Initiative 1.1

Communications and Development Director and Head of Education

Developing more extensive research on audiences for the Gallery linked to evaluation of public programmes including exhibitions, displays, education work and late night openings. Creating a closer dialogue with visitors to inform a wider range of marketing and promotional opportunities, and to increase the breadth and range of visitors

Objectives: 1, 3 and 4 Priority: High Themes: 1, 4, 5

Progress during 2003/04

• Developing review paper on evaluation and data collection
• Initial assessment of current research and evaluation

2004/05

• Commission more effective research and discuss with MORI better ways of assessing demographic diversity
• Improve project evaluation methodology - may be achieved through partnership with university or institute
• Pilot use of the 'Inspiring Learning for All' framework for education and exhibition work and improve ways of collecting and measuring data for programmes and exhibitions

2005/06

• Develop further detailed audience evaluation project with HE institute

Resources: increase in funds for evaluation work, and some part-time help to process data

Set up a small working group to oversee process

• Unable to grow or diversify visitor numbers (adjust marketing strategy as we assess effectiveness and invest in other initiatives
  
• Unable to get a clear profile of majority of visitors (check research methods and compare with other organisations)
  
• Data not sufficient for DCMS objectives (on-going dialogue with DCMS and ensure data maintained by regular internal reporting)

• Clearer identification of current audiences and increase in future diversity of visitors, through:
  
• Quantitative evaluation - e.g. target numbers % of types of audience % variation on previous year - frequency of attendance and £ retail spend per visitor
  
• Qualitative evaluation - visitor and non visitor surveys
  
• Ensure data fulfils Gallery and funding body needs

Monitored as part of Management team work

Initiative 1.2

Communications and Development Director and Head of Education

Maximising opportunities to develop the public programmes for Thursday and Friday late night openings in order to broaden and increase Gallery audiences

Objectives: 1 and 3 Priority: Medium to High Themes: 2, 4, 5

Progress during 2003/04

• Increasing attention paid to range and quality of Friday evening music programme and some support gained for new music in Friday programme
• 'Interrupted Lives' series created as an attempt to increase promotion through targeted media links

2004/05

• Undertake more research on audiences (see 1.1) and more holistic approach to market research
• Focus advertising on segmented audiences
• Develop special marketing material for the Portrait Weekend
• Create more opportunities with Searcy's and with Gallery Trading
• Develop greater knowledge of and monitor visitors for late night openings

2005/06

• Examine options for extending late opening to Saturday evenings

Resources:

Some increased resources found to fund pilot programme ideas

Develop integrated planning with Education team and freelance music programmer

• Competition from other venues (greater differentiation in Gallery programme)
  
• External factors having an impact - economic climate, security issues (target programme throughout year)
  
• Lack of awareness of late night programme and Portrait Restaurant as a venue (increase opportunities for editorial promotion and increase internal awareness)
  
• Increased visitor numbers but not increased diversity (re-align programme and marketing; audience research to ensure needs met)

• Increased number and diversity of visitors for Late Openings
  
• Increased visitor flow throughout the Gallery and not just for a particular event
  
• Increased sales for Trading and Searcy's for Late Opening evenings

Measured through standard data gathering and sample surveys

Initiative 1.3

Head of Education

Creating a distinct programme of family and young people's programmes in order to broaden the Gallery's audiences

Objectives: 1,3, 5 Medium to High Priority Themes: 2, 4, 5

Progress during 2003/04

• Initial report presented to Management Team
• Further ideas developed through family and young people's projects

2004/05

• Pilot programmes and offer activities after school, at weekends and during the school holidays
• Undertake first phase feasibility work combined with testing new activities, added to present provision
• Undertake further research into family and young people's needs
• Resources: grant offered from Paul Hamlyn Foundation to cover first phase work. Input needed from several departments through project team

2005/06

• Second phase programme to include: regular activities for families and wider range of young people's programme
• Increased audio and digital resources and links to outreach programme

2006/07

• Developing Young People's panel and website
• Targeting of new audiences through marketing and evaluation of first phase work
  

Resources:

Further development dependent on increased funding or trust support; new post required for second phase work.

