 223 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010.

The prize draw is organised by Patternmakers and winners will be notified by email within two (2) business days of the draw and prizes must be claimed within seven days after notification.

Patternmakers 9/8/22 Patternmakers 9/8/22

Privacy Collection Statement and Information for Participants

The Audience Outlook Monitor is being delivered in Australia as a collaboration between arts and culture organisations, and two research organisations, Wolf Brown (USA) and Patternmakers (Aus). This page lets you know what personal information of yours we hold, what we do with it, who we will disclose it to and how you can access the information we hold.

About the study

The Audience Outlook Monitor is designed to help artists and cultural organisations adapt to the needs of audiences, in the context of changing conditions presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is being delivered in Australia as a collaboration between arts and culture organisations, and two research organisations, WolfBrown (USA) and Patternmakers Pty Ltd (Australia, ABN 97 627 469 649).

Patternmakers is a research agency based in Sydney, Australia. It specialises in research related to culture, creativity and community. You can read more about its work here. WolfBrown is an agency based in the USA, which provides market research and consulting support for arts and culture organisations. You can read more about its work here.

The Audience Outlook Monitor is being delivered with support from the Australia Council for the Arts, Creative Victoria, Create NSW, Arts Queensland, Department of the Premier and Cabinet (Arts South Australia), Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) WA and artsACT. It is being delivered in collaboration with arts and culture organisations across Australia, who are deploying the survey with a sample of their audience. The results are then being aggregated to provide a national picture of audiences.

If you have received an invitation to complete the survey, it is because an arts/culture organisation values your perspective and the sector is relying on insight from audiences about attending arts and cultural events. You may have also provided your email address at the completion of an Audience Outlook Monitor survey to opt-in to join the Research Participant Database panel.

Participating in the survey is completely optional, and results will only be viewed in aggregate. Your survey responses will be treated as anonymous and confidential. Below, you can read the privacy collection statement for the study.

Privacy Collection Statement

Introduction

Both WolfBrown and Patternmakers respect and uphold your rights under the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) ("Privacy Act"). As an Australian research organisation, Patternmakers also adheres to the Privacy (Market and Social Research) Code 2014 (“Code”). For more information about the Privacy Act, the Australian Privacy Principles and the Code click here.

This page lets you know what personal information of yours we hold, what we do with it, who we will disclose it to and how you can access the personal information we hold about you. You can also find out here how to change inaccurate personal information and how to opt out of receiving communications from us.

What personal information about you will be collected?

On the first page of the survey, you will be presented with a privacy statement. By clicking ‘Next’ to Start the survey, you are indicating that you acknowledge the statement and consent to this Privacy Policy.

The survey will ask about your views on attending arts and cultural events. To help interpret responses, the survey will also collect some demographic information. It will also ask about your perspective on restrictions related to COVID-19. All demographic and COVID-19 related questions are optional.

This data will be collected and stored offshore via Alchemer (formerly SurveyGizmo) at www.alchemer.com, a well-known survey software platform based in the USA. Alchemer LLC is committed to complying with international regulations including GDPR. You can read more about Alchemers’ Privacy Policy here www.alchemer.com/privacy.

At no point, will Alchemer ask for your name, phone number or email address. However, like many websites, the software does track your IP address.

Please note that at the end of the survey, you will be given the option to go in the draw to win a prize. If you click next, you will be taken to a separate, and secure platform SendinBlue (EU) at www.sendinblue.com, where you will have the option to enter the draw by providing your email address. As your email address will be stored separately from your survey response, your responses will remain anonymous and confidential.

You will also be asked if you are open to participating in further research on this topic, as the researchers, Patternmakers, maintain a Research Participant Database, which you can join to participate in future audience research projects. Communications will be sent to your email via SendinBlue (EU).

SendinBlue (EU) comply with international privacy regulations including GDPR. You can read more about SendinBlue privacy policy here. Your email address will only ever be used for research, and will never be used, or sold, for any other purpose.

What are the purposes for which Patternmakers use, handle and disclose your personal information?

We will only use and disclose your personal information for the purpose of conducting our research and in accordance with this Privacy Policy. We will not use or disclose your personally identifiable information provided for research for the purpose of advertising, promotions or direct marketing activities.

Who will Patternmakers disclose your personal information to?

In the course of conducting our research we may rely on third party service providers to host or store the data we collect who are located overseas. The names and locations of those suppliers are:

Alchemer LLC, based in the U.S.

WolfBrown LLC, based in the U.S.

MailChimp, The Rocket Science Group LLC, based in the U.S.

Microsoft, based in the U.S.

Sendinblue Inc, based in Europe.

Openness

You have the right to request access to any personal information we hold about you. You can request this information by contacting the Privacy Officer at the details listed below. Where we hold information that you are entitled to access, we will respond to your request in a reasonable time and endeavour to provide you with a suitable range of choices as to how access is provided (e.g, emailing or mailing it to you). A fee may be charged to cover the cost of retrieval. However this fee will not be excessive and will only apply to the facilitation of your request.

If at any time you believe that personal information we hold about you is incorrect, incomplete or inaccurate, then you may request amendment of it and we will either amend the information or make a record of your comment, as we think appropriate.

Questions and complaints

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or believe that we have at any time failed to keep one of our commitments to you to handle your personal information in the manner required by the Privacy Act, the APPs or the Code, then we ask that you contact us immediately using the following email: info@thepatternmakers.com.au

We will respond and advise whether we agree with your complaint or not. If we do not agree, we will provide reasons. If we do agree, we will advise what (if any) action we consider it appropriate to take in response. If you are still not satisfied after having contacted us and given us a reasonable time to respond, then we suggest that you contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner by:

Phone: 1300 363 992 (local call cost, but calls from mobile and pay phones may incur higher charges). If calling from overseas:+61 2 9284 9749

TTY: 1800 620 241 (this number is dedicated to the hearing impaired only, no voice calls)

TIS: Translating and Interpreting Service: 131 450 (If you don’t speak English or English is your second language and you need assistance and ask for the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner)

Post: GPO Box 2999 Canberra ACT 2601

Fax: +61 2 9284 9666

Email: enquiries@oaic.gov.au

Collection statement for Patternmakers website

When visiting Patternmakers’ web site, the site server makes a record of the visit and logs the following information for statistical and administrative purposes:

the user’s server address – to consider the users who use the site regularly and tailor the site to their interests and requirements;
the date and time of the visit to the site – this is important for identifying the website’s busy times and ensuring maintenance on the site is conducted outside these periods;
pages accessed and documents downloaded – this indicates to Patternmakers which pages or documents are most important to users and also helps identify important information that may be difficult to find;
duration of the visit – this indicates to us how interesting and informative Patternmakers site is to candidates; the type of browser used – this is important for browser specific coding
In order to optimise Patternmakers web site and better understand it’s usage, we collect the visiting domain name or IP address, Computer Operating System, Browser Type and Screen Resolution

A cookie is a piece of information that an Internet web site sends to your browser when you access information at that site. Cookies are either stored in memory (session cookies) or placed on your hard disk (persistent cookies). The Patternmakers web site does not use persistent cookies. Upon closing your browser the session cookie set by this web site is destroyed and no Personal Information is maintained which might identify you should you visit our web site at a later date.

