Catch Up On Demand with Theatre Forum

Digital Forum took place over two days, 4th and 5th February. The session covered all things digital to looking at new ways of informing our marketing strategies. You can catch up on all the great content now on their website. Here are a few of the sessions we attended below:

*First Published on Theatre Forum*

Session 2 – Developing on-line audiences with limited resources
Thursday 4 February 12:00 – 13:30, breakout room chats (optional) 13:30 – 13:45
Focus on smaller scale companies and independent artists followed by moderated panel and audience discussion. Identify your audiences online, decide those platforms on which to focus your energies, particularly to build sustainable communities rather than one-off spikes in engagement. Explore how you define strategically “successful” content for each major platform. Ensure what you produce and publish works as hard as possible, particularly in the context of limited time and budget.
Rob Lindsay, The Space presentation followed by Michael Barker-Caven in conversation with Maura O’Keeffe, Hannah Mullan, Sian Ní Mhuirí, and Peter Power.

• A guide to low-fi and low-cost options for streaming arts events – How to get started with streaming your events
• A guide to podcasting – How to get started with podcasting

Session 3 – Producing, filming and distributing long-form live content
Friday 5 February 10:00 – 11:30, breakout room chats (optional) 11:30 –11:50
Focus on larger scale venues, companies, festivals and their producers. Using indigenous examples, the session includes three discursive presentations about different aspects of producing and distributing ‘captured’ content. Conversation with expert panel including artistic directors and producers to follow presentations.Natalie Woolman, Magnus Dennison, Sarah Fortescue, Dom Kennedy from The Space in discussion with Fergus Hannigan, Abbey Theatre; Anne Clarke, Landmark Productions; and Diego Fasciati, Irish National Opera.

• Digital Rights Toolkit – What rights to consider when sharing your work online
• Planning and running an online campaign

Session 4 – Marketing communications
Friday 5 February 12:00 – 13:30, breakout room chats (optional) 13:30 – 13:50
Focus on marketing and communications teams in mid to larger scale arts centre, festival and production companies. Rethinking how to identify audiences online, deciding which platforms are important to build sustainable communities rather than one-off spikes in engagement and engaging with existing as well as new audiences in 2021 and beyond. A facilitated discussion with contributions from marketing teams successfully navigating the online environment while deepening and strengthening engagement with audiences.

Rob Lindsay, The Space presentation followed by Heather Maitland in discussion with Mark O’Brien, axis Ballymun; Louise Donlon, Lime Tree Theatre; and Caroline Kennedy, Dublin Dance Festival.

• Online Audience Development– advice on how to find your audience online, engage them and measure your success