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Created in BarrieUnderstanding Barrie’s Arts & Culture Markets
The Resource Management Consulting Group
www.rmcg.ca
March 23, 2010
Presentation at
Department of Culture Annual Update
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To understand market opportunities for Barrie’s A&C sector
Barrie’s regional positioning for A&C
Input to Strategic & Business Plans
Baseline research to measure future growth of the A&C market
Input to future cultural infrastructure projects
Why?
→ Market information to share with A&C orgs & Tourism Barrie
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How?
Phase 1: Barrie Arts Committee Input Workshop
Phase 2: Resident Surveys
710 Barrie (half north & south)
693 Regional (half north & south)
Phase 3: Barrie Resident Focus Groups
Participants recruited from resident survey
Phase 4: Geo-demographic analysis using PRIZM “lifestyle” clusters
Bracebridge
Gravenhurst
Aurora
Newmarket
Alliston
Collingwood
Midland
Barrie
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Important Definitions
Participation
Audience
Performer or artist
Student
Member of an organization
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Arts & Culture
All varieties of music (rock, jazz, folk, classical)
All types of performances (drama, dance, music, readings)
All type of visual arts (galleries, tours)
Community events with an A&C component
History (museums, re-enactments, historical sites and events)
Cultural heritage celebration
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Barrie Respondents
Lived in Barrie average of 18 years
Range <1 to 40 years
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“Respondents” vs “Residents”
Screened for participating in Arts & Culture in past 3 years
Barrie & Regional respondents similar
Young to senior (Region more seniors)
Post-secondary educated
85% households had 2+ people
Just over 1/3 had children at home
Projecting to the Barrie population, based on the results of the survey screening question…
→ ~ 2/3 of Barrie & regional residents participated in A&C in past 3 years
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Most Barrie respondents’ children participate, projecting to the population…
→ 2/3 of Barrie children involved in A&C
Barrie respondents participate in BarrieMost regional respondents participate in community, skip over Barrie and go to Toronto
Barrie and Regional respondents have very similar patterns
Highest participation in Music, Drama/Dance, Visual Arts
Almost all attended performances/shows/events
Over 30% involved as performers/organizers/students
Barrie respondents have higher arts & crafts participation (Kempenfest)
Respondents’ Participation in A&C
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0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Poetry/literature
Cultural heritage
History
Visual arts
Drama/Dance
Arts & Crafts
Music
N=85-551
Where Barrie Respondents Participate
Barrie Toronto/GTA Other
Barrie vs The Region Barrie respondents had highest participation
in Barrie for all categories
Very high Arts & Crafts participation
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Poetry/literature
Cultural heritage
History
Visual arts
Drama/Dance
Arts & Crafts
Music
N=86-565
Where Regional Respondents Participate
Barrie Toronto/GTA Other
Travel from Barrie for at least one performance/year?
70% of respondents = 47% of residents
Orion (2005) 54% of residents
Barrie for arts & crafts
GTA big music draw
Own communities for everything else, except…
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Average 2009 Household Arts & Culture Spending
Barrie Region
Equipment/Accessories $946 $298
Attendance at events $841 $725
Lessons $367 $263
Total $2,154 $ 1,286
N=577-665/574-637
1 City of Barrie Households, 2006 Census of Canada, http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/famil124e-eng.htm2 Building a Creative Future: A Plan for Culture, Final Report, City of Barrie, April 2006
Respondents’ Annual Household A&C Spending
Projected annual direct spending of Barrie households on A&C…
64,0001 x.67 = 42,880 participate in A&C x $2,154 = $40.5 M annually
Barrie residents tended to spend more than regional residents for all three categories. This much higher value for equipment & accessories resulted from 4 respondents who each spent between $40,000 and $250,000.
Building a Creative Future2
Cultural goods and services economy in Barrie is close to $95 M annually (included home-based activities, such as home entertainment and reading, which dominated cultural spending)
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PRIZM C2 Geo-Demographic Analysis
Tool developed by Environics Analytics Group
ww.environicsanalytics.ca
Market segmentation based on lifestyle data, demographics and geography (PCs + CDs)
66 clusters developed for Canadian residents
Information about lifestyle and leisure preferences
Used by Ontario & Federal governments for tourism, many others (Aeroplan, United Church of Canada, Canadian Cancer Society and more)
For Barrie Culture
Better understanding of A&C markets
Product - market matching
Insight into effective ways of attracting and marketing to segments
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PRIZM for A&C in Barrie
Calculated a Barrie A&C Index for Barrie’s PRIZM clusters (25)
A&C Index = % of A&C sample
% of pop
Identified 11 target clusters
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Highest Score = 358
Lowest Score = 05 clusters
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Making Decisions About
Participating in A&C
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Women lead family decisions
Primary Decision-Maker
Barrie Region
Together 54% 54%
Female 38% 38%
Male 8% 8%
N=699/679
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Finding out about A&C…
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0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Word of Mouth
Internet
Magazines
Social media
Radio
Newspaper
N=708/688
Finding Out
Barrie respondents Regional respondents
#1
Traditional media still strong
Social media!!