Terms and conditions for the Audience Outlook Monitor August 2023 Prize Draw

Eligibility

Entry is open to anyone over 16 who has completed the August 2023 Phase (Phase 9) Audience Outlook Monitor survey.

Employees, immediate family members of employees, and employees of any company associated with the Audience Outlook Monitor are ineligible to enter. This includes the research organisations, supporting partners and participating arts and culture organisations.

Entry

The Promotion commences at 01:00AM AEST 2/8/2023 and entries close at 11:59PM AEST 6/8/2023 (Promotion Period).

To enter, Eligible Entrants must provide their email address at the end of the survey during the Promotion Period. The prize draw is being administered via SendinBlue (EU) at www.sendinblue.com.

Only one entry per person.

Winning and prize conditions

The total value of the prize draw is AUD$1,000. This includes 5 x $200 Mastercard e-gift cards.

The winners will be randomly selected at 12:00pm AEDT on 8/8/2023 at 223 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010.

Winners will be notified by phone/email within two (2) business days of the draw and prizes must be claimed within seven days after notification.

Patternmakers 28/4/22 Patternmakers 28/4/22

A manifesto on the power of evidence

Without evidence, we are flying blind. In this post we share the Patternmakers manifesto on the power of evidence.

We believe that the difference between those who are serious about their cause, and those who aren’t, is evidence.

When we take the time to examine the evidence, and rigorously reflect, we see more clearly what we need to do. We understand opportunities with greater clarity, we prioritise more effectively. We prioritise based on what truly matters - not whim. And we build consensus with stakeholders more quickly.

Without evidence, we are flying blind.

I believe that the difference between those who are serious about their cause, and those who aren’t, is evidence.

If we don’t marshall evidence behind our vision, we are missing a trick, because evidence makes everything easier.

It makes our arguments stronger, it proves why we are needed and it makes the case for what we want to do.

When we take the time to examine the evidence, and rigorously reflect, we see more clearly what we need to do.

We understand opportunities with greater clarity, we prioritise more effectively. We prioritise based on what truly matters - not whim.

We create products that aren’t good - they are great. And we know they’re great because we have the evidence.

In fact, having the evidence means it’s not just us with the knowledge we are great, it’s our stakeholders, our funders, our partners and future partners.

In this day and age, it’s not enough to do good work. The story of that work needs to be told to the people that matter.

It needs to be shared, so its influence can spread. So others can learn from us, and so we can make a difference in a bigger way.

Good evidence helps us reduce subjective views of our work.

Mitigate risk.

Build consensus.

If a good idea is tested, examined, piloted, it’s not just a good idea any more, it’s a great cause ready for investment.

Examining evidence is how we keep improving, growing, learning.

It’s how we future-proof our organisations.

If we’re working on something we really believe in, I believe it’s our duty to take it seriously and give ourselves the best chance of success.

Without an evidence base around our work, we’re flying blind.

Taking pot shots in the dark and hoping we hit something.

As we look around the world at the issues we face, it’s clear the stakes are high. Too high to do nothing.

I’m passionate about this because I’ve seen the difference evidence can make (read more about our backstory) and at Patternmakers it’s what we do every day.

I’d love to know what you see as the power of evidence!

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

Head geek and leader of Patternmakers.

Join the Culture Panel

The Culture Panel makes it easier for arts organisations to gather useful data from audiences when they need to.

It’s an easy way for you to offer support to organisations that need your help!

Will you join Australia’s network of audiences dedicated to culture, creativity and community research?

If you’re willing to participate in research once in a while, The Culture Panel is for you.

JOIN NOW

FAQ

How often do I need to be available?

We’ll never contact you more than once a month. You can participate as much or as little as you like. You can also opt-out at any time.

Who runs The Culture Panel and who is it for?

The Culture Panel is administered by Patternmakers on behalf of Australian arts, culture and community organisations. It is used in Australia for studies such as the Audience Outlook Monitor ‘Pulse Check’ research.

It’s also used for research about new ideas and concepts for arts, culture and community experiences.

What are the benefits to me?

Support good causes that are doing good work in communities across Australia
Ensure culture and community organisations make the right decisions for the public
Hear about the latest programs and innovations in the arts and culture sector
Access benefits and incentives (see more below).

Am I eligible?

To join The Culture panel, you must have attended a cultural venue or event in the past 3 years.
Cultural venues and events include museums, galleries, festivals, performing arts events, art classes, community development projects and artist talks
You must be 16 years or over
You must reside in Australia.

What’s involved exactly?

When you join, you’re invited to provide your email address, identify which state/territory you live in and let us know your age range so we can send you opportunties that are right for you
From time to time (no more than once a month) you may be sent an email invitation to participate in research, such as surveys and focus groups
When you receive an invitation, you can decide whether to participate or not
At any time, you can click ‘unsubscribe’ at the bottom of any email to leave the panel.

What kind of incentives are offered?

The incentives vary from project to project. For short surveys, you may be invited to enter a prize draw, for the chance to win a gift voucher. For participating in a focus group or interview, we usually offer all participants a cash-equivalent incentive (around $1 per minute). Read more about our incentive policy here.

Who has access to the database?

This Culture Panel is maintained by research agency Patternmakers Pty Ltd, on behalf of cultural organisations.
It exists solely for research in the public interest, on topics related to culture, creativity and community.
It is used for studies such as the Audience Outlook Monitor Pulse Check research.
Participant email addresses will only be used for research invitation emails.
The database is administered via Brevo (EU) and all personal data is stored in line with Patternmakers Privacy Policy.

