Platform Ambassadors, Creating Affinity

Platform, at the hub of the cultural campus known as The Bridge in Easterhouse, is the first dedicated arts venue of it kind in the locale, an area where the majority of the population experience a high level of hardship and have historically low levels of arts engagement. The team at Platform invited Culture Sparks to create a project framework designed to encourage the local community to build connections with the venue.

Discussions with a range of groups, in tandem with detailed demographic analysis of the area, helped us to shape a bespoke ‘Arts Ambassadors’ programme that centred on enrolling the services of keen locals (within G33/34 postcode districts) who could spread the word about Platform and represent the views and aspirations of family and friends in their extended networks.

A recruitment session in July 2007 brought together the first eight ‘Young Ambassadors’, who eagerly signed up. An opportunity then arose to recruit locals over the age of fifty – it generated great interest but reluctance by some to take part formally. Positively however, informal promotion is taking place by a number of ‘Older Ambassadors’.

The Ambassadors are collectively knowledgeable about the venue’s facilities and events. They match elements of the programme to target audiences and pro-actively gather feedback to pass to the management team. Conversations with some of them reveal a level of activity that far exceeds original expectations.

Box Office ticket sales results are indicative of the efforts being made to encourage the local population to engage with the venue and achieve repeat attendance. The data shows that audiences are coming predominately from the local area (G33/34), attend events more frequently than people who attend other venues in Glasgow and, through the promotion of the venue’s Local Links discount card, are also widening appeal to G32 and G69 postcode districts and beyond. The Local Links card is a key promotional tool for the Ambassadors and its uptake has doubled since they began to endorse it.

There are now more than thirty Ambassadors of varying ages. Initially supported by the Scottish Arts Council, the funding for the project has come to an end but the Ambassadors are still a growing and crucial part of the Platform team. They are strongly embedded within the overall promotion and personality of the venue.

Platform Ambassadors – Second Nature

Some 'Ambassador' experiences...

Young Ambassador – Isla
Offering a friendly welcome at performances, Isla (who recently became an event steward at Platform) has been an Ambassador since day one. She’s extremely enthusiastic and works proactively to promote the venue. Her favourite focus is the music strand, which involves making her peer group, and their extended network of friends, aware of band nights (e.g. metal, rock). She uses major social networking sites through which to post messages and gauge interest.

With other Ambassadors she will seek out local events to promote Platform and The Bridge partners – this has included setting up stalls at Gala Days in Garrowhill Park and Calton where they spoke to attendees about the venue, gathered mailing contacts and discussed the Local Links discount that is available to everyone living within a specific catchment.Isla also focuses her efforts on other target groups including young audiences.

She raises awareness about forthcoming kid’s shows in nurseries and gives older audiences season brochures where she will emphasise aspects that might be of particular interest. Isla’s experiences at Platform have not only built her confidence but also helped her to decide on a career in hospitality management.

Young Ambassador – Patrick
Like Isla, Patrick has been an Ambassador from the beginning. His promotional activity includes providing Platform brochures to his extended network of school colleagues. He is closely involved in highlighting specific events including ‘Dance NRG’ – raves for under-16s (see Gallery).

Patrick makes a point of finding out what’s in the performance schedule and identifies selling points, estimating that he regularly encourages around thirty or forty people to attend the venue. As a former youth drama group member he now supports the drama team to organise sessions. He also undertakes stewarding duties and is planning a career in music, administration and business management as he is aiming to become a music/lighting technician – again in response to working at Platform.

Older Ambassador – Joyce
As someone over sixty with a very busy social life, it has become second nature for Joyce to talk about Platform’s work. On local bus journeys she will have conversations with those she thinks might be interested to hear about the venue. Being extremely aware of the territorial issues in Easterhouse she is passionate about letting people know there is more to do in the area than “hang around street corners” and receives great satisfaction when a young person crosses Platform’s doorstep.

Joyce selects specific shows for her friends, their family and particularly their grandchildren and speaks with great knowledge about presenting companies. She provides feedback on travel issues, timings of performances and organises payment of tickets on behalf of her friends – knowing that they might not attend without her taking the lead. Joyce and her network know the Platform team by first name and will approach staff members if they appear to be new.