• Target audiences not attracted and expectations of new visitors not met (concentrate attention on quality of what is offered)
  
• Central London location deters target visitors (match provision with interests of target groups; involve audiences in programme)
  
• Continuity of funding not secured (continue with less satisfactory project approach)

• DCMS performance targets for specific groups
  
• Quantitative and qualitative measures for ensuring audience needs and Gallery objectives are met (using Gallery evaluation systems currently being developed as well as MLA Inspiring Learning For All framework for outcomes)
  
• Measured as part of standard data collection, and further developed as part of Initiative 1.1

Initiative 1.4

Head of Education

Broaden audiences through developing considerably more out-reach and access work through connections with selected partner organisations and links to educational displays

Objectives: 1, 3 and 5 Priority: Medium to High Themes: 2, 4, 5

Progress during 2003/04

• Development of proposal for HLF support
• Initial work in setting up partner organisation links
• Wider recognition of access and disability work through projects and awards

Access audit completes at St Martin's Place, and application made to Wolfson/DCMS fund for improvements

• Three year series of projects and exhibitions for 2004-07 with first display in autumn 2004; (appoint project officer March 2004)
• Extend existing access and outreach provision for target groups such as hospital schools,
• Implement access improvements for physical and programme

2005/06

• Continue development of outreach work, with further partners
• Develop further access provision at Gallery.

Resources:

HLF funding for 3 years; project leader co-ordinating work. Vodaphone for outreach work, and project work with Towers Perrin

• New audiences not found or expectations not met
  
• Administrative overload
  
• Funding bodies
  requirements not met

(Robust planning of project in collaboration with partners and with colleagues)

• Gallery fails to meet DDA requirements (audit and plan to provide a framework for provision)

• Monitoring as required for HLF, as well as assessment of outcomes for Gallery
  
• Regular Gallery statistics on attendance, as well as qualitative measures of use of services

Monitored as part of project work, and as part of Gallery assessments

Initiative 1.5

Head of Education

Extending pilot video-conferencing programme, to serve more schools and community groups

Objectives: 1 and 3 Priority: Medium Themes: 1, 2, 3

Progress during 2003/04

• Further extension of video-conferencing programme with DfES support
• Dulverton Trust support gained until March 2005

Activities proposed

2004/05 - 2006/07 and resource requirements

2004/05

• Assess and evaluate provision, and then extend the VC programme to new schools, covering art and history curricular areas, in partnership with Global Leap
• Continue training of freelance team in content and delivery
• Establish method of delivery of images

2005/06 Continue provision to existing users

• Explore take-up from new groups

Resources:
Dulverton funding through 2004/05; develop long-term support through grant-in-aid

• Technical difficulties (further work with Global Leap)
  
• Admin becomes too onerous (project planning to work on requirements)
  
• Lack of funding support beyond 2004/05 (apply for more funds or revert to lower levels of activity)
  
• End of partnership with Global Leap (investigate alternate technical support)

• Quantitative data on participants (range, location etc).
  
• Qualitative evaluation in conjunction with Global Leap

Measured through feedback from partners and monitoring as part of project management

Initiative 1.6

Director and Head of Exhibitions and Collections Management

Extending the national programme, through renewed partnership with the National Trust, new partnerships with regional galleries, extensions to loans, in order to extend access to the Collection and to the Gallery's expertise

Objectives: 1,2, 3 High Priority Themes: 1, 3,4, 5

Progress during 2003/04

• National Programme Manager appointed
• Wider strategic discussion with National Trust initiated

Loans Policy agreed by Trustees

2004/05

• Draw up more detailed national programme strategy to include extensions to long- & short-term loans and regional touring programme
• Complete survey of existing long-term loans
• Develop partnership schemes
• Develop Deloitte supported touring photographic exhibitions
• Investigate new collaborations with National Trust

2005/06

• Create consistent group of partner organisations
• Develop plans for a network of portrait collections

2006/07

• Develop idea of 'portrait rooms'
• Begin to create portrait network

Resources:

Strategic Commissioning funds set for 04/05 and 05/06
Deloitte support available across three years.
Careful evaluation of internal support required.
Portrait network concept will require additional and extensive resources to be effective

• Overload of regional projects (selection against declared criteria)
  
• Failure to find on-going funding (match projects against available funds)
  
• Insufficient co-ordination across departments, and overload on Manager (good project planning)

Development of national programme beyond 04-05 may be held back by funding issues and lack of clarity in DCMS or from the Renaissance programme.

• Quantitative data (Numbers of visitors; numbers of loans; numbers of partners)
  
• Qualitative evaluation (satisfaction of visitors; quality of partnership; access to Gallery expertise)
  
• General Learning outcomes of educational programmes

Measured through regular data collection and as part of reporting to DCMS/DfES

Initiative 1.7

Director, Head of Administration and 16th, 18th and 19th century curators

Re-launching Beningbrough Hall, enhancing the displays at Montacute House and developing the programme at Bodelwyddan Castle in order to widen audiences for the collection.

