Who visits the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and why
Who visits the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and why
By
Morris Hargreaves McIntyre
The audience profiling study provided primary data through interview-led exit surveys to gain a deeper understanding of visitors, who they are, their motivations and attitudes. The profiling examined reasons for visiting, marketing reach, exhibition awareness and engagement, and visitor satisfaction. The insights informed recommendations for how Baltic could deepen engagement and improve the offer, and provided comparative data when set against other regional/national museums or art galleries.
Baltic has a regular, core audience of visitors. We estimate that 67,000 regular visitors made over half of the 390,000 visits recorded from January to December 2007. They visit on average 3.3 times a year, a third of them to use the café or shop. They are happy not knowing what exhibitions are on before they arrive, they expect there will be something to see. These visitors are reliable, loyal and should be nurtured and developed.
Baltic’s iconic architecture, location, views and reputation as a major attraction in the region, means that it continues to attract a significant number of new visitors. In 2007, around 120,000 people visited Baltic for the first time, the vast majority from outside the region and overseas (over 30,000 visitors were from outside the UK). Whilst a third of them say they are very likely to visit again (about 40,000 people), Baltic needs to ensure that it provides a high quality, engaging visitor experience that leaves them wanting to come back.