What kinds of projects will I be invited to participate in?

The Culture Panel is used for national audience studies such as the Audience Outlook Monitor Pulse Check research – which started during the pandemic and has continued as a nationwide study on audience sentiment.

We also approach Panel members to complete short surveys or participate in focus groups helping arts organisations design future exhibitions, programs or marketing campaigns.

How can I find out more?

For any questions, please contact our team on info@thepatternmakers.com.au.

Good causes rely on good data. Join The Culture Panel and start sharing your views on Australian art, culture and community life.

JOIN NOW

Image Credit: Samuel Graves, Adelaide Fringe Festival 2023. Courtesy of Adelaide Fringe.

Example past projects

Featured

Visitor Research for ACMI

Patternmakers is working with ACMI to provide insight into visitor motivations, behaviour and barriers.

Audience Outlook Monitor — 2023

Patternmakers leads a major tracking study of audiences in partnership with US research agency WolfBrown.

Audience Research for the Australian Chamber Orchestra

Patternmakers is working with Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) to inform a community focussed and diversified audience development strategy.

Patternmakers 15/9/21 Patternmakers 15/9/21

Privacy Collection Statement and Information for Participants

The Audience Outlook Monitor is being delivered in Australia as a collaboration between arts and culture organisations, and two research organisations, Wolf Brown (USA) and Patternmakers (Aus).

About the study

The Audience Outlook Monitor is designed to help artists and cultural organisations adapt to the needs of audiences, in the context of changing conditions presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Audience Outlook Monitor is being delivered with support from the Australia Council for the Arts, Creative Victoria, Create NSW, Department of the Premier and Cabinet (Arts SA) and DLGSC (WA). It is being delivered in collaboration with arts and culture organisations across Australia, who are deploying the survey with a sample of their audience. The results are then being aggregated to provide a national picture of audiences.

Participating is completely optional, and results will only be viewed in aggregate. Your survey responses will be treated as anonymous and confidential. Below, you can read the privacy collection statement for the study.

Privacy collection statement

Introduction

What personal information about you will be collected?

At no point, will Alchemer ask for your name, phone number or email address. However, like many websites, the software does track your IP address.

Please note that at the end of the survey, you will be given the option to go in the draw to win a prize. If you click next, you will be taken to a separate, and secure platform Checkbox Survey at www.checkbox.com, where you will have the option to enter the draw by providing your email address. You will also be asked if you are open to participating in further research on this topic, as the researchers, Patternmakers, maintain an Audience Outlook database, which you can join to participate in future audience research projects.

Your email address will be stored separately from your survey response, so your responses will remain anonymous and confidential. This is being administered via Checkbox Survey and MailChimp (US), which comply with the Australian Privacy Act. You can read more about their privacy policies here; Checkbox Survey (Australia) and MailChimp (US). Your email address will only ever be used for research, and will never be used, or sold, for any other purpose.

What are the purposes for which Patternmakers use, handle and disclose your personal information?

Who will Patternmakers disclose your personal information to?

In the course of conducting our research we may rely on third party service providers to host or store the data we collect who are located overseas. The names and locations of those suppliers are:

Alchemer LLC, based in the U.S.

WolfBrown LLC, based in the U.S.

MailChimp, The Rocket Science Group LLC, based in the U.S.

Microsoft, based in the U.S.

Checkbox Survey, based in the U.S., data stored on servers hosted in Australia.

Openness

Questions and complaints

Jodie Bombardier, Operations Manager: info@thepatternmakers.com.au

Phone: 1300 363 992 (local call cost, but calls from mobile and pay phones may incur higher charges). If calling from overseas:+61 2 9284 9749

TTY: 1800 620 241 (this number is dedicated to the hearing impaired only, no voice calls)

Post: GPO Box 2999 Canberra ACT 2601

Fax: +61 2 9284 9666

Email: enquiries@oaic.gov.au

Collection statement for Patternmakers website

When visiting Patternmakers’ web site, the site server makes a record of the visit and logs the following information for statistical and administrative purposes:

the user’s server address – to consider the users who use the site regularly and tailor the site to their interests and requirements;
the date and time of the visit to the site – this is important for identifying the website’s busy times and ensuring maintenance on the site is conducted outside these periods;
pages accessed and documents downloaded – this indicates to Patternmakers which pages or documents are most important to users and also helps identify important information that may be difficult to find;
duration of the visit – this indicates to us how interesting and informative Patternmakers site is to candidates; the type of browser used – this is important for browser specific coding
In order to optimise Patternmakers web site and better understand it’s usage, we collect the visiting domain name or IP address, Computer Operating System, Browser Type and Screen Resolution

Terms and conditions for the Audience Outlook Monitor March 2022 Prize Draw

Eligibility

Entry is open to anyone over 18 who has completed the Phase 7 Audience Outlook Monitor survey in March 2022.

Entry

The Promotion commences at 01:00AM AEDT 9/3/2022 and entries close at 11:59PM AEDT 13/3/2022 (Promotion Period).

To enter, Eligible Entrants must provide their email address at the end of the survey during the Promotion Period. The prize draw is being administered via Checkbox Survey at www.checkbox.com.

Only one entry per person.

Winning and prize conditions

The total value of the prize draw is AUD$1,000. This includes 5 x $200 Mastercard e-gift cards.

The winners will be randomly selected at 12:00pm AEDT on 15/3/2022 at 223 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010.

Winners will be notified by phone/email within two (2) business days of the draw and prizes must be claimed within seven days after notification.

Patternmakers 7/9/21 Patternmakers 7/9/21

Arrange a research briefing

More and more teams are embracing evidence-based practice in their organisations.

We deliver research briefings suitable for strategic planning days, conferences, lunchtime professional development sessions and board meetings. Book a briefing on the latest data, and ensure your organisation stays on top of the changing audience landscape.

Book a briefing to get across the key issues

In addition to our free webinars, you can book a research briefing tailored to your needs.

These briefings are designed for board meetings, leadership team catch-ups and staff planning days. We also present at conferences and events - both virtually and where possible, in-person.

Book a briefing

At $349 for small organisations and groups, our research briefings are a cost-effective way to gain insight about audiences - and feedback from both organisers and attendees is outstanding (see below).

