Experience Seekers Sectors

Scope

This group is diverse, so as long as programming is too and reflects the interests and eclecticism of the group, they will be attracted to one or more of its elements.

• Their engagement is likely to be wide but not deep, though nearly half consider themselves ‘arty’.
• Whilst attending cultural activities more than the average and being open to a wide range of mainstream and alternative offers, their focus on the contemporary is particularly notable.
• If there’s an aspect of cultural specificity or work beyond Western traditional, this may form a larger part of the attraction.
• Unusual combinations grab their attention – roof top cinema, late night openings, site-specific, music in the grounds of heritage sites, specific street festivals, etc.

Artforms

Open to most things, their cultural engagement will cross genres and artforms, indoors or out, familiar or alternative, contemporary or historical.

• They are unlikely to want to miss out on the latest ‘blockbuster’ whether at a theatre, cinema, museum, gallery or must-see heritage site, but are less likely to be seen at pantomimes, or other family-orientated activities.
• They will make a bee-line for plays/drama, musicals, exhibitions, public art, live music and film.
• They are the most likely to engage with culturally specific festivals, jazz, video, electronic art and contemporary as well as diverse forms of dance.
• Visits to heritage sites, museums and galleries are frequent with over a third attending 3-4 times a year and two thirds having visited in the last 12 months.

Participation

Elements of taking part or immersion are particularly appealing to this group, who are among the most likely to be involved in creative pursuits of their own.

• Opportunities to take part and ‘do’ will engage many within this group – whether as active watchers (immersive or promenade experiences) or in ‘have a go’ workshops e.g. ‘street gaming’, hands-on activities at museums, picnics at heritage sites and open air festival events –86% actively participated in a cultural event in the last 12 months.
• As an active group they are highly likely to have taken part in some sort of, dance, acting, singing or playing a musical instrument and the most likely to have written poetry or a play, or participated in some sort of street arts.
• They may also have tried more traditional activities such as painting, craft and sculpting, as well as arts such as photography, film making or using a computer to make digital art.
• It is likely that while some of these are more solitary activities, many may be driven by social interaction and participation or related to a professional interest.