STRATEGIC TOURING PROGRAMME: FINAL EVALUATION REPORT TO ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND OCTOBER 2015 Annabel Jackson Associates Ltd The Priory 54 Lyncombe Hill Bath BA2 4PJ Somerset Tel: 01225-446614 Email: [email protected] Website: www.AnnabelJacksonAssociates.com STRATEGICTOURINGPROGRAMMEEVALUATION 2 0 1 5 CONTENTS SUMMARY..................................................................................................................................4 The evaluation............................................................................................................................................. 4 Objectives of the Strategic Touring Programme......................................................................................... 4 The methodology ........................................................................................................................................ 4 Limitations of the methodology.................................................................................................................. 4 Findings ....................................................................................................................................................... 5 The Strategic Touring Programme has improved access to art.......................................................................5 The Strategic Touring Programme has made an important contribution to the regional balance .................5 The Strategic Touring Programme has generally focused on areas and people with low engagement .........5 The Strategic Touring Programme has strengthened relationships between touring supply and demand ...5 The Strategic Touring Programme has changed touring practice ...................................................................6 The application process is unusually onerous.................................................................................................6 Impact on audiences could be higher..............................................................................................................6 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................. 6 Recommendations ...................................................................................................................................... 7 MAIN REPORT ............................................................................................................................9 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................................. 9 THE BRIEF .................................................................................................................................................. 11 THE METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................................. 12 PROCESS .................................................................................................................................................... 13 PEOPLE AND PLACES ................................................................................................................................. 14 TARGETING................................................................................................................................................ 17 PARTNERSHIP ............................................................................................................................................ 19 CULTURE CHANGE..................................................................................................................................... 19 LEGACY ...................................................................................................................................................... 20 BARRIERS................................................................................................................................................... 20 SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES .................................................................................................................. 20 LESSONS .................................................................................................................................................... 23 CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................................................... 24 RECOMMENDATIONS................................................................................................................................ 25 APPENDIX ONE: GRANT DATA .................................................................................................27 APPENDIX TWO: THE PERSPECTIVE OF GRANTEES..................................................................31 APPENDIX THREE: THE PERSPECTIVE OF CONSULTEES............................................................47 APPENDIX FOUR: THE PERSPECTIVE OF UNSUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS....................................49 APPENDIX FIVE: THE PERSPECTIVE OF NON-APPLICANTS .......................................................53 APPENDIX SIX: THE PERSPECTIVE OF PARTNERS .....................................................................54 APPENDIX SEVEN: CASE STUDIES.............................................................................................63 TOURING CONSORTIUM THEATRE COMPANY .......................................................................................... 63 PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA: iORCHESTRA.............................................................................................. 68 BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY THEATRE: I WAS A RAT! ................................................................................. 73 BOOK TRUST: STORIES .............................................................................................................................. 77 IMPRESSIONS GALLERY: HIDDEN SCHOOLS TOUR .................................................................................... 82 MOTIONHOUSE: CAPTIVE ......................................................................................................................... 85 FREEDOM STUDIOS: HOME SWEET HOME ............................................................................................... 89 2 | PAGE ANNABELJACKSONASSOCIATESLTD STRATEGICTOURINGPROGRAMMEEVALUATION 2 0 1 5 POP UP PROJECTS: POP UP FESTIVAL........................................................................................................ 93 ISIS ARTS: BIG M TOUR OF ON THE PRECIPICE.......................................................................................... 96 THEATRE HULLABALOO: NORTH EAST CHILDREN’S THEATRE CONSORTIUM ......................................... 100 FEVERED SLEEP: FUTURE PLAY................................................................................................................ 103 NOTTINGHAM PLAYHOUSE: CREATING NEW WORLDS .......................................................................... 106 WITHOUT WALLS: ASSOCIATE TOURING NETWORK............................................................................... 109 MATTHEW BOURNE’S NEW ADVENTURES & RE:BOURNE: LORD OF THE FLIES ..................................... 113 BIRMINGHAM CONTEMPORARY MUSIC GROUP: FIELD NOTES.............................................................. 117 ASIAN ARTS AGENCY: RED BARAAT TOUR .............................................................................................. 121 PAVILION: 9 INTERVALS........................................................................................................................... 124 A VENUE’S PERSPECTIVE: CIVIC THEATRE DARLINGTON......................................................................... 127 Copyright Annabel Jackson Associates Ltd, October 2015. Not to be reproduced in part or whole without prior permission 3 | PAGE ANNABELJACKSONASSOCIATESLTD STRATEGICTOURINGPROGRAMMEEVALUATION 2 0 1 5 SUMMARY THE EVALUATION Annabel Jackson Associates Ltd was commissioned to evaluate the Strategic Touring Programme in February 2015 and reported back in June 2015. OBJECTIVES OF THE STRATEGIC TOURING PROGRAMME The Strategic Touring Programme was launched in 2011, and is one of Arts Council England’s Strategic Funding programmes: it uses National Lottery investment with the intention of creating long-term change and development, both as a direct legacy of projects and through disseminating new ways of working across the sector. Its objective is to contribute to the mission of Great art and culture for everyone through a specific focus on Goal 2: Ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to experience and to be inspired by the arts, museums and libraries. Overall, there were 447 applications and 166 grant offers to 134 organisations across the 18 rounds covered by this evaluation. The total value of grants awarded was £34 million, with a mean average grant size of £207,439 and median size of £136,957. THE METHODOLOGY The evaluators compiled comprehensive information on all aspects of, and all perspectives on, the Programme including: conceptualisation using a logic model; analysis of 157 interim and final activity report forms and evaluation reports; analysis of grant data; consultation with 22 Arts Council England and sector interviewees; a survey of 100 grantees; a survey of 43 unsuccessful applicants; a survey of 27 partners; interviews with nine non-applicants; and selection