Objectives: 1, 3 and 6 (Links to 1.6) Priority: High Themes: 1, 3, 4, 5

Progress during 2003/04

• Beningbrough: initial project work developed
• Increased education and out-reach work developed
• Montacute: new family and schools work undertaken
• Improvements to display tested
• Bodelwyddan: new displays launched and evaluated
• Signage ideas developed

Programme ideas discussed with National Museums in Wales

2004/05

• Beningbrough: Project concept design by Casson Mann; develop Business Plan and Education Programme; develop partnership with Art History dept & 18thC Institute, University of York
• Montacute: improve environmental conditions; enhance interpretation, including children's trail, information tablets, new signage and texts; overhaul lighting, create additional safe hanging space; replace matting
• Bodelwyddan: improve programme mix and increase self-reliance; develop signage scheme; improve marketing and trading; implement minor works arising from evaluation

Resources:
Strategic Commissioning funds continue at lower level; small increases in Gallery resources required. Contracts to set future levels of resources HLF key source for capital.

2005/06

• Beningbrough: prototype interactives; detailed design work; finalise new agreement
• Bodelwyddan: Develop exhibition options

2006/07

• Beningbrough re-launch; start of visiting portraits programme
• Montacute: create exhibition space in Rm 4 to display complementary Tudor and Jacobean portraits

• Insufficient resources for Beningbrough project (proper budgeting and seeking wider support with NT, or changing timetable)
  
• NT priorities move elsewhere and lack of NT staff training (contract discussions and advocacy)
  
• Resources at Bodelwyddan remain low; resistance of the Trust to development (continue lobbying)
  
• Ongoing project risks in Beningbrough project (use close project monitoring)

• Success in raising sufficient funds for Beningbrough project, and for Bodelwyddan and Montacute
• Numbers of visitors to each venue, including for temporary exhibitions and for those participating in educational activities
• Delivery of new interpretation programmes and the achievement of more stable environmental conditions at Montacute.
• Improved visitor orientation at Bodelwyddan

Monitored as part of project management and evaluation

Ongoing data collection for Gallery reporting and partnership work

Initiative 1.8

Director and Communications and Development Director

Extending and widening audiences through creating further active links with television programme makers and broadcasters, across the spectrum of network, cable and digital television and radio

Objectives: 1 and 3 (see 4.4 also) Priority: Medium to High Themes: 1,2,4,7

Progress during 2003/04

• Major photography collaboration taken forward with BBC
• Improved contact with Channel 4 on future projects

Initial work undertaken on history of portraiture proposal

2004/05

• Develop major series on the history of portraiture in Britain
• Continue regular planning with BBC, Channel 4 and other networks

2005/06

• Achieve regular coverage for BP Award or Schweppes Prize
• Develop longer term planning of a series with BBC and networks
• Explore wider radio options

2006/07

Develop fuller integration between television, publishing and educational and digital use of materials

Resources:
Seek support for major projects and develop longer-term plan for management of TV and radio work

• Overload on present staff in press office and technical back-up (contain projects as necessary)
  
• Not achieving Gallery objectives when working with outside broadcasters (clarity of Gallery position)
  
• Failure to plan in broadcast and TV thinking into the creation of new exhibition ideas (improved linkage in programme planning)

Important to try to bring TV and digital materials into the same framework and seek long-term uses for the benefit of the Gallery's visitors and users

• Numbers of network programmes linked to the Gallery each year
  
• Numbers of digital and other programmes made available for wider educational use

Measured as part of ongoing Gallery assessment of outcomes

Initiative 1.9

Communications and Development Director

Increasing repeat visits and support for the Gallery through a better promoted Membership scheme, with an improved Newsletter and more consistent recruitment and retention of members

Objectives: 1 and 4 Priority: Medium to High Themes: 5, 7

Progress during 2003/04

• New membership officer appointed
• Membership numbers increased through active marketing during Beaton exhibition
• Creation of e-newsletter linked to marketing of membership scheme

2004/05

• Increase awareness of Membership programme at Front of House and with new leaflet
• Add Membership information on back of exhibition and event tickets, and Improve Face-to-Face newsletter
• Continue Focus Groups with Members to improve feed-back and development of programmes
• Resolve any Gift Aid issues as they affect membership and Patron schemes

Resources:
Some funds allocated to newsletter and more effort to be placed on Gallery awareness

• Fewer 'blockbusters' to make Membership immediately attractive (use higher profile exhibitions to target possible members)
  
• Lack of equivalent benefits compared to other organisations - i.e. no Members Room, or evening Private Views (exploit unique features of the Gallery; put Members support behind public projects)
  
• Lack of understanding within Gallery of importance of increasing Membership programme (work on internal training and awareness programme)

Wider re-assessment of Scheme may be required if it does not grow during 2004/05

• Level of Membership above 2,000
  
• Increasing Membership to 5,000 by 06/07
  
• Increase number of younger Members

Data collected as part of regular monitoring work, qualitative feedback used from Members sessions to improve offers and services.