Gallery
"#TheGaGAs in Glasgow are unique in truly recognising audience development. Well done CultureSparks."
from 2010
“…the show you put on for the GaGAs was really quite something! Thank you for investing in us in this way, I'm sure it gives the whole arts marketing community in Glasgow/Scotland a wee lift”
from 2009
“It was really inspiring to hear a real life case study, even if it was in the USA...having something wholey tangible to take away with you.”
from 2009
“GaGAs were great - good to see good work rewarded and flag up what others are doing.”
from 2008
Culture Sparks Awards
Industry awards for intelligence and innovation in the cultural sector, The GaGAs celebrate the best and most innovative projects, leadership and use of sector data.
Culture Sparks’ annual awards ceremony celebrates audience development in Scotland – the people, the ideas, the creativity and the successes. The GaGAs have created a unique platform for the creative community to hear how individuals and organisations are building audiences across the cultural sector.
Nominations for The GaGAs are open to organisations, groups and individuals from across Scotland. Regardless of what stage your initiative or idea is at – beginning, middle or end or who is leading it.
Awards designed by Glasgow based sculptural designer Andy Scott
THE 2010 AWARDS
Leadership | Idea of the Year | Intelligent Research | Impact
IMPACT
The GaGA Award for ‘Impact’ recognises individuals, groups or organisations who are experimenting with new ideas – large or small – to increase public participation and engagement in arts and culture. We would like to know if you have created a new programme stream, targeted new groups or tried new forms of communication and what the positive feedback has been to date.
Tron – ‘Arts in the City’
Shona McMillan – ‘People and Songs of the Sea’ (winner)
Giant – ‘Viewing Art from a Different Perspective’
IDEA OF THE YEAR
The GaGA Award for ‘Idea of the Year’ celebrates a campaign, a promotion, a website or piece of design – something which makes people sit up and take notice. This award recognises any individual, group or organisation with an idea that has had some inspiring results and reactions.
National Theatre of Scotland – ‘TFD Takeover’ (winner)
Muvizu – ‘Muvizu’
Theatre Ninjas – ‘Theatre Ninjas’
INTELLIGENT RESEARCH
Are you curious to know what the public thinks about your cultural programme and practice? The GaGA Awardfor ‘Intelligent Research’ recognises those who have proactively sought feedback to help attract more people to engage with, participate in or attend the arts. You may have gained vital insight from analysing social media usage or by applying qualitative techniques such as observational research or group discussion. Or, you have used a more traditional kind of market sector intelligence drawn from box office sales statistics, benchmarking reports or your audience surveys. We are especially interested if your research has revealed the unexpected or sparked fresh thinking and debate.
Artlink Central – ‘Reverb Scotland’
Riverside Museum – ‘Just Talk to Them’
Tramway – ‘Footprints’ (winner)
LEADERSHIP
Who leads the way? Who walks the talk? Who inspires and challenges us to know more about audiences? Who in the sector creates new pathways to reach and engage with more people? The GaGA Award for ‘Leadership’ recognises leaders who put audiences at the heart of their mission to develop and promote great art.
WINNER: Sarah Munro, Creative Director, Tramway in Glasgow
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT
A fifth, surprise, award was also presented at the event to Charles Bell. Charles, previously an actor, writer and director in his earlier career, recently retired from Glasgow Life where his work in arts development made a significant and genuine contribution to the lives of artists and audiences.
2009 Award Nominees and Winners:
Audience Insight Award
• Citizens’ Theatre
- ‘Persona Generation’ and website re-design project
(winner)
• St Mungo Museum of Life & Art
- Staff training programme and insight into six world religions practiced in Glasgow
• National Theatre of Scotland
- National Audience Research Project
Audience Development Pioneer Award
• Glasgow Film Theatre
- Glasgow Film Festival 2009
(winner)
• East Ayrshire Library, Registration & Information Services
- The Burns Monument Centre and Rejuvenation of Library Services
• Glasgow’s Concert Halls - Celtic Connections’ Friends: Pruning for Progress and Cultivating the Cuttings
Audience Development Initiative of the Year Award
• BBC SSO
- Listen Here! A concentrated summer mini-festival of orchestral music in all its shapes, forms and styles featuring seven concerts over four days, all free.
• RSNO
- Close Encounters: A one-week, three concert project exploring the musical synergies that occur when a symphony orchestra performs with artists from other genres.
(winner)
• Young Audiences Scotland
- A pilot audience development project for the children and young people’s theatre sector
Audience Development Leadership Award
• Winner – Jackie Shearer, Arts Manager, Platform
2008 Awards
Audience Insight Award
• Glasgow Museums Advisory Panels - ‘Listening to our Audiences'
• The Byre - ‘Developing Student Audiences’
• Glasgow Museums - Exhibition: ‘Lives in Motion’ (Museum of Transport) (winner)
Audience Development Pioneer Award
• Dance House - ‘Dance House’s Class, Professional and Outreach Programme Development’
• Pitlochry Festival Theatre - ‘www.ladacam.com’ (winner)
• Citizens’ Theatre Ltd - ‘Family Audiences’
Audience Development Initiative of the Year Award
• Young Audiences Scotland - ‘Children and Young People - Six Company Collaboration’
• Glasgow’s Concert Halls - ‘It all fits together beautifully: creating and selling Glasgow’s Concert Halls’ (winner)
• Horsecross Arts Ltd - ‘No Boundaries’
Audience Development Leadership Award
• Alison Martin, Citizens’ Theatre Ltd (joint winner)
• Jane Donald, Glasgow’s Concert Halls (joint winner)