FROM AUDIENCE TO PEOPLE
A journey for changemakers
Do you see yourself as a changemaker within your field? Would you like to develop new meaningful relationships with your communities? Would you like to develop a more audience centric approach within your organization? Do join us online this Autumn for the third and last Summer School, promoted by the ADESTE+ consortium.
‘Change’ and ‘audience’, or better said ‘people’, have been two key concepts guiding us through the project. Our initial assumption was that any audience development strategy, to be successful, should be implemented by the whole organisation, involving different departments, and that meant finding new ways to work together. Thus, we started experimenting and mixing change management theories, audience development approaches and human centred design tools. We came up with a process to support professionals and institutions to design audience centred cultural experiences and, at the same time, develop new forms of internal collaboration, bringing change in small steps. Then, the pandemic came along and we all realized that change was not just an option anymore, it became something we all needed to embrace. That’s why we’re more willing than ever to share our methodology, testing it with as many professionals as possible and keep on learning all together.
18 hours from September 29th to October 20th. Deadline for applications is 1st September. All results will be communicated by 7th September. There is no participation fee. APPLICATIONS here.
Our last Summer School should have taken place in Turin, Italy, but considering the ongoing COVID emergency we opted for an online edition, so as to facilitate a larger and more diverse participation across Europe. Nonetheless we want this to represent an opportunity for all participants to really dive deep into the process and tools that we’ve developed, offering the possibility for a hands-on exploration. Discover the Summer School experience that we design for you and send your application. We can’t wait to welcome you on board our A+ community!
THE FORMAT
The Summer School is an online learning experience for cultural professionals willing to discover new methodologies and tools to support them through their job. It will be an international networking opportunity, a safe space in which to explore new ideas, but also a practical training opportunity to foster professional development.
And we wanted it to be fun! That’s why we’ll be working together on real challenges, experimenting with the process and tools developed within the A+ project.
- The participants we’ll be split into 6 different teams, working together for the duration of the Summer School.
- Each team will have the chance to apply the A+ methodology on a real audience challenge proposed by a cultural institution from one of the following countries: Croatia, Denmark, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain and UK.
- Each team will be supported in applying the A+ process by two facilitators coming from the project consortium.
- At the end of the Summer School, each team will have the chance to pitch their own AD prototype idea to the management of the cultural institutions involved.
Working language is English.
PROGRAMME AND CALENDAR
The programme is articulated in 6 online sessions (3 hours each):
- Welcome to ADESTE+ Community → 29th September, 10-13 CEST
How can we change the way we work within our organization to bring people at the centre of our programming and projects? In this session, we’ll share our answers to this question and introduce you to the process we developed.
- People beyond audiences → 5th October, 10-13 CEST
Developing a people centre perspective is much more than attracting new audiences: it’s about empathy, it’s about embracing different points of view and creating a real connection with the people we want to engage with. In this session, we’ll share some simple tools and tips to better understand your communities.
- Reframe the challenge → 6th October, 10-13 CEST
Putting yourself in other people’s shoes opens up new perspectives and enables you to rethink your daily job and the challenges you’re trying to tackle. In this session, we’ll guide you through all the data and insights you collected to understand how they can help you reframe your goals.
- Unlock creativity → 12th October, 10-13 CEST
We’re used to solving problems everyday and too often we miss the opportunity to unlock the creative potential in our teams, which is essential to come up with new and innovative solutions. In this session, we’ll push you out of the comfort zone, where the magic begins.
- Prototype your ideas → 13th October, 10-13 CEST
They say “prototypes slow you down to speed you up”. In an accelerating world we think it’s important to experiment and collect datas continuously, so as to ground our projects in the real world and embed ongoing learnings. In this session, we’ll understand how to develop low and high fidelity prototypes for our ideas.
- Let’s pitch! → 20th October, 10-13 CEST
The end of our journey! In this session, each team will pitch the ideas they developed to answer the challenges posed by each case study. It will be the chance to share our common learning and reflect on how we could embed them in our professional life.
During each meeting you will have access to an inspiring talks with high profile guest speakers, a training session on ADESTE+ methodology and steps, a breakout room to work in with your team and discuss how to apply the tools we proposed on the case study you’re dealing with. A set of facilitators and one representative of the case study organisation will always be with you!
WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR
ADESTE+ Summer School is designed for cultural professionals working with different kinds of institutions and organisations. It doesn’t matter whether you work in the marketing department, you’re a curator, an artist or you’re in charge of educational programs or logistics. We’re looking for curious people that are willing to challenge themselves and explore new ideas, for professionals that feel the need to develop new tools and approaches to bring into their job, for changemakers who want to enhance their international network and explore other experiences and perspectives.
WHAT YOU WILL GET
What is the value you’re paying for? (Metaphorically! Participation in the Summer School is free!)
- A high profile learning opportunity involving speakers and mentors with top experiences in the field;
- The chance to explore and try out a new approach to work with audiences, in a practical way. Not the usual webinar!
- International networking and peer learning.
As a participant to the Summer School, you will get access to:
- 6 live online training sessions to explore the basics of the ADESTE+ process;
- 2 optional online meetings to further enhance your networking opportunities;
- A digital space with plenty of materials and resources related to the Summer School topics;
- The broader ADESTE+ community, made of hundreds of cultural professionals from all over Europe and beyond.
You’ll have privileged access to the final European Conference to be held in Turin and online from 11th to 13th November 2021.
HOW TO APPLY
The ADESTE+ 2021 Summer School is open to a maximum of 80 people. There is no fee, but it is a journey that we want to share together till the end. We ask you to check your calendar and set the dates in your agenda.
We will select participants balancing different criteria:
- Cultural sector you’re working in
- Country you’re living and working in (in Europe and beyond…)
- Gender balance
- Experience in arts and culture and/or management
- Experiences in working with the audiences
We will therefore welcome new participants and team them with previous edition’s participants.
You can apply by filling in this online form. Deadline for applications is 1st September. All results will be communicated by 7th September. There is no participation fee.
For further information, please check the FAQ below or contact us to summerschool@adesteplus.eu.
FAQ’s
- Which are the case studies involved?
The case studies will be communicated at the beginning of September. They will include cultural institutions of different sizes and sectors (performing arts, heritage, festival, etc), coming from the following countries: Croatia, Denmark, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, UK.
- Can I choose the case study I want to work on?
At the beginning of September, the participants will receive, together with the confirmation of admission to the Summer School, the list and profiles of the case studies involved with a description of the related challenge. All participants will be asked to rank their preferences for the case studies they would like to work with. The ADESTE+ consortium will then create the working groups according to your preferences and other criteria. We will do our best to accommodate your preferences, but please remember that the Summer School is about learning a methodology: you will be able to apply it to different organisations and contexts afterwards.
- Will I get to know the case studies before the start of the Summer School?
Yes, at the beginning of September, the participants will receive, together with the confirmation of admission to the Summer School, the list and profiles of the case studies involved with a description of the related challenge. All participants will be asked to rank their preferences for the case studies they would like to work with.
- Who can I find in my group? How will they be created?
The working group will be composed of 8 to 12 professionals, according to different criteria. First of all we will take into account your preferences for the case studies involved, but we want to have teams as diverse as possible. We’ll thus consider also the country you’re coming from and your experience in the field. Anyway you can be sure to find international colleagues with previous experience in the cultural sector and a strong willingness to embrace new approaches towards cultural participation.
- Do the facilitators support our job throughout all the Summer School?
Yes, you’ll meet with your working group and facilitators on the first session of the Summer School and then you’ll work together as a team throughout the whole Summer School. The facilitator will guide you through the ADESTE+ methodology and support you in using the tools we’ll provide. You and your team can stay in touch also beside the sessions, engaging through a digital platform.
- Will I have the chance to meet other professionals, beside the ones in my same team?
Yes, all the sessions will be composed of a plenary session and of a working breakout room. You’ll have the chance to meet all the facilitators of the ADESTE+ consortium, our international guests and speakers and all the other participants both in the plenary sessions and in optional online meetings that we will arrange so as to help your networking.
- What are the selection criteria?
Participants to the Summer School will be selected balancing different criteria, such as the cultural sector and country you’re working in, gender balance, and previous experience both in arts and culture and in working the audiences.
- What happens if I’m selected for the Summer School?
All the professionals applying to the Summer School will get formal feedback by September 7th. Participants admitted to the Summer School will also receive the list of the case studies involved and their challenge, in order to rank their preferences and help us create the working groups. Every participant will receive a final confirmation of the case study and team he/she will be assigned to before the start of the Summer School together with other detailed information and access to the online Summer School platform.
- Will I get a certificate?
Yes, you will get a certificate of attendance if you take part in at least 4 sessions out of 6. Upon request we can also provide you with a certificate of attendance to share with your employer, if needed.