The benefits of a research briefing include:

Helping your board members, colleagues or leaders stay up to date on the latest audience insights
Ensuring all decisions are being made with the best possible information, specific to your jurisdiction and artform
Allowing your colleagues/participants to ask questions in a private forum - with more time for discussion about the strategic implications
Bringing in an independent voice to your forums and events, allowing discussion to flow from evidence-based insights
Putting aside scary news headlines and helping your organisation stay focused on practical actions.

Our presentations are delivered by Tandi Palmer Williams, an experienced speaker, researcher and trainer who is highly regarded in the culture sector. She has a clear, engaging communication style - and helps describe data in an accessible way.

She’ll present the most relevant insights for you, take questions and offer some thoughts about areas of opportunity. Afterwards, she’ll follow up on any key questions and leave you with a copy of the slides, for you to use in board papers, planning documents and key communications.

To book, hit the button above, or email info@thepatternmakers.com.au for more information.

Click the button below to learn more about our professional development programs/sessions:

Learn more

Feedback from past webinars and speaking engagements is shown below.

“It really hit the mark. The students have definitely picked up the themes and come back to your prompts quite a bit already.”

— Dr Kim Goodwin, Lecturer, University of Melbourne

“I cannot thank you enough. You are such a good presenter and the work you are doing is so deeply relevant. The Board felt really excited about the future. The research gives such tangible pathways to connect with people deeply. You are a star.”

— Collette Brennan, CEO, Abbotsford Convent

“Thank you so much on behalf of the staff and Board at Byron Writers Festival for coming and presenting your brilliant research to us today. We all found it thoroughly inspiring – it sparked so many interesting ideas for us to consider as a team and has made us confident to make informed planning decisions based on solid evidence.”

— Edwina Johnson, Director, Byron Writers Festival

“Excellent presentation last night! Your research definitely stacks up against what it actually happening... your research is an invaluable tool that I will be recommending to other industry folks.”

— Co-panellist at a speaking engagement

“Thank you for giving an excellent, insight rich presentation. Thank you for being human and humane and reassuring me (and I extrapolate to everyone else in the audience) that is ok to be struggling right now.”

— Webinar attendee

“I have been watching the Patternmakers work like a hawk - it’s been so useful to us at the Festival, and like Tandi, I’m a total data nerd, I love it. When I hear anyone making an incorrect assumption, I just forward them the latest research which politely makes them stop.”

— Webinar attendee

“Congratulations to you both. Informed and well delivered. You should be rightly proud of this achievement.”

— Webinar organiser

“I just listened to you present in the ArtsHub Creative Vic Recovery Roadmap Webinar and thought you were great! Super engaging, data delivered in an interesting way with great anecdotes - bravo.”

— Attendee

“Thank you for a wonderful and insightful presentation on Understanding Audiences during a Pandemic. I learnt so much... and highly recommend it to any creative industries professionals out there looking to gain new knowledge...”

— Attendee

“The session was excellent! Tandi was a compassionate, knowledgeable speaker - who knew her data inside out, and kept the human side of our current situation front of mind. Organisations attending gained an understanding of audiences’ needs and wants, and actions organisations can take now to support and engage with those audiences.”

— Ruth Gormley, Senior Manager, Creative Victoria

Past webinars and speaking engagements

Below are a list of past webinars, where we share insights about audiences. These sessions draw on data from our research projects and the COVID-19 Audience Outlook Monitor.

ArtsHub - What will post-pandemic audiences look like? (September 2020)

Recorded on 4 September 2020, ArtsHub in partnership with Creative Victoria, with Ruth Gormley, Senior Manager of Strategic Marketing, Creative Victoria and Richard Watts, Performing Arts Editor, ArtsHub.

Australia Snapshot: Phase 2 (July 2020)

Recorded on 29 July 2020, Australia Council for the Arts, with Jade Lillie, Head of Sector Development.

M&G QLD/UQAM Seminar 2020 - Audience Recovery Seminar Series (July 2020)

Recorded July 2020, Museums & Galleries Queensland, with Colleen Dilenschneider, Chief Market Engagement Officer, IMPACTS Research & Development, USA, Moderated by Kate O'Hara, Director, Umbrella Studios Contemporary Art

Gold Coast Music Industry Mingle - The Future of Live Music? (June 2020)

Recorded 30 June 2020, Gold Coast Music Awards, Gold Coast Arts and Culture, Blank GC, with Shelley Bishop, conducting a PhD including a focus on how our industry’s leaders have innovated their operations during this time, Mark Duckworth, Major Events Gold Coast, Brad Hinds, Oztix. Conversation led by Kimberley Ferguson of Beats Cartel and Mo’s Desert Clubhouse fame.

Australian Snapshot: Fundraising, Support & Marketing (June 2020)

Recorded 29 June 2020, Australia Council for the Arts, with Matthew Morse, Executive Director, Strategy and Programs, Creative Partnerships Australia.

Australian Snapshot: First Nations (June 2020)

Recorded 22 June 2020, Australia Council for the Arts, with Wesley Enoch AM, Chair of the First Nations Arts Strategy Panel of the Australia Council for the Arts.

Australian Snapshot: Online Engagement (June 2020)

Recorded 15 June 2020, Australia Council for the Arts, with Keir Winesmith, strategic consultant and academic working across digital and culture.

Australian Snapshot: Museums & Galleries (June 2020)

Recorded 15 June 2020, Australia Council for the Arts, with Keir Winesmith, strategic consultant and academic working across digital and culture.

Australian Snapshot: Performing Arts (June 2020)

Recorded 2 June 2020, Australia Council for the Arts, with Katherine Connor, Executive Director, PAC Australia.

Use the dashboard to get results for your artform and region

Survey data from over 39,000 Australian respondents has been aggregated in a freely available dashboard. Click the image below to access the dashboard and start exploring the data.

About the Audience Outlook Monitor

The results now available represent the first two phases of a three-phase study, which is tracking how audiences feel about returning to events in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Phase 1, data was collected between 6 and 14 May 2020, forming a baseline against which future changes can be tracked. In Phase 2, data was again collected from audiences between 8 and 12 July 2020. A third and final phase of data collection will occur in September 2020 (Phase 3).

Seven government agencies are collaborating with research agencies Patternmakers (Sydney) and WolfBrown (USA) to produce this resource. The dashboard is freely accessible and designed to help artists and cultural organisations of all kinds to make the best possible decisions about re-opening.

