Who do you want to reach and why?

1. Consider your interesting question

Think about your interesting question in relation to potential participants and audiences.

2a. PARTICIPANTS

Who will be actively involved in workshops, events, activities, etc?

2b. AUDIENCES

Who will attend screenings, performances, displays, etc?

3. Develop your interesting question

This should incorporate the CHANGE you wish to bring about for participants and audiences.

Test your assumptions about participants and audiences.

Who might you be excluding?

What is the benefit for audiences and participants?

All That Glitters, 2023 Arts Commission with theatremaker Tom Jackson-Greaves exploring the complexed and nuanced world of critical minerals in Cornwall.

1. Starting Question

What are the complexities of mining for critical minerals in Cornwall today?

2a. Participants

Camborne School of Mines
Cornish Lithium
Climate researchers/academics
Mining heritage communities

2b. Audiences

Local secondary school pupils
Cornwall residents with interest in climate/mining

3. Developed Question

How might we increase understanding of the important role of critical minerals in contemporary technology, as well as acknowledging environmental challenges? How does the mining of critical minerals relate to Cornish identities?

Artist Hannah Mumby collaborated with researchers and academics at the Global Systems Institute to devise a new resource supporting co-production.

1. Starting Question

Co-production is one of our core values; how can we support the team to further develop this skill?

2a. Participants

Global Systems Institute academics and students

2b. Audiences

Researchers and/or Facilitators using co-production

3. Developed Question

How might we build skills and confidence in our colleagues to undertake co-production? How might we create a resource that is interactive, participatory, and gets to the heart of co-production?

Founder and director of Wild Hive Bee Watson created a new wallpaper commission inspired by the flora and foliage on the University of Exeter Streatham Campus.

1. Starting Question

How can we encourage staff and student well-being through engagement with nature?

2. Participants

University Grounds Team at Streatham campus.
Staff and Students who use the Queen’s Building.

2b. Audiences

Visitors to Queen's Building

3. Developed Question

How might we bring some of the beauty of the Streatham campus grounds inside, to encourage staff and students to engage with the natural world immediately outside?

Guidance on Specific Audiences: Schools

It is a popular ‘go to’ to propose working with schools as part of a creative project. It requires careful thought and planning to make sure your proposal meets a need.
Co-devise with teachers and students, they are the experts.
Link teachers’ resources to the National Curriculum (or equivalent for international partnerships). Identify specific Key Stage, subjects and learning outcomes.
Working with pupils will likely required DBS checks, and more stages through ethics committees.

Partner with education specialists in galleries, libraries, archives and museums. They will have connections through existing programmes.
Partner with agencies that work with many schools, such as NSEAD (National Society for Education in Art & Design), ATM (Association of Teachers of Mathematics), etc.
Ensure your outputs will be of use before committing to generating resources.

The university has amazing in-house expertise in working with schools. Arrange a few informal conversations with colleagues to find out what networks and research already exist.

Guidance on Specific Audiences: Communities

Golden rule - don't 'parachute in', picking up and then dropping communities when your funding ends.
Take time, co-design the project together, ensure legacy is factored in for long-term benefits.

This is delicate work, best approached through partnering with a support agency (Age UK, Shelter, Young Carers' Alliance etc) who are qualified to meet the needs of that group.

The university also works extensively with a broad range of communities. Again, arrange a few informal conversations with colleagues to find out what networks and research already exist.

Make a note of your AUDIENCES and PARTICIPANTS

You should now have a clear picture of your priority participants and audiences.

You have the WHAT (Purpose) and the WHO (People). Now it’s time to figure out the HOW (Practitioners).

Move onto the Practitioners section ->

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