We want to grow the amount of research into cultural engagement in Northern Ireland. Read our blog to find out more about our plans for this year and how you can take part.

The raw data from our IMPACT Survey contains survey responses from 2,921 participants across 35 organisations in Northern Ireland collected from September 2023 to March 2024

The raw data from our North West Audience Survey contains survey responses from 4,420 participants across 39 Donegal County Council and Derry City and Strabane District Council organisations collected from April 2022 to March 2024.

Earlier this month, we were invited to take part in the Festivals Forum, where we presented some of our findings on festival audience attendance over the last 4 years. The meeting provided us with great insight into trends from across NI festivals. Eve discusses in this report.

This comprehensive report from UK Theatre analyses sales data across a wide range of genres and venue types.

Cultural organisations in England get their overview of cultural audiences from the Taking Part Survey.

A look at what Northern Ireland's ticketing data tells us about audience attendance trends across the year.

Insights from the ticketing data of up to 343 cultural organisations across the UK, Ireland, USA, and Canada.

The Taking Part Survey researches engagement with museums and galleries in England between 2005 and 2016.

Every year, we mine box office data to uncover insights into audiences for venues and festivals across Northern Ireland. Data includes overall benchmark figures for Northern Ireland, as well as differences by Belfast venues and regional venues.

Our Foundations report shows what the ticketed landscape was like in Northern Ireland in 2019-2023. It uncovers insights into audiences for venues and festivals across Northern Ireland and identifies benchmark figures for our region.

Get to know Jan, our accessibility persona created from the data collected during our Audience Panel.

Ofcom have released their report into what the people of Northern Ireland are watching and listening - and how and where they are doing it. Here's our quick summary of the report - and the implications for the cultural sector.

Get to know Jill, our Young Family persona created from the data collected during our Audience Panel.

Get to know Darren, our Young Infrequent Attender persona created from the data collected during our Audience Panel.

Get to know Frank and Nancy, our Older Frequent Attender persona created from the data collected during our Audience Panel.

The iBeholder pilot was developed to help us discover new ways to gather audience data for non-ticketed visual arts organisations and boost the audience experience. This report details everything that happened throughout the project and the insights we uncovered during the pilot.

In its second year, the North West Audience Survey is currently gathering data on arts and heritage audiences in Derry and Donegal. Please find our first snapshot of our findings, which looks at audiences with disabilities.

In its second year, the North West Audience Survey is currently gathering data on arts and heritage audiences in Derry and Donegal. Please find our second snapshot of our findings, which looks at the impact of age on audiences.

In its second year, the North West Audience Survey is currently gathering data on arts and heritage audiences in Derry and Donegal. Please find our third snapshot of our findings, which looks at the impact of who audiences attend with.

Over the past couple of years, we have been working on an exciting venture known as the North West project. This initiative revolves around the collection of data concerning arts, culture, and heritage audiences in Derry and Donegal. Now, we've decided to put together all the stuff we've learned from it in one place.

Full report of findings from Act 2 of the 'After the Interval' survey in NI and ROI

Our IMPACT report helps us learn more about who audiences are, how they behave, why they attend and how they feel after attending a variety of artforms.

Our Foundations report shows what the ticketed landscape was like in Northern Ireland in 2019-2020. It uncovers insights into audiences for venues and festivals across Northern Ireland and identifies benchmark figures for our region.

Our Foundations report shows what the ticketed landscape was like in Northern Ireland in 2020-2021. It uncovers insights into audiences for venues and festivals across Northern Ireland and identifies benchmark figures for our region.

What's the standard for digital marketing in the arts? Here are findings from a survey of 180 U.S. arts organisations by Capacity Interactive.

The Continuous Household Survey is an annual public survey done by the Northern Irish Government. Here's how to access the results, and why you should read it.

This report is about the impact of Covid-19 on people's interactions with technology, virtual events, audience expectations and monetisation of digital.

Report of findings from Act 1 of the 'After the Interval' survey in NI and ROI

Global Web Index's report on millennials' online behaviors and their attitudes to digital and marketing.

Find out the results from our first Culture Beyond Covid for Heritage: The Heritage Panel

This research explored UK audiences' behaviours during lockdown, their wants and needs post-Covid and marketing opportunities for arts & culture organisations moving forward.

This report from NISRA gives the overall picture on who is living in Northern Ireland, and covers population growth, travel and transport, technology use and more.