How to find out more

More Fact Sheets and resources will be made available in the coming weeks. To receive these directly into your inbox, as soon as they are available, you can opt in to receive Audience Outlook Monitor news below.

If you have a question, or an idea for using this data, please contact Patternmakers at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

Subscribe for updates

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

Tandi is Founder and Managing Director of Patternmakers. She’s an arts research specialist and leader of the agency’s research projects.

Delivery partners

Supporting partners

Past posts on this blog

Patternmakers 18/2/21 Patternmakers 18/2/21

Join Patternmakers

We are looking for a talented junior Research Analyst or Trainee to join the small but mighty Patternmakers team to support our research and consultancy projects.

Join a friendly team committed to making a positive change in the culture, creative and community sectors.

We would love to meet an outstanding student or recent graduate with a friendly approach who is keen to get their teeth into challenging projects for government agencies, cultural institutions and charities.

Research Analyst/Trainee

We are looking for a talented junior Research Analyst or Trainee to join the small but mighty Patternmakers team to support our research and consultancy projects.

Join a friendly team committed to making a positive change in the culture, creative and community sectors

Flexible contract: Work from home (approximately 3 days per week) from anywhere in Australia
Learn on the job and get trained in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies

Responsibilities and Duties

- What you will be doing -

You will be working closely with the research team to support the successful delivery of projects. Your jobs and responsibilities will include:

Undertake project-related tasks including transcribing interviews, entering & coding data and programming and testing surveys
Undertaking administrative tasks such as scheduling interviews, coordinating payments and general project administration
Assisting with business proposals and project reports, including proofing and formatting of Word documents & PowerPoint presentations, preparing graphs using Excel data and collating documents for publication
Analysing quantitative and qualitative data for client projects, and drafting reports
Supporting the research team including diary management, travel bookings, electronic filing and system management
Working with other team members and collaborating on key administration, content and communications tasks
Problem solving and troubleshooting miscellaneous issues as they arise.

The role is flexible and can be undertaken independently from your own home or workspace. The role includes regular client project meetings, research team meetings, as well as weekly Patternmakers team meetings.

Our clients are located across Australia and all meetings normally occur via videoconference. The role may occasionally involve overnight interstate travel (although this has reduced due to COVID-19 travel restrictions).

Qualifications and Skills

- What we are looking for -

Very strong analytical abilities – asking questions and identifying insights and solutions from information
Excellent communication skills and an ability to write and speak about complex topics in plain English
A friendly, positive, professional approach when dealing with clients and a can-do attitude when taking on a range of tasks
Highly organised with strong time management skills and the ability to work independently from home
Attention to detail and ability to check documents for errors and ensure accuracy and quality
An ability to multitask and work flexibly under tight timelines. This may include some work in early mornings or late nights to meet deadlines.

- Prior experience -

This is an entry level position and you do not need an extensive work history, though some experience in professional settings is desirable.
Working knowledge of the following systems is desirable; Microsoft Office (Outlook, PowerPoint, Word and Excel), Survey Gizmo/Alchemer (or any survey software), MailChimp, Canva and Squarespace, but training will be provided.
You will have a Bachelor Degree (or soon be graduating), with a focus on either:
- Business/commerce i.e. marketing, communications, market research, business analysis, etc
- Social policy i.e. humanities, social sciences, social inquiry, etc.

You will have achieved very strong academic results in the past (either ATAR and/or University).

- Workspace and equipment -

If successful in gaining the role you would be employed on a Casual basis.

You will need your own workspace, laptop computer and internet connection.

You will also be required to maintain a quiet and safe workspace at home that complies with our OH&S working-from-home checklist.

You will be provided with an annual working-from-home allowance which can be used to cover costs of small items such as a laptop stand, ergonomic chair, headset etc.

Benefits and Perks

- What we offer -

We are offering the right candidate a six-month contract, with potential to extend or expand. The contract hours per week are negotiable, however we are anticipating from 15-25 hours per week, ideally spread across four or five days each week. Choose the hours that work for you - morning, noon or night – but availability for meetings during business hours (AEST) is important.

We offer a competitive hourly rate, plus superannuation and we provide the online software applications you require for your role.

We are a fully flexible, mobile team who work from home - and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

If you would like to apply for this role please upload your resume and a cover letter on au.indeed.com by 26 February 2021.

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

Tandi is Founder and Managing Director of Patternmakers. She’s an arts research specialist and leader of the agency’s research projects.

Past posts on this blog

$We're listening...$

Patternmakers 4/2/20 Patternmakers 4/2/20

We're listening...

This week, we’re launching a podcast. ‘Theory of Creativity’ is a series of weekly interviews with experts in research, economics, innovation, advocacy and policy.

Here’s some of the reasons why we’re taking time out from client work, to do some listening and learning.

This week, we’re launching a podcast. ‘Theory of Creativity’ is a series of weekly interviews with experts in research, economics, innovation, advocacy and policy.

It has meant time away from client work, my team and my family. I’ve been asked ‘why’, ‘why now’, ‘why a podcast’ and my favourite, ‘shouldn’t you charge people for that advice?’ Here are my answers.

Where did the idea come from?

After participating in the Australia Council’s Arts Leaders Program 2016-2018, I reflected that many of our conversations on the program related to one of three central needs for arts and cultural organisations: reaching more people, securing funding and creating positive impacts through our work.

I’ve spent 10 years in the arts as a researcher, and seen how the right ideas and insights can enable teams to achieve ambitious goals. But applying insights in the arts is not straightforward. Partly because there are complex tensions between what’s artistically interesting, financially viable and socially impactful.

A new decade is here, and I firmly believe in the power of the arts to be a force for good in the world. But if we’re to realise the full potential of a creative society, as a sector we need to be bigger, better and stronger. With this podcast, I’m making sure cultural professionals can access the best possible thinking and insights, from experts that really know their stuff.

Who is on the podcast?

All the guests on Theory of Creativity are leaders in their field. In the first season, this includes experts in audience research, economics, policy and design thinking - who know how to apply these tools in the arts sector.

For many of the interviews, I’m joined by an Australian arts leader, including many of my colleagues on the leadership program. I’m grateful to colleagues who collaborated with me in developing the podcast: Simon Abrahams, Amy Maiden, Jade Lillie, Erin Milne, Kate Eltham, Morwenna Collett, Anna Reece and many more - you know who you are!

What is in each episode?

