The vision: To increase engagement with targeted wards within Birmingham who may have financial barriers preventing visits or poor perceptions of Thinktank as a family attraction.
Project Summary: Five of Birmingham’s ten constituencies are classed as being socio-economically disadvantaged. These same constituencies and the wards that inhabit them are also amongst the most culturally diverse within the city. Although Thinktank has a relatively high representation of BAME visitors compared to national figures, within Birmingham, our visitor profile is still not representative of the city’s demographic. Through consultation, we have identified that one factor which influences this is the cost of entry to Thinktank or at least the perception of what this cost represents and the subsequent value for money associated with it. Open Weekends allow specific Constituencies and Wards to gain entry to the museum free of charge through a voucher system. Through the course of the weekend, our aim is to demonstrate to visitors who we are and what we can offer through our exhibitions and public programme of events and activities. We also carry out extensive market research and consultations through a variety of means to better understand this audience such that we can meet their needs better in the future and improve perceptions of Thinktank as a cultural family venue. The Open Weekends also provide a high impact focus for our ongoing community outreach programme and allows us to develop stronger relationships with local community groups.
Your contact name: Kenny Webster
Your organization: Thinktank, Birmingham
Participants: Residents of socio-economically disadvantaged wards within Birmingham