Supported Communities Communications

In this section

Largely unplugged, this group is best accessed by well placed newspaper and magazine advertisements, recommendations and reassurances from trusted peers.

Tone

A strong focus on access needs may go some way to addressing this group's barriers, though many simply don't identify as arts and culture enthusiasts.

While this group's current propensity to engage is very low, given their past enjoyment of a range arts and cultural activities, some may well enjoy the arts again if the barriers that prevent them from taking part can be rectified.
This may be achieved through tailored activities and strong communication about how access needs are to be prioritised and addressed.
Supported Communities provide a rich, if challenging target market for increasing reach and diversity amongst a range of people who are often marginalised or excluded because of a wide range of factors, including age, income, education level, social status, disability and proximity to the cultural offer.
Successfully engaging them will not be difficult but could be costly - butdoing so through appropriate programmes and partnerships will likely be hugely rewarding for both the audiences and the organisations serving them.
All of that said, there is also a significant proportion who believe that the arts are simply not for them and are unlikely to be persuaded otherwise.

Channels

Tabloids and television are the best way to grab this group's attention, while e-communications and digital media are unlikely to find an audience here.

Whilst they no longer attend the arts as they once may have done, they do enjoy reading arts and cultural magazine publications.
Other magazines are widely read especially TV/radio listings, and articles around countryside themes.
Newspapers are an important media channel for Heydays with significant proportions taking the popular tabloids, such as The Sun and The Mirror, as well as local daily papers.
Television is also influential, with many watching frequently; 95% have access to digital television channels, with a large majority accessing it via Freeview, rather than paid subscription channels.
Postal mailings are also likely to elicit the best response from direct communications, whilst email/internet communications are widely avoided.
Apart from television and newspapers, word of mouth is the most important means of seeking information, and they rely heavily on reassurance and recommendations.
Talking directly to them, or getting people who they know and trust to talk to them will be an effective strategy; cultivating networks or ambassadors in and around their community may be the best approach to achieving this.