NEWS: Director Joins University Research Bid Team to Investigate the Impact of COVID-19 on the UK Arts and Cultural Sector
NEWS: Director Joins University Research Bid Team to Investigate the Impact of COVID-19 on UK Arts and Culture
13 Arts and Cultural Organisations Involved
The research bid will involve 13 organisations from different areas of arts and culture including Symphony Hall Birmingham, Bradford Literature Festival, Northern Ballet, Raindance Film Festival, Gallery Oldham, People’s History Museum, Coliseum Theatre and the Royal Exchange Theatre. Arts Council England have also agreed to support the bid and join its steering group to guide the project if it is approved.
The Research Team comprises 6 members who are detailed below. Working alongside MMU academics, Dr Jane Tonge’s role is that of a Co-Investigator and Consultant, and she is joined by BOOST’s Associate Trainer Mel Powell as Project Co-ordinator.
Coronavirus impact on UK arts sector
Dr Jane Tonge said: “I’m very pleased to be a member of the Research Team, and have worked closely with them during lockdown and over the summer to carefully prepare a detailed bid to UKRI. Given the serious and detrimental impact that Coronavirus has had on the UK arts sector, and the ongoing difficulties that arts organisations face in encouraging audiences and visitors to return, this is a very important bid and needed now more than ever.”
She added: “If UKRI approve the research bid, we will be able to identify how relationship marketing can strengthen vital ties with audiences and visitors and devise strategies, pathways and toolkits to restore their trust, confidence and re-engagement with the arts. BOOST offers research as an important service to businesses to help them take action and inform their decisions. In the same way, the prestigious group of arts organisations involved in this project need data about their audiences and visitors to form strategies to combat the impact of COVID-19. We believe this is a strong bid, but we know there is stiff competition for this funding so we can only hope we are successful!”
To find out more about the proposed research project, please email: hello@boost-comms.co.uk
Notes:
The Research Team comprises:
- Professor Tony Conway, Co-Investigator
- Professor Paul Smith, Project Mentor
- Dr Amna Khan, Principle Investigator & Project Manager
- Dr Jane Tonge, Co-Investigator and Consultant
- Gerard Devney, Co-Investigator and Project Researcher
- Mel Powell, Project Co-ordinator
