In the Loop

This initiative was aimed at promoting attendance at arts and cultural events among deaf and hard of hearing audiences.

The project examined how deaf and hard of hearing people currently receive information about cultural events and what kind of communication or interpretation support they require. Funded by Awards for All, the project was the first of its kind in Northern Ireland and marks a significant effort by the arts sector to engage with the 219,000 deaf and hard of hearing people in Northern Ireland. Click here to download the In the Loop Report.

Test-Drive the Arts

Test Drive was first piloted by Arts About Manchester and is a planned and incentivised scheme to encourage new people to experience the arts for the first time.

The initiative points to the fact that research reveals that the biggest single barrier for new arts attenders is RISK. Risk of wasting time, money, of appearing foolish, or not being made to feel welcome.Test Drive aims to remove some of these risks by taking unsold capacity and turning it into a potential sale. Venues offer unsold tickets, free of charge, to specially targeted non-attenders and then, with follow-up offers, build a lasting relationship with the new audience. Audiences NI has piloted Test Drive with the Ulster Orchestra, Waterfront Hall and Grand Opera House.

Click here to download the Test-Drive Report