Digital Audiences: Engagement with Arts and Culture Online, 2010

Digital media technologies are affecting every aspect of our society, economy and culture. Arts and cultural organisations can now connect with the public in new ways, bringing them into a closer relationship with culture and creating new ways for them to take part. A key aim of the research was to generate insights into how can arts and cultural organisations use digital technology to deepen existing relationships with their audiences. The research looked at whether it was possible to identify distinct groupings or segments of people in terms of their attitudes towards digital technology and towards arts and culture, and considers the implications of differing audience needs.<br> <br> Previous research by the Arts Council England looked at this gap by exploring qualitatively how the public perceives and interacts with the arts in the digital space. <i>Digital Audiences: Engagement with Arts and Culture Online, 2010</i> builds on that work, conducting a quantitative survey of 2,000 people, to explore and quantify people’s engagement with (and attitudes towards) digital technology, their engagement with (and attitudes towards) arts and culture and, crucially, the overlap between the two. The research also built on previous research which analysed the online presences of the organisations receiving regular funding from Arts Council England, by providing insight into the extent to which publicly funded arts and cultural organisations were meeting the expectations of the online audience. The study also included a qualitative element but these data are not currently available from the UK Data Archive.<br> <br> Further information about the study can be found on the Arts Council England <a href="http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/about-us/research/digital-opportunities/" title="Digital Opportunities">Digital Opportunities</a> web page and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council <a href="http://research.mla.gov.uk/" title="Research Evidence Resources">Research Evidence Resources</a> website.<br>