VisitKX Benefits - Evaluation of 2008/9

VisitKX is a unique support and development programme for London based cultural venues and arts organisations (priority booking given to resident organisations in Camden & Islington).

Following our big evaluation this week, we thought it would be useful to share some of the benefits gained by our participant organisations through the 2008/9 VisitKX Programme PLUS the hot topics we hope to tackle in the coming year...

BENEFIT TO ORGANISATIONS

Ø Gives their organisation context
Ø Offers realistic best practice – from practitioners in the field
Ø Forum for honesty and freeness
Ø Networking
Ø New sources of information
Ø Potential partnerships
Ø Breaks down perceived hierarchy in the sector
Ø FREE

PERSONAL BENEFITS

Ø Networking – through structured activity
Ø Confidence boost
Ø Sharing ideas and practice
Ø Reinforced relationships
Ø Specialist focus
Ø Strategic thinking time
Ø Reinforced common issues
Ø following up opportunities
Ø Inspiration & Bouncing ideas
Ø Combating isolation


VISITKX II : PROGRAMME SUGGESTIONS

OUTSIDE THE SEMINAR ROOM

Ø Creation of a forum/ directory
Ø Prompts and reminders after training – follow up material
Ø Facilitating links with other agencies/ regen groups/ policy groups/ businesses
Ø Provide as much info as possible ahead of the session: background on trainers, particular focus on the day, who might benefit etc to ensure relevance
Ø Techniques on making the most out of training: mini-session, or short ‘to do’ list

WHEN, WHERE & HOW?

Ø Inspirational spaces & venues: less known places, revealing ‘behind the scenes’, relevant to the session
Ø Ice-breaker introduction to workshops – facilitated/structured networking
Ø Twilight sessions (4-6pm followed by networking over drinks)
Ø Host to introduce and mingle – aid networking
Ø Training by different artistic mediums: using creativity to learn/ enable discussion
Ø Opportunity to move about, work in different groups/pairs etc

FORMAT & DELIVERY

Ø Case studies, practical examples
Ø Workshops aimed at specific types of organisations: depending on size, discipline, age and ethos
Ø Structured peer-support
Ø Bespoke/taylor-made seminars
Ø Workshops
Ø Pairing up organisations: match-making (cultural-to-cultural or cultural-to-business)
Ø One-on-one bespoke assistance/advice
Ø Mentoring scheme
Ø Surgeries/ labs for joint problem solving
Ø Action learning sets

SUGGESTED CONTENT & HOT TOPICS

How to manage, accept and make the most of change:
losing colleagues, funding
seeing out of the box and your job role.

How to thrive/flourish during a recession
seizing/knowing opportunities, pooling resources
repackaging product, skills sharing

Digital Resources: online social networking, marketing, what should we be using? how do we measure success?

Audience Development: Training and working with young people, Community programmes, older people and prisons, data use and analysis

Finance: Recession and its impact on funding, funding and support
Funding: information on local sources, overviews, finance strategies

Policy briefings

business strategy development

Evaluation: understanding how to demonstrate success and measuring outcomes, advocacy, influencing people

Managing workloads
new policy and strategy, realistic best-practice
Co-ordination of practical issues; eg IT, marketing, policy research.

2012: how to find opportunities

Internal Communications: partnerships and internal buy-in

-> If you are a cultural venue and would like to find out more please contact Catherine Packard on email catherine.packard@bl.uk. What's more suggestions in the 'comments' below would be much appreciated, or if you prefer, email us directly with your own content proposal for VisitKX 2009/10.