Supported Communities Sectors

Scope

On the rare occasion that this group does attend, they focus on mainstream offerings, and are not typically attracted to a broad spectrum of culture.

• While their 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 addressed through tailored activities.
• Content and subject matter which affords the opportunity to reminisce or re-visit days gone by, or to link the past to the present might appeal, and there should certainly be opportunities for museums and heritage sites to cater for this need.
• This group is the least likely segment to engage in arts and culture; it is very seldom that they will be found at contemporary or culturally specific events.
• A small proportion may attend arts events once a year or less often, and when they do it is most often for popular or mainstream events.

Artforms

Accessibility issues contribute a lot to this group's narrower artistic interests, which focus mainly around movies and occasionally museums.

• For many in this group, poor health and accessibility issues contribute particularly to them not visiting heritage sites, and the same reasons prevail for museums and arts.
• While up to a quarter may visit museums annually, their level of museum and gallery visiting is very low – at less than half the national average – but is a marginally more common activity than arts attending.
• The minority who presently do attend the arts have clear preferences for popular and mainstream styles, with musicals, live music, pantomime, drama and carnival being the most likely to appeal.
• Traditional offerings, like opera, ballet and classical music are less often attended, with this segment being the second least likely to attend such artforms after Frontline Families.
• Almost a quarter go to the cinema to watch films, but they do so infrequently, most likely not more than once a year.

Participation

This group's creative participation is limited, and centred largely around home-based, church-led and community initiatives.

• Pursuits that require physical activity or leaving the home are taken up only by a very few amongst this group, and theyare amongst those people least likely to participate in any creative activities at all, with29% not having done so in the last 12 months.
• If they do engage this is likely to be participatory such as crafts, knitting, painting, reading, printmaking, sculpture and writing activities organised by their sheltered housing, church group or community library.
• The arts and cultural sector have huge potential to enrich the lives of many within this often excluded or underserved segment.
• Various stakeholders such as local authorities, housing associations, care home providers, health authorities and trusts, voluntary organisations and charities working with the elderly or disabled have an interest in supporting positive interventions and funding is available to support such initiatives.
• Organising opportunities to engage this group in activities that they are able to take part in at home or in the places and spaces where they gather is likely to be a relatively effective strategy to increase participation.
• These might be tailored around existing interests, such as craft, or themes that are relevant to them like local history, gardening, music, reading and reminiscence activities.