This report from Culture24 explores after-hours events in museums and their role in the night-time economy.

Discover the insights from the Missing Audiences for Northern Ireland - Wave 1 survey.

Uncover the insight in your box office data.

Have the confidence to gather the data you need.

Surveys, postcode mapping, focus groups, and visitor profiling.

Get an evidence-based strategy to deliver your objectives.

Strategy, reporting, and campaign delivery.

When it comes to collecting audience data, free, non-ticketed spaces always ask us the same question: how can we learn more about the people who come through our doors without a ticketing system?

If you're a producer that brings work to receiving venues, you may think it's difficult to get a hold of your audience data for those shows. This blog clears up who has a right to the data. Plus, you'll get tips on how to work with venues to share this data, and increase audiences for everyone.

How can you know more about your audiences? We're listing free tools that you already have access to and tips on how to use them.

Bristol Culture's museum and gallery shops were losing money, but by using audience data and testing new strategies they were able to turn things around.

Author: Zak Mensah, Arts Professional

Queen's University Belfast student Isaac Ellis looked at our audience survey data to identify hidden trends and insights.

We recently designed and delivered research for Belfast Stories in which we took a creative approach to craft our questions.

Open House Festival is in the unusual position of having moved location from Belfast city centre to the seaside town of Bangor. We explore why they made the move, and how it has affected their audiences.

Last August, we invited Olly Davies from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to share his experience of using audience data to make positive lasting changes to their overall strategy.

Use this toolkit to create your own GDPR compliant privacy notice.

This toolkit from Indigo and BOP Consulting will guide you through choosing a new ticketing or CRM system for your venue or organisation.

It's been a year since GDPR hit our inboxes. How have companies and cultural organisations coped, and what are the most common misunderstandings around the legislation?

Alan Ballany of Culture Republic explains who is responsible for GDPR in organisations, and what the penalties can be for non-compliance.

In this guest blog Alan Ballany of Culture Republic gives his thoughts on what stricter standards around data anonymisation mean for cultural organisations under GDPR.

Do you want to know more about your audiences and contribute to sector-wide research? Find out about our newest project and how to get involved.

This toolkit will help you to understand Instagram Insights better; to know what information it can give you and how to refine your content for your audiences based on this data.

Here are the answers to some of the most common questions we've been getting from the cultural sector on GDPR.

Want to know more about the details of the IMPACT project? Read our FAQs

What ticketing data can tell us about the effects of funding cuts on the arts in Northern Ireland.

GDPR has had a major impact on email marketing. There are new and more rigorous standards on who you can email to. Here's what that means for marketers.

This toolkit will help you to understand Twitter analytics better; to know what information it can give you and how to refine your content for your audiences based on this data.

This toolkit will help you to understand Facebook Insights better; to know what information it can give you and how to refine your content for your audiences based on this data.

This toolkit will help you to understand Google Analytics better; to know who the people that visit your website are and how to refine your content for your audiences based on the data.

Covid had an impact on how cultural organisations are collecting and using audience data. With our last thrive survey, we were able to find out what changed and what it means for audience data in NI going forward.

Colleen Dilenschneider argues that free admission matters less than we may think - and backs it up with ticketing and attendance data from the US.

Author: Colleen Dilenschneider 

A run-down of all the ways to find out about your current and potential audiences. These range from simple and no-cost solutions, to more sophisticated box office systems.

Every year, we mine box office data to uncover insights into audiences for venues and festivals across Northern Ireland. Data includes overall benchmark figures for NI, as well as differences by Belfast venues and regional venues.

Real-life examples of how focusing on the audience can unlock an organisation’s potential.

Want to get started on your GDPR journey? Use this template to complete a data and confidentiality audit for your organisation.

Interested in digital and user-generated content? Here's how the Royal Ontario Museum used visitor photos as part of their visitor experience, and as a data source too.

Author: Ryan Dodge, Digital Engagement at Royal Ontario Museum

Two months since introducing our IMPACT survey, Research Analyst Laura has taken a first look at the data for early insights from the responses. Her initial review offers a pulse check – what does the data reveal about the impact of arts, cultural and heritage events and activities so far?

The Earagail Arts Festival asked their audience and wider public about their motivations and barriers to attend the festival. They uncovered data that helped them to evaluate their impact and refine their purpose.

YouGov and Experian have been collecting data on the cost-of-living crisis and its impact on consumers. We wrote a blog about the implications for arts and culture audiences.

