Want to broaden your audience and strengthen public engagement with your cultural film programme?
Take a day out of the office to work on your audience development strategy, learn practical tips, and gain inspiration from successful projects. Learn how to devise a focused audience development plan, build audiences for non-mainstream film, embrace and encourage public participation, and engage younger or older audiences. Return to work with a stronger understanding, renewed confidence and fresh ideas to help you reach a wider audience and deepen loyalty in your existing audience.
Who is the course for?
Staff of independent cinemas, film festivals, film societies, cross arts venues, non-traditional exhibitors and support agencies involved in programming, audience development, management, learning and engagement for cultural film. Applicants should ideally have 3 years’ or more experience working in the film industry.
What will the course cover?
- What do we mean by audience development? Understand the principles and choose your priorities to help focus your strategy
- The UK audience for cultural film – facts and figures to help your planning
- Building audiences for non-mainstream cinema – practical techniques to reach new audiences and move your existing audience towards more “difficult” films
- Audience development and participatory culture – how to deepen public involvement and develop loyalty in your audience
- Choice of two breakout sessions – engaging younger or older audiences.
How will it be taught?
The course will be taught by experienced film exhibitors and audience development experts through presentations, workshops, panel talks, inspiring case studies and group discussion. Speakers will include David Sin (Head of Cinemas, ICO), Heather Maitland (Audience Development Consultant) and Sean Perkins (Head of Research and Statistics, BFI). You will also have the opportunity to network with your peers working in similar jobs from across the UK.
Our guest speakers will include:
- Martin Grund, Programme Manager, Leeds Young People’s Film Festival
- Liz Leyshon, Manager, Strode Theatre
- Sue Porter, Film Education Practioner
- Jen Skinner, Film Education Officer, National Media Museum
- Jonny Tull, Cinema Programme Manager, Tyneside Cinema
Leeds International Film Festival
The Leeds International Film Festival runs from 3 – 20 November, so you may want to take the opportunity to watch some films while you’re in town: www.leedsfilm.com.
Fees:
£100 + VAT = £120. Fees include lunch and refreshments.
The real cost of a place on the course is £303, but the fees are being subsidised by Skillset for eligible UK film industry professionals.
Bursaries are available towards fees, travel and childcare subsidies for people from not-for-profit film exhibition organisations with an annual turnover of £200K or less who would not otherwise be able to attend.
Booking your place
This course is now over.
Travel and accommodation:
Leeds City Museum is located on Millennium Square, ten minutes walk from Leeds train station – take a look at the map. There is a free city bus from outside the station to nearby Leeds General Infirmary, the other side of Millennium Square. Metered street parking is available nearby.
If you need somewhere to stay in Leeds, we have compiled a list of hotels nearby.
Disabled access:
There is ramp access to the main entrance of the museum and a lift to the training rooms on the lower ground floor. The museum has accessible toilets. Please let the ICO know about any access requirements you have. We have an access fund for this course so will endeavour to provide for additional requirements (eg. alternate print formats, BSL signers…). Please give us as much notice as possible to make suitable arrangements.
This scheme has been funded by the Skillset Film Skills Fund as part of ‘A Bigger Future 2’, the UK film skills strategy. The Skillset Film Skills Fund is supported by the National Lottery through the BFI and the film industry through the Skills Investment Fund.