Listeners can expect to hear a friendly and frank interview with an expert. Each episode goes for about 45 minutes, and in that time, we cover, the details of their practice, key successes and challenges for that field, and tips for those applying these techniques in their organisations.

We also cover useful resources, further reading, and what lies ahead in their area of expertise. At 45 minutes, it’s designed to be digestible during a commute or workout.

Why a podcast?

Podcasts are the only media that I believe give you your time back. All other media - whether that be reading article, attending a discussion event, doing online training - require you to give up your time to engage.

Podcasts are designed to be consumed while commuting, cooking, walking, doing the laundry. As a busy working mum myself, I’m hooked on podcasts! If you haven’t yet got into podcasting - give it a go!

Who is it for?

The target audience for the podcast is leaders and mid-career professionals in the arts and culture sector. So, people working in theatre companies, museums, galleries, festivals. They might be CEOs or Artistic Directors, Marketing Managers, Program Officers or Directors of Development.

It’s for anyone who is thirsty for more knowledge, more insight, who believes that we have greater potential as a sector.

How have you produced the podcast?

Pretty much everything has been done in-house by me and my wonderful team. I used the media room at our co-working space Hub Hyde Park to conduct interviews. I bought a second hand Yeti microphone to interview while I’m travelling. I also use Skype for some interviews. In editing, we used free Audacity software. I purchased a music track by Pop Villains on music platform Premium Beat. Our freelance designer Marchelle Matthew produced the artwork for the podcast, and set us up with templates in Canva. My colleagues Jodie Bombardier and Aurora Nowosad produce the show notes for every episode, using transcription service Rev. The podcast is published via Whooshka, a free podcasting platform, and that pushes the episodes through to Apple iTunes and Spotify,

Knowing absolutely nothing about podcasting before I started, it has been a sharp learning curve, and really this is only the beginning. I could list 100 things that aren’t right about our first episodes, but I’m super proud that they are done and out there in the world. Now we can start work finding ways to improve the experience for our listeners.

I was able to access a small amount of seed funding from the Australia Council, which has enabled me to cover some key costs for the first season. Otherwise, we have done it all on a shoestring with a few late nights!

Shouldn’t you charge people for that advice?

This one’s easy. No. We’re honoured to work one-on-one with our clients - and we put in 110% on every job. But as a sector we have so much to do!

This podcast is about serving our wider community of culture professionals. If this helps us serve you better, job done.

What are your aspirations for the podcast?

I hope this podcast helps arts and cultural professionals stay informed about the techniques that are available to them, and to be wise to the success factors for applying them in their own organisation. I hope it helps build research literacy in the sector, and that we have better conversations because of it.

I hope it allows for more nuance, in discussing complex topics.

By undertaking the interviews, I hope to build my own understanding how how they can be applied in combination to grow and strengthen organisations. Already I’ve learned so much!

Ultimately, I hope that it helps us collectively to reach more people and do more good in the world.

I’d love to hear your ideas. You can get in touch any time with us at theoryofcreativity@thepatternmakers.com.au

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director, Patternmakers

Tandi is a researcher and management consultant in the cultural sector (and now, host of the Theory of Creativity podcast!)

Be in the loop

Patternmakers 12/12/19 Patternmakers 12/12/19

2019 team highlights

2019 has brought its successes and challenges. In this post, MD Tandi Palmer Williams reflects on the highlights and learnings.

2019 is the last year of the decade, and in many ways it has felt like a coming of age. It’s now my fifth year in business, having started freelancing as a research consultant in 2016, and I’m finally beginning to feel settled - though the learnings just keep coming!

As a team, we’ve achieved so much, but there is still so much work to do! Arts and cultural organisations are lagging behind other not-for-profit sectors in terms of capturing data about their impact, and our fundraising is not yet delivering the rates of return seen in other sectors.

But there is a lot to feel good about too - and one of my big lessons is to pause more, express gratitude and reflect on how far we’ve come. Here are some of our team’s highlights of the year that was 2019.

Audience Research Toolkit released

After two years in development, involving a needs analysis, data collection, co-design workshops, and user testing, Creative Victoria’s Audience Research Toolkit was launched.

Designed to help the small-to-medium creative arts sector conduct ‘DIY‘ research in-house, we developed the toolkit’s tools, templates and guidance for surveys, focus groups and data analytics.

I spoke with artsHub about the toolkit and how it can help creative arts organisations develop audiences and build engagement.

Visit the toolkit at www.creative.vic.gov.au/toolkit

GENEXT report published

We were delighted to see our research for the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) published as a report, ‘By young people, for young people: A report on the impact of GENEXT at the MCA’.

The research found that by empowering a committee of teenagers to program regular festival-style museum ‘take-overs’, the institution has created a safe space for young people to express themselves. It has also led to audience development: past participants in GENEXT are more likely to attend the MCA, make art themselves, buy works of art and donate to arts organisations.

The research was reported in the Sydney Morning Herald in September.

Speaking about audience development

In August I was thrilled to co-present at Performing Arts Connections in QLD with our client, Rebecca Bennell from The Cube Wodonga. We talked about Actioning Change: converting research to reality in regional venues.

Since working together on an audience development plan in 2017, The Cube has gone on to grow ticket sales, increase membership income and diversify their audience. Rebecca shared what has worked, and what hasn’t, and I spoke about the lessons for audience development.

It’s been a real honour to work in partnership in this way and see what a great team can do with research.

Presenting at Culture 2.0 in St Petersburg

In November I was invited to speak on a panel as a part of the St Petersburg International Cultural Forum. The subject was where the world is heading, and how cultural institutions are innovating in relation to global trends.

It was an honour to be one of the only Australians at the event, but it was challenging too! Speaking to a foreign audience, with live translation in Russian and Chinese, it really put my speaking skills to the test, in a good way!

It also forced me to ‘zoom out’ on our work and put it in the context of global issues. I spoke about how Australian cultural institutions are delivering public value and contributing to topics like climate change, diversity and migration, and youth mental health.

On stage at Culture 2.0 in St Petersburg. Image credit:

Working with a team of legends

One of the highlights of this year, and of my life generally, has been working with a team of super bright, incredibly talented and supportive people.

Our newest team member Bianca Mulet is our rising star, creating sharp insights from all kinds of data. Dr Catherine Davis has brought sociology to our team, which we have all learned so much from, and Jodie Bombardier our Operations Manager connects all the dots behind the scenes to make everything flow!