Confused about GDPR? Here is a quick and easy guide to what you need to know to get started.

Audience development is about building relationships and this is what we will be focusing on to support the sector over the next 12 months.

Welcome to this year's third theme: What is your real purpose? What is the change you want to see?

The fifth and last step of audience development is the big scary evaluation. Reviewing what you've done and assessing the impact you've made shouldn't be a chore. Read our blog to see our take on the most important step of audience development.

Happy New Year! We're opening the year with a new theme: strengthening your relationship with your audiences and loyalty. It is as important as ever when our cultural spaces remain closed. Read our blog to find out more.

Our annual benchmarking report Foundations shows consistently each year that the vast majority of customers do not return the following year. And they don’t come more than once during the year. It sounds like we have a commitment problem. Áine explores how to use data to better understand audience engagement.

Our strategic insights director Chris invites NI festivals and venues with box office systems to take part in a returning favourite, our Foundations bench-marking project.

How GDPR still applies in times of crisis and tips on how to ensure you've got it right

With the new StopCOVID NI app up and running, Sarah looks at the implications of GDPR in contact tracing and what it means for your organisation.

This Spring, Let’s go on an Art-venture and get back to our city centres!

Stats from the US on how millennial visitors are different - and a key target market for cultural organisations.

Author: Colleen Dilenschneider

'Legitimate Interests' could be the saving grace for many arts and culture organisations who want to hold on to their marketing lists.

Our definitive guide to audience development for arts, culture, and heritage. Use this guide to develop your own unique audience development strategy.

Get the low-down on recording images of audiences under GDPR, and download our template to make your own event photography notice.

Some audience development controversy from the Theatre 2016 conference.

Our strategic insights director Chris Palmer blogs on his return to thrive after three years away.

The lowdown on the newest ways cultural organisations can use digital to connect with their audiences.

A toolkit to strengthen your relationship with audiences post-pandemic

Our latest Foundations report, indicates a fresh wave of individuals engaging with arts and culture in Northern Ireland following the pandemic. We wanted to take a closer look at both emerging and diminishing audiences more closely.

When you're starting any kind of research - the first thing to do is to check what's already out there. Here are our top free online sources of audience information.

As we're noticing the impact of the latest Apple update on social media advertising, we wrote a blog to explain what it's all about and the challenges it brings to arts and culture organisations.

There are different ways to segment your audience. In this toolkit, we're giving you tips to create your own successful segmentation.

There is wealth of free information about your current and potential audiences available through your social media and website. Here's how to access it and build a picture of your online audiences.

Confused about consent for GDPR? Whizz through this checklist and see where you're at.

We've talked audience development with hundreds of organisations across Northern Ireland (and further afield!). So here are some of the most frequently asked questions we hear about understanding and growing cultural audiences.

Use this template to create a powerful one-page persona that helps you focus on your target audiences.

With this toolkit, review your loyalty game and identify areas to work on next.

Have questions on the IMPACT Survey? Read on for more information.

Learnings from the Hull UK City of Culture conference around how we measure and talk about the benefits and impact of culture.

Our top tips for designing and running a survey. Find out how to create useful survey questions and get the response rates you need.

Avoid the awkward when you're writing surveys that ask about gender, and be sure you're asking about the right things in the right ways.

In this short toolkit, we’re giving you tips on the different tools you can use to find out more about your new visitors.

In order to reach diverse audiences, including the LGBTQ+ community, you'll need to track who is visiting or engaging with you. Here's how to ask about gender and sexual orientation in surveys in a sensitive and practical way.

A comprehensive toolkit and checklist to help you welcome LGBTQ+ audiences to your venue, festival, or event. Produced in collaboration with Outburst Arts.

Audience development. It’s an objective that is close to our hearts here at Thrive. This summer, we decided to delve deeper into it, meeting with people from various parts of Northern Ireland’s arts and cultural sector (festivals, producers, galleries, and venues) The aim? To get an insight into the unique challenges each group faces around building and maintaining audience relationships.

Want to know why some of your most loyal audiences haven't yet come back to your organisation? There's a way to find out. Take part in Missing Audiences.

Our Client Relationships Director Laura took a closer look at Taylor Swift's behaviour with her fans and realised it was exactly what we talk about when we talk about audience development.

Why you might already be doing research without knowing it... and how to choose the right research method to find out what you need to know.

The lovely Laura Cusick, our Head of Sector Development, is transitioning to a new position within our company. She has written a blog post explaining her decision to take on this new role.

