Exploring the Evidence for Cultural Institutions’ Relevance

The Connected Audience Conference occurs every two years and convenes cultural professionals, researchers, and policymakers to engage in discussion about how to build and engage audiences in cultural organizations (museums, theatres, symphonies, etc.). In the 21st century, successful cultural institutions need to be open spaces, acting as places and partners for learning, social cohesion and well-being in a changing world. We need to find new ways to ensure a strong audience focus in the cultural sector, and for this approach to be considered a key to an institution’s culture.

To explore these challenges the Institute für Kulturelle Teilhabeforschung in collaboration with the Institute for Learning Innovation (USA) brings together experts, researchers, and practitioners from the global cultural sector for discussion and exchange.

The Connected Audience Conference 2022 will address the pressing issue of Public Value and Relevance. We invite you to join your colleagues from around the world to explore the role that cultural organizations can, do, and should play in our communities.

Conference Design

The international biennial conference will provide inspiring discussions and productive interactions between its various participants and facilitators. This approach offers a role model of our vision of how cultural organizations can connect with their multiple audiences. There will be a minimum of talking heads and a maximum of participant engagement. We seek to create a facilitating and stimulating atmosphere with a strong dialogical approach. Participants will gain relevant experiences and insight for their professional practice.

The main goal of the conference is to examine how audience research and evaluation can support er cultural institutions in gaining a greater understanding of their audiences. By using these tools, institutions will be able to increase participation and better inform their strategic development and overall cultural practice.

About us

Institut für Kulturelle Teilhabeforschung | IKTf

The Institute for Research on Cultural Participation (IKTf) investigates the conditions that foster cultural participation by providing policy makers, funders and practitioners in the cultural sector with the comprehensive knowledge they need to lead in the twenty-first century. IKTf conducts scientific studies on visitors and non-visitors of cultural offerings. The Institute is also responsible for guaranteeing the scientific quality of the Berlin visitor research system KulMon (KulturMonitoring). IKTf’s research also measures the factors that support cultural organizations and their funders build broad and diverse participation.

Institute for Learning Innovation

The Institute for Learning Innovation is a non-profit that works collaboratively with organizations and communities around the globe to expand the way that people think about learning. Their research, and the application of those findings to everyday learning, are designed to broaden who has access to learning, expand where and when people learn, and extend the basic understanding of how people learn across their lifespan.

To learn more and register, please visit the website of the Connected Audience Conference.