Public engagement on a shoestring

This session was designed to take a practical approach to marketing the arts on limited budgets, with a view to giving participants an understanding of where to start with planning their public engagement approach. The session would also involve case studies and practical examples of engaging the public in imaginative ways.

When I was building this presentation and looking at the five steps to public engagement, one of the most important things when I talked to organisations that I work with, who ask me about public engagement is actually why are you doing it, what are you actually trying to achieve with public engagement for your organisation?

And I think we’re all very good within the arts sector at generating lots of different terminology and people saying, well, I’m not quite sure what public engagement is and how does it fit, but crucially I think one of the most important things is actually stepping back and thinking – ‘how does the way that I want to approach the public engage with my artistic and strategic mission and vision of the organisation?’ This is an absolutely crucial point to start with; whoare you trying to engage? I think it’s often a neglected part of truly thinking about your public engagement as well.