Up Our Street Sectors

Scope

Infrequent and risk averse attenders, but open to engage more with popular or mainstream arts and cultural events, given the right price and reassurances.

• While neither frequent nor adventurous attenders, people in this group can be encouraged to engage with a range of mainstream cultural experiences, so long as they consider them to be 'low risk'.
• They have a preference for popular artforms, and lean towards easily accessible, experiential events that may be free or low cost.
• Classical and contemporary events, with which many are not familiar, are much less likely to be taken up, unless the risk can be highly mitigated, perhaps by pricing strategies like “pay what you want” or “money back” guarantees, or are part of taster events at free outdoor festivals.
• They are less likely to be looking for content to interest younger children – adult enjoyment is a key criterion – unless they are grandparents looking to find activities they can share with their grandchildren.

Artforms

They are most drawn to popular and well-known arts and entertainment, especially live music, museums, and heritage sites.

• A significant proportion also go to musicals, pantomimes, craft exhibitions and carnivals - easily accessible outdoor festivals tend to appeal, especially music and specifically rock and pop.
• Museums or galleries and heritage sites - to which this segment is predisposed - may be able to harness people's interest in history, their local communities, and wildlife, to package opportunities that chime with cost-conscious households.
• These venues can provide ideal days out to share with grandchildren; if there are opportunities to get close to nature nearby then so much the better.
• That said, there is a relatively low number of National Trust and English Heritage members in this group, possibly due to the cost of membership and the distances required to travel to get to heritage sites.

Participation

Popular participatory activities tend to be those that can be enjoyed in and around the home and make use of their practical skills.

• Participatory activities, such as embroidery, knitting, crochet, wood turning, carving and furniture making, or those that provide a chance to use and develop craft and handiwork skills, are generally well received by this group.
• These might also form opportunities to socialise and share that all important drink with friends and similar like-minded people.
• This interest in craft extends to purchasing others' original/handmade crafts.
• The propensity towards poetry writing is higher than amongst many other segments and could be an important activity for organisations planning activities with some in this group, though in overall terms this applies to a relatively small proportion of people sharing such interest.
• The number of people taking part in activities linked to classical or contemporary performing arts, such as playing musical instruments, singing, rehearsing or performing in plays, ballet or other dance performances is noticeably lower than levels seen nationally.