Respondents were asked to select from a list, which did not include local television stations,
an additional source of information about local arts and culture.
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0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
Hamilton
Muskoka
Niagara
Rama
Stratford
Midland/Penetang
Ottawa
Simcoe County
Orillia
GTA
Barrie
N=618/577
Where?
57% of Regional respondents identified Toronto experiences
24% participated in Barrie
89% of Barrie respondents participated in their most importantA&C activity in Barrie
The Most Important
Arts or Cultural Activity, Performance or Event
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Barrie Respondents
Kempenfest
Music concerts
Theatre/musicals
Gryphon Theatre
Museum/art gallery
MacLaren
Dance/ballet
Theatre by the Bay
Choir
Caribfest
Arts & Crafts
Film Festival
Talk is Free Theatre
Jazz /Blues Fest
New Years Eve
Celebrate Barrie
Historical Events
Christmas events
30%
16%
14%
5%
4%
4%
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%
2%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
The Most Important A&C Activity/Performance/Event
Two new events: Caribfest & Film Festival
Gryphon, MacLaren & Theatre By The Bay
puts Barrie on the map
Named Barrie experienceExperience categoryN=617
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Regional Respondents
Theatre/musicals
Music concerts
Museum/art gallery
Kempenfest
Dance/ballet
Arts & Crafts
Cultural/Ethnic
Historical Events
Film Festival
Education/school
Stratford/Shaw
Gryphon Theatre
MacLaren
Choir
Jazz and Blues
Christmas Events
33%
26%
11%
6%
5%
3%
2%
2%
1%
2%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
Named Barrie experienceExperience category
The Most Important A&C Activity/Performance/Event
puts Barrie on the map
N=578
Gryphon & MacLaren
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Barrie Respondents
Kempenfest
Music concerts
Theatre/musicals
Gryphon Theatre
Museum/art gallery
MacLaren
Dance/ballet
Theatre by the Bay
Choir
Caribfest
Arts & Crafts
Film Festival
Talk is Free Theatre
Jazz /Blues Fest
New Years Eve
Celebrate Barrie
Historical Events
Christmas events
30%
16%
14%
5%
4%
4%
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%
2%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
Regional Respondents
Theatre/musicals
Music concerts
Museum/art gallery
Kempenfest
Dance/ballet
Arts & Crafts
Cultural/Ethnic
Historical Events
Film Festival
Education/school
Stratford/Shaw
Gryphon Theatre
MacLaren
Choir
Jazz and Blues
Christmas Events
33%
26%
11%
6%
5%
3%
2%
2%
1%
2%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
Your job
Student
Performer/artist
Organization member
Parent/supporter
Spectator/audience
N=622/583
How?
The Most Important A&C Activity/Performance/Event
Almost everyone is a spectator
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Along with Toronto, Barrie seen as a
vibrant community for arts & culture
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Ontario communities with most vibrant A&C scene
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0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Collingwood
Midland/Penetang
Muskoka
Orillia
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Ottawa
Stratford
Barrie
Toronto/GTA
N=637/595
Vibrant A&C Scene
Barrie respondents Regional respondents
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Facilities/venues
Aesthetics/geography
Attendance/size
Community participation
Multi-cultural
Funding/quality/producti…
Variety/choice/diversity
N=637/574
Why?
Barrie respondents Regional respondents
Toronto first, Barrie second
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In their own words…
The excitement of people involved… they give 150% and we try support each other
The lake and beauty of Barrie
The city itself, not as big as Toronto, makes it feel like a gathering of friends
It's a local happening and you don't have to travel for it and you support your community by doing it
A lot of things to choose from, good quality and entertainment
Because it comes up with new ideas and there’s always something to do there
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Barrie
Variety of venues, gives you more choices
Eclectic assortment of people
Draws larger professional productions
Toronto
High quality performance - restaurant facility combination at a reasonable price
Stratford/Niagara-On-The-Lake
The many events that occur.
It’s bilingual and it’s the capital.