Amanda Neylon from NHS Digital tells us what exactly 'digital' means and what it means for the everyday person.

What is the ultimate stage of loyalty? How can you bring your audiences to see you as their BFF so they will support you at all times? Read our blog to find out.

The focus is often on new audiences coming through our doors, but what does it take to get them to visit your organisation time and time again? Read our blog to find out.

If you want to know what makes NI audiences click and stick, sign up to our Audience Panel newsletter to receive fresh insights straight to your inbox.

How many tickets for arts and culture events in Northern Ireland are offered at no cost? Insights from our Foundations Report have shed light on this. This prompts us to examine why organisations opt for free events and ticket giveaways. Are there benefits to sharing your valuable, often pricey, work for free?

We have partnered with the Insights Alliance (Indigo Ltd, Baker Richards and One Further) to deliver the Missing Audiences survey in Northern Ireland.

Before we can see the effects of GDPR, here's a breakdown of how well Northern Irish venues are capturing contact details and permissions for their ticket buyers.

In this blog, our former Research Executive Victoria explores the different benefits of having a ticketing system.

Libraries are routinely reaching audiences that other cultural organisations struggle to. What can we learn from libraries about attracting a more diverse and representative audience?

How to move first-time attendees up the loyalty ladder? Find out how the California Symphony became audience-focused and created incentives based on their audiences' behaviour.

Our CEO Fiona recently traveled to the North West to chat with a group of older people to understand more about their engagement with arts and culture. She wrote a blog to let us know what she learnt.

How trying to serve and attract everyone can harm your cultural organisation.

Watch our last Fourth Wall Session with Jenna Hall from Belfast Community Circus School to learn more about their evaluation process, how they do it and why they do it.

Are cultural organisations too focused on new audiences - at the expense of encouraging and rewarding loyal visitors? Here's how and why arts organisations should be promoting audience loyalty.

How popular is online booking with Northern Irish arts ticket buyers - and how does it differ between urban and rural contexts?

We are now taking registrations for wave 2 of Missing Audiences in Northern Ireland, which will open on 31st January 2022.

Our CEO Margaret attended the Westminster Media Forum event recently, and came away with a lot of ideas and questions for digital transformation in the NI arts, culture, and heritage sector.

The Around the Town Festival in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, highlights the impact of community-driven efforts on local culture. Led by Positive Carrickfergus, the festival aimed to showcase the town’s potential and boost its arts scene. For this case study, our Client Programme Coordinator Sarah spoke with Creative Producer Lynn McKenzie to find out how she and the team turned community aspirations into a successful festival through collaboration, planning, and responsive organising.

Our insights director Chris looks at the ticketing trends and what they say about where people get their cultural fix in NI. Do ticket-buyers in Belfast stick to city venues - and vice versa?

Community Asset Transfer (CAT) has been successfully utilised across the UK, yet Northern Ireland has seen only one major success story so far – the Open House Festival's ownership of the Court House, Bangor. Its triumph prompts an important question – Why aren't more Northern Irish communities trying out asset transfers to revive cherished local buildings?

Advice from MOMA on using digital to connect with visual arts audiences, and a spotlight on creating a digital plan for heritage organisations.

Our former Client Relationships Exec Catherine talked to the person behind the hilarious (and informative) social media accounts of The Museum of English Rural Life. Read our case study to find out how they succeeded in diversifying their online audiences with a single tweet.

Change in the cultural sector is often associated with fighting funding cuts - but organisational change is essential to survive and thrive in our fast-paced environment. Our CEO Margaret Henry shares her thoughts and experience on the challenges and benefits of change.

The Foundations 2019-2023 report was made to study look at the ticketing landscape in Northern Ireland in recent years, including festivals. We learned a lot from it. So, we decided to talk to a few Northern Ireland festivals that weren't in the report. We wanted to find out what they thought about the trends for the next year.

How Art UK and the Audience Agency increased visits to their online collection and resources from BAME audiences and those aged 16-24.

Authors: Katie Moffat and Richard Turpin

Struggling to get responses to your online survey? Here's how we worked with EastSide Arts to improve their response rate by over 500%, along with our top ten tips for improving your own online surveys.

What our latest ticketing research says about customer loyalty in theatres and arts venues across Northern Ireland.

Our client director, Fiona Bell, shares her thoughts about our new normal during lockdown and how it impacts the Arts.