My dissertation research direction

We need to submit a 4000 words proposal on 13 May.
This week I met my supervisor and discussed my research direction.
At frist I only focused on the Brighton Festival young audiences, but my supervisor provided my some commets.
I will correct my research direction.

1.Young audience: (A) Who is young audience? How old?
(B) young audiences in festival, sports,events
2.development: (A) attracting more audience
(B) to educate the youth
(C) diversity
3.sustainable: how sustain the youth? provide recommendation

At this moment, I should read more literatures and look for more relevant information, and then I can understand how can I do next step.

Brighton Festival

My dissertation is focused on the young audiences on Brighton Festival becoming in May. I am going to do the research why do audiences attend this festival? what is the reson? I need to collect some information from this festival. Therefore, I am goning to attend this festival in May. Following is the information about Brighton Fesitval.

Welcome to Brighton Festival 2009

The 43rd Brighton Festival runs from
Saturday 2 – Sunday 24 May 2009



Brighton Dome and Festival Ltd, which produces the annual Brighton Festival also manages Brighton Dome year round and is a single charitable trust employing 75 permanent and 200 casual staff with an annual turnover of £6m

The annual three week Brighton Festival started in 1967 and is a leading commissioning and producing Festival which contributes £20m to the local economy
Brighton Festival 2008 achieved 86% total attendance at events, with 70% of all performances sold out
Brighton Festival is principally funded by Brighton & Hove City Council, Arts Council England and through the sponsorship department which raises over £500k annually

The 2009 Festival features 26 premieres and exclusives of which 7 are commissions by Brighton Festival

Education
Brighton Festival is not just about sitting back and soaking up the arts from a distance. It is also about participation. Our dedicated Education Unit brings your Festival into focus by putting you in the picture. With adopted authors, outdoor family events and 26 Letters – our four-day mini festival for children – we take you to the places other festivals simply cannot reach!

Adopt an Author
Now a nationwide scheme, Brighton Festival's Adopt an Author project pairs best-selling children’s authors with classes from local schools. Author and class communicate via e-mail, creating an interactive forum of ideas. The authors then appear as part of 26 Letters, finally meeting their adoptive classes to celebrate their collaborative ventures.

Questions & Research

Research Objectives: To investigate the reasons why the young audiences (16 to 24 years) would like to attend the same festival many times, but others do not.

Research Questions:
1.Why do the young audiences attend the Brighton Festival?
2.How to provide a sustainable audience for future?
3.What is the impact on Arts Festival

Literature Sources Searched:
Kolb, B. M. (2005) Marketing for Cultural Organisations, Thomson
Hoyle, L. H. (2002) Event Marketing, John Wiley & Sons, INC
Kerrigan, F., Fraser, P. and Özbilgin, M. (2004), Arts Marketing, Elsevier
Hayes, D. and Slater, A. (2002), ‘“Rethinking the missionary position”- the quest for sustainable audience development strategies’, Managing Leisure 7, pp. 1-17
Kawashima, N. (2006), ‘Audience Development and Social Inclusion in Britain’, International Journal of Cultural Policy, vol.12, no.1, pp.55-72
Barlow, M. and Shibli, S. (2007), ‘Audience Development in the Arts: A case study of chamber music’, Managing Leisure, vol.12, no.2, pp.102-119
Taylor, P., Owen, E., Bell, H. and Withnall, S. (2001), ‘Increasing young people’s attendances at the theatre: a case study in Sheffield, UK ’, Managing Leisure 6, pp.141-153
Rose, C. (2003), Developing Young Audiences, in Arts Professional, 25th August 2003, p.16

Which research approach and methodologies are you likely to use and why?
1.Research the Brighton Festival
2.Focus on young audiences (the age of 16-24)
3.Make a questionnaire and collect data of audiences
4.Attend the Brighton Festival

Why?
The young audiences in 16 to 24 age bracket are almost students whose opinions change much quicker than other age’s people. Owing to they do not have much money; they will choose programmes cheaper and interesting. If the festival is not interesting or special, young audiences will not attend again. In addition, if young audiences can always attend the festival, after few years, maybe they will bring their children to attend the festival. Therefore, the festival can always be held.

Think about my dissertation research questions

1.Which festival do I want to research?
Brighton Festival, Bath Festival and City of London Festival
Why do I select this festival?
2.What kind issue I want to investigate?
Programmes promotion or audience development?
3.Focus on young audiences (the 16-24 age bracket)
Why do I research young audiences the 16-24 age brackets?
Why not research over 60 years audiences?
What is the benefit?

I have chosen my dissertation topic, but I do not have a clearly research issue. Why do I research this topic? Which issue do I investigate? I must think about the questions and read more information, and then to decide how can I do my research in the next step.

Dissertation Research Direction

I have chosen my dissertation research topic and planned a structure.
Next step I should research more information about Arts Festival.

What literature do I plan to look at as part of the literature review for my research proposal

1.I will research some information about ‘audience development ‘
2.What’s the impact on arts festival
3.How to promote and develop

After researching some infornation, I have to decide what data I need to collect and how to make an questionnaire.

Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra

Last Saturday I went to Royal Festival Hall and joined a concert. This orchestra is Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. They went to Taiwan last year, but I missed that concert. I was so happy to join this concert, and the price was much cheaper than last time.
I studied western music at university. I couldn’t often join the top symphony orchestras of Europe, but now I can join it easily. It is the main reason that I choose to study in London. I can contact with the performing of the world, such as classical music, dance and drama. I hope I can expand my views of arts performing during this year.

My Dissertation Topic area and Research questions

Topic area or research questions

Arts Festivals marketing

1. How to promote the Arts Festival
A.To attract audiences
B.Booking tickets (e.g. discount, group tickets)
2. How to set up the image
3. advertisement

Why have I selected this subject?

The audiences through advertising and promotion know the programmes and shows. There is a complete marketing planning in order to promote the programmes effectively. If there is no marketing planning, it not only advertises programmes, but also fascinates audiences.

Next Step

I am going to research 5~6 Arts Festivals and read articles, journals and academic books about marketing communication and advertisement. After reading those information, I will focus on one Arts Festival to research.