Ottawa
Everybody buys in and everyone shows up
Availability of shows at a good price
Orillia Muskoka It has a lovely
historic downtown, many artists, great music scene, good arts council
Collingwood
King’s Wharf Theatre and historic sites
Dynamic artists group and local theatre group
Mid-Penetang
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Projecting…
→ 50% of Barrie & 20% of regional residents participated in Barrie A&C in the past year
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Festivals & events are Barrie’s mainstay Almost all Barrie respondents participated High proportion of regional respondents participated
Attendance at Barrie’s A&C Attractions,
Events & Performances in the past year
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Barrie Respondents’ Attendance (past year)
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0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Barrie Art Club
Poetry/lit
Lawn Chair Luminata
Barrie Film Festival
Barrie Concert Assoc
Kempenfelt Players
Talk is Free
Folk
Orchestra
Caribfest
Theatre by the Bay
Choir
Jazz
MacLaren
Downtown Countdown
Rock
Gryphon theatre
Celebrate Barrie
Kempenfest
N=710
Attendance at Barrie A&C Attractions
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Poetry or lit reading
Visual arts
Performing Arts
Music Performance
Festivals & Events
N=710/693
Attendance at Barrie A&C Attractions
2/3 went to Kempenfest 2009
1/3 went to Celebrate Barrie, Gryphon Theatre and rock music performances
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Overall Ratings
Barrie Region
Festivals & events 7.3 6.8
Getting involved 6.6 5.8
Variety 6.3 6.1
Facilities/Venues/Places 5.8 6.2
Solid Strengths
Community/people/talent
Variety & choice
Location
Can Improve…
More/improved venues
Better advertising
Variety of events, performances, activities
Ratings for Barrie’s A&C scene: Mediocre
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1) More/improved venues
A better venue or building (we only have Georgian College as a theatre)
Build a proper performing arts venue downtown
Having a building in the city where all things are under one roof (culture centre)
2) Better advertising
More lead advertising so people know ahead of time to plan
Web/paper/magazine page what's on Barrie for all art & culture, a weekly listing
Having a centralized place that would advertise all of these things
3) Variety of events, performances/activities
Additional types of festivals/music festivals, a little more worldly
Involve more of the newer ethnic groups in town in different cultural events
They can offer more outdoor concerts and bring in the larger groups they used to have
In their own words…
1) Better advertising
I'm an out of towner. I am a half hour away and don't know what's going on.
Earlier and wider geographical promotion
Notification in the community papers in the surrounding area
2) Increased variety of events/diversity
It has to have more variety and imagination, not the same as other communities
I think more cultural diversity
More festivals/different cultural festivals
3) Improved/increased facilities/venues
Appropriate arts center. More all the arts including workshops and studios
Downtown theatre
Re-create atmosphere at Molson park
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Barrie RespondentsRegional Respondents
N=533
N=379
One way the City of Barrie can improve A&C in the community?
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The Future
Sustainable cultural centre Performing house
Space for studios, teaching, mentoring
Distinctly Canadian
ExcellenceRecognized on provincial/national scale (event?)
Not an ordinary place
Outdoor concert venue (Molson Park)
Outdoor environment Water and forests
Outdoor arts
Gardens
Multiculturalism/local identity
Youth involvement
Accessible
Enough to attract visitors for more than a day
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If Barrie was as an important A&C centre, what would it be like?
Focus Groups
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What have we learned?
Barrie can claim the space as the “Regional A&C Hub”
Market strong, room to grow
~ 2/3 of Barrie & regional residents participated in A&C in past 3 years
½ of Barrie residents & ~20% residents participated in Barrie A&C last year
Annual resident A&C expenditure $40.5M
As a regional centre, people appreciate
Quality, variety, cultural diversity
Accessibility
Celebrating local talent
Setting and “vacation” atmosphere
Kempenfest put Barrie on the A&C map
Growing pains
Molson Park put Barrie on the map– now lost
Waterfront – losing setting by overuse (vendor control)
More facilities needed/wanted
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1. Improve A&C Communication & Awareness
2. Festival & Events Strategy & Action Plan
3. Improve A&C Spaces
Where can Barrie Culture go from here?
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1. Communication & Awareness
→ Brand Barrie Arts & Culture
→ Share market insight with A&C groups Highlights at A&C Annual Update
Custom analysis of 2009 survey for business decisions
→ Residents & participants should know… What is Arts & Culture?
Role of Department of Culture?
What is happening when, where?
→ Use the media of the future Internet, web sites, social media
Strategic marketing using market research
One group responsible for communicating A&C Logical, visible
Collaborative, consistent
Budget to keep up-to-date
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2. Festival & Events Strategy & Action Plan
→ Based on the research, recognize different events attract different markets
Local vs visitors
Build market recognition
Align competing festivals/events
Fit with Barrie & region
→ Nurture festivals & events that are uniquely Barrie (authenticity)
→ Cross-fertilize to build awareness, interest & participation in other A&C opportunities
→ Encourage accessibility for all
→ Evaluation and tracking - integrated across all events
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3. Improve Arts & Cultural Spaces
Barrie is the regional A&C hub for Central Ontario, but ratings are mediocre
Respondents identified what could be done…
→ Waterfront is the jewel, but concern about overuse Do all events have to be at the waterfront?
Sensitive use & design of waterfront for appropriate events
Recognize limited capacity, functionality, parking, access
→ Need sustainable Arts & Culture Centre More than a performing arts centre
Support local artists - artisans studios, practice spaces
Incorporate outdoor spaces in the community
→ Upgrade the Georgian College
theatre
→ Outdoor performance space Can we recapture what we’ve
lost? …Molson Park
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Thank You
Comments &Questions?