In 2020, we’re looking forward to having Aurora Nowosad back after her baby break, and farewelling Catherine as she takes on new challenges. It’s such an honour to work with these stars and I’m incredibly grateful for their support and commitment to our vision.

There are many, many more highlights - but I’ll leave it there for this year. The working year is not quite done and there are deadlines to be hit, presents to wrap and sparkling wine to drink!

Over summer, I’ll be sharing some predictions for 2020, and how we can continue working together to grow culture, creativity and community.

See you then!

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

Patternmakers’ Founder and Managing Director Tandi Palmer Williams is an experienced consultant and arts and culture research specialist.

Be in the loop

Patternmakers 24/10/19 Patternmakers 24/10/19

Patternmakers policy on research incentives

At Patternmakers, we use incentives to motivate participation in our research projects. This page explains why we use incentives and what we consider in designing appropriate incentives. It also explains how we distribute them to participants.

At Patternmakers, we use incentives for participants who take part in our research projects. This page explains why we use incentives and what we consider in designing appropriate incentives.

What are incentives?

Incentives can take a number of forms, such as cash, a gift card or gift such as movie tickets. In line with industry practice, incentives are usually given to all participants who attend focus groups. For surveys, usual industry practice is to run a Prize Draw, whereby all respondents have a chance to win a prize.

We govern our use of incentives by the Australian Market and Social Research Society (AMSRS), and relevant State/Territory guidelines on prize draws.

Why we use incentives?

At Patternmakers we use incentives for two reasons.

Firstly, they are used to motivate participation and ensure the best possible response rate in surveys and attendance for focus groups. Administering research processes involves significant investment of time and money, and we want to make sure we maximise participation and hear from as many people as possible.

Secondly, we use incentives to motivate people who aren’t engaged with the subject organisation for the research topic. Research has shown that using incentives helps reduce bias by motivating a broad range of people to participate.

In our experience, a lack of incentive for participants results in poor levels of attendance, and skewed participation, leading to inefficiencies in our overall research project. Not using incentives can affect the robustness of the data collected.

As a research agency, it is our job to ensure we achieve target response rates for the highest level of rigour possible. When working with clients, we will always negotiate the nature of the incentive to align with the organisation’s model.

How do cash incentives work?

If you have signed up to participate in a focus group with a cash incentive, the incentive will be paid on the day, at the conclusion of the group.

The facilitator will distribute the incentives to all participants present on the night. If you cannot make it on the day, unfortunately we cannot pay the incentive.

How do Prize Draws work?

If you have completed a survey with a prize draw, you will be asked to provide your name and contact details at the end of the survey. These details are confidential and will not be connected with your survey responses, unless you give your explicit permission.

At the end of the survey, you will also be able to read the terms of the draw, including what date the prize will be drawn and how the winner will be contacted.

We select the winner using a random number generator. The winner is then contacted by email. If we do not hear back from with winner within two weeks, we will select another winner.

You can read more about the AMSRS Guideline on Incentives for Participation in Market and Social Research here:

https://www.amsrs.com.au/documents/item/1935

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

Be in the loop

Patternmakers 11/12/18 Patternmakers 11/12/18

2018: a great big Patternmaking year

When Tandi decided to spend a few months freelancing as a culture researcher in 2016, I had very little idea of the learning curve ahead. In this post, our MD Tandi Palmer Williams shares the rewards and challenges of our biggest, best year yet.

When I decided to spend a few months freelancing as a research consultant in 2016, I could never have predicted the rollercoaster ride that lay ahead.

Three and a half years later, research agency Patternmakers is a thriving team of five. We’ve conducted research in five Australian States and Territories, the UK and in several Asian countries, helping culture professionals use evidence to grow their audiences, secure funding and amplify their impact.

Our monthly Culture Insight & Innovation Update, which started as an informal bulletin for a small network of colleagues, is now read by hundreds of culture professionals around the world each month.

Over the same timeframe, my team has delivered four new babies into the world! Needless to say, we are learning a lot about balance, prioritisation and perspective.

As 2018 draws to a finish, I thought I'd reflect on the successes and challenges of the year.

January: leadership program

In January I completed the final residency of the Arts Leaders Program, and returned to working four days a week after my baby break in 2017. It was an honour to participate in the program from 2015-2017 and learn from some of Australia's most exciting artists and arts managers. Particularly during a time when I was faced with a lot of choices to make about my career, family and lifestyle.

If you're considering applying to the program (or taking on any career challenge) while raising a family, I wholeheartedly encourage you to go for it! Do get in touch if I can help you in any way.

Arts Leaders Program participants in Hobart, January 2018

February: touring review

In February, Patternmakers was appointed by the Victorian Government to conduct a Review of Touring and Engagement, in partnership with Professor Peter Matthews. Travelling across Victoria throughout March, we held six open forums, conducted interviews and visited cultural sites - and saw with our own eyes the importance (and further potential) of a strong touring environment. A great chance to enjoy Victoria in all its autumnal magnificence!

The complexity of touring made this project enormously challenging, but it goes without saying that the chance to contribute to its future is rewarding. Having delivered our report, we are continuing to work with Creative Victoria to refine the recommendations and operational considerations ahead of further announcements in 2019.

April: impact partnership

In April we were appointed Impact Partner to BlakDance, and will be working alongside the organisation over the next three years to 'catch' and 'keep' stories about First Nations dance. I'm grateful for the opportunity to refine our practices with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues, I know we’ll learn a lot.

I’m really excited that it’s not just a one-off project, but a three year relationship. We'll be sharing our insights with you as this work unfolds.

May: presenting at Vivid Ideas

Vivid Sydney arrived in May 2018 and we were delighted to present a sold out discussion event, Data after Dark at the 107 rooftop in Redfern. It was a spectacular evening of wine, cheese and statistics (a match made in heaven!). Based on the success of the evening we will be expanding the event into a discussion series that will be touring Australia in 2019. Please get in touch if you think this sounds like something you need in your life!

Research Manager Brooke Boyce presenting at Data after Dark: Vivid Sydney

June: toolkit testing

Since mid-2017 we have been working with Creative Victoria to develop an Audience Research Toolkit for creative arts organisations. Based on interviews and a sector survey, the toolkit will provide practical guidance and tools to support research practices in small to medium creative arts organisations.

In June 2018 we piloted the tools with a number arts and culture organisations in Victoria, and it was fascinating to see how the tools measured up in practice! The finalised resources are due for launch by Creative Victoria in early 2019.

