Local to Global: Audience Development & Mapping Toolkit
Local to Global: Audience Development & Mapping Toolkit
An audience development and mapping toolkit primarily aimed at those who work at UNESCO designated sites in the UK. Includes a range of practical approaches and examples and useful to any UK or international organisation and other initiatives looking at partnerships and place-based approaches to audience development.
Audience Development & Mapping Toolkit for UK UNESCO Designated Sites
Download the Audience Development & Mapping Toolkit (PDF)
Published in August 2024, this comprehensive toolkit provides guidance for UK UNESCO designated sites to develop and engage with their audiences effectively. It's designed for UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, Global Geoparks, and World Heritage Sites, though its principles can benefit any heritage or cultural organisation.
Key Sections of the Toolkit
1. Audience Development
- Defines audience development as an ongoing process to increase or improve audience numbers, diversity, and engagement depth
- Emphasises the importance of evidence-based planning and organisation-wide integration
- Outlines different types of audience goals: social, financial, reputational, and experiential
2. Stakeholder Mapping
- Introduces tools for identifying and categorising stakeholders
- Provides frameworks for geographical and influence-based mapping
- Features case studies from The Living Coast Biosphere Reserve and English Riviera Global Geopark
3. People-Centred Approach
- Emphasises prioritising user needs and experiences
- Discusses principles of inclusive practice and participatory design
- Explores asset-based community development (ABCD) and user-centered design
4. Community Engagement
- Provides guidance on building and nurturing community relationships
- Addresses inclusive practice and accessibility
- Includes detailed approaches to community consultation and co-creation
5. Messaging and Advocacy
- Explores effective communication strategies
- Distinguishes between features and benefits in messaging
- Includes case studies on engaging different stakeholder groups
6. Strategies and Action Planning
- Introduces the Ansoff Matrix for strategic planning
- Provides templates for action planning
- Emphasises realistic goal-setting and resource allocation
7. Monitoring and Evaluation
- Outlines approaches to measuring impact
- Discusses different data collection methods
- Emphasises the importance of reflective practice
Practical Implementation
The toolkit provides:
- Real-world case studies from UK UNESCO sites
- Practical tools and templates for immediate use
- Guidance on inclusive practice and accessibility
- Tips for effective stakeholder engagement
- Methods for measuring and evaluating success
This toolkit emphasises inclusive practice throughout its recommendations, ensuring UNESCO sites can better serve all members of their communities. It provides guidance on removing barriers to participation and creating welcoming environments for diverse audiences.
Summary of key points
- Get to know your community. Take the time to understand the characteristics and needs of your community, meeting people where they are.
- Engage early and often. Engage your audiences early in the development of projects and initiatives and keep the conversation going with regular feedback.
- Keep communication clear and consistent. Build comprehensive mailing lists and keep your audiences and partners in the loop with regular updates.
- Base your strategies on evidence. Use data to shape your plans and be ready to adapt based on what you learn along the way.
- Prioritise inclusivity and diversity. Strive to engage a wide range of people, making sure your activities are accessible and inclusive for everyone.
- Think long-term. Align your audience development activities with your site’s mission and vision, planning for sustainable engagement
For more information about this toolkit, please contact the UK National Commission for UNESCO at www.unesco.org.uk
This toolkit was made possible through the Local to Global project by the UK National Commission for UNESCO, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Audience development and stakeholder mapping through this project supported by The Audience Agency. The Audience Agency is a mission-led charity providing knowledge, data and insight enabling cultural and heritage organisations to increase their relevance, reach and resilience. This toolkit is a guide, and set of resources and case studies, to support audience development planning, stakeholder mapping, and community engagement across UNESCO designated sites in the UK.