The team visiting Moyhu, Victoria as a part of the Review of Touring and Engagement

July: restructure

In July 2018 we restructured the business as a company, and welcomed ‘Patternmakers Pty Limited’ to the world. With this change came a new constitution, new accounting software, bank accounts and new employee agreements. Embedding new systems is always challenging (am I wrong?) but I'm confident this new structure is the right move for everyone. Thanks for your support throughout the transition!

August: regional roadtrip

In winter we travelled to Horsham, Colac and Castlemaine as a part of three Full House projects to develop evidence based audience development plans for regional arts facilities. In each location, we conducted interviews and focus groups with business leaders, artists, service providers and residents - exploring what is working well, and where there are opportunities to improve.

Regional work is demanding logistically - but we are addicted to getting out of our city lives and hearing about different ideas, lifestyles and values. We're really excited to see this evidence being applied to programming, marketing and venue management in each location - and following the journey of these communities over the next 3-5 years.

September: young people and the arts

In Spring we were delighted to explore results of two projects concerning young people. Firstly, working with the Museum of Contemporary Art, we surveyed 800 people under the age of 32 about their experiences of visual arts and the MCA GENEXT program. Stay tuned for the published report in early 2019.

Secondly, working with Barking Gecko Theatre Company, we explored the impact of its Ensembles Program and discovered very promising results for this emerging program, which is active in remote parts of the country like Karrutha, WA.

Working with young people makes me feel old, but fills me with such hope for the future that I know it will be an area we continue to investigate in years to come.

November: team changes

The team continues to grow with talented new researchers joining us, like sociologist Dr Catherine Davis. In November we farewelled Research Manager Brooke Boyce, as she prepares to welcome a new baby this month. It’s always hard farewelling close colleagues, but new people breathe new life into the team as well!

I should mention that we also officially welcomed Bianca Mulet to the team, after a three-month internship with Patternmakers. As a part of her capstone subject Social Inquiry at UTS, she investigated the role of evaluation for arts and culture organisations in Australia. I’m really proud of Bianca’s journey with us, and we'll shortly be releasing her report, which (of course) received a high distinction!

THANK YOU

Thank you to all our friends, colleagues, partners and clients for a wonderfully rich and rewarding year. We'll be taking some time out to reflect and recharge - and hope you too enjoy the break.

For any questions about the above projects, or to share your own news, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

About the Author

Tandi Palmer Williams
Managing Director

Patternmakers’ Founder and Managing Director Tandi Palmer Williams is an experienced consultant and arts and culture research specialist.

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Patternmakers access statement

Designing accessible research and evaluation processes starts with setting an intention.

We recently worked with our Senior Research Advisor, Accessibility, Morwenna Collett, to develop an Access Statement for Melbourne Fringe. Here we share our intent for all future projects regarding consideration of accessibility and inclusion at every stage of our work.

INTRODUCTION

At Patternmakers we strive to make our work as accessible as possible. We recently worked together develop an Access Statement for our work with Melbourne Fringe to evaluate their Access & Inclusion program.

It got us thinking about how we can make other aspects of our work more accessible.

Here we share our intent for ALL future projects, and how we will consider accessibility and inclusion at every stage of our work.

ACCESS STATEMENT

Access is important to us. We’re committed to providing equal access to all stakeholders to participate in each project we undertake.

When undertaking a new project, we’ll identify all stakeholders and their needs early in the process. When communicating with stakeholders and participants, we’ll ask everyone about their access requirements, and set aside the resources to meet those requirements effectively. Thinking more broadly than the purely technical aspects of accessibility, we’ll be open, welcoming and encourage people to give us feedback, so we can adjust our approach accordingly.

During our fieldwork, we make sure we establish informed consent to participate and we commit to meeting AMSRS guidelines for consent.

When drafting documents, we’ll use a minimum of 12 point font, high contrasts between font and background colour and Plain English (sometimes with the addition of Easy English) wherever possible.

We understand the importance of considering time of day, duration and location of our fieldwork, and that sometimes assistance may be required from support workers, carers or parents for any fieldwork activities involving people with disability.

When inviting people to meet with us face to face, we’ll ask them whether they have any access requirements and make it clear that alternative participation options can be provided if required. We’ll then do everything within our capacity to ensure these requirements are met so that the person can fully participate without disadvantage.

When selecting a venue to meet in, we’ll meet in venues that we know are fully accessible where possible. We’ll take into consideration access requirements that we’re aware of and if necessary, seek advice from the person we’re meeting with as to where might be an appropriate space for them.

When conducting surveys, we’ll ensure that surveys are designed in a universally accessible manner, using an accessible platform, with alternative options for those who may need to respond using a different format.

Improving accessibility throughout our work will be ongoing journey and one we’ll continue to enhance and seek feedback on. We’re aware that by conducting our work in a manner that is as accessible as possible, we’re not only opening doors for more people to engage with us, but we’re also aiming to improve the experience for all people that we interact with throughout our work and daily life.

To find out more about our experience conducting research with people with access needs, check out our previous posts on ‘Inclusive and Accessible research: what we learnt from evaluating Unlimited’ and ‘Is evaluation truly accessible?’

If you have questions or suggestions about access in research, please get in touch with us at info@thepatternmakers.com.au

About the Author

Morwenna Collett
Senior Research Advisor, Accessibility

Morwenna is an experienced leader, project manager, lecturer and consultant. She brings significant arts and disability expertise to the Patternmakers team.

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Without evidence, we are flying blind.

When we take the time to examine the evidence, and rigorously reflect, we see more clearly what we need to do.

In this day and age, it’s not enough to do good work. The story of that work needs to be told to the people that matter.

Without an evidence base around our work, we’re flying blind.

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Past webinars and speaking engagements

ArtsHub - What will post-pandemic audiences look like? (September 2020)

Australia Snapshot: Phase 2 (July 2020)

M&G QLD/UQAM Seminar 2020 - Audience Recovery Seminar Series (July 2020)

Gold Coast Music Industry Mingle - The Future of Live Music? (June 2020)

Australian Snapshot: Fundraising, Support & Marketing (June 2020)

Australian Snapshot: First Nations (June 2020)

Australian Snapshot: Online Engagement (June 2020)

Australian Snapshot: Museums & Galleries (June 2020)

Australian Snapshot: Performing Arts (June 2020)

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