In 2010, Hampshire County Council announced plans to reduce the provision of museum services in Alton. In 2011, we were contracted to work with the Council, Hampshire Museums and Galleries Trust and local stakeholders to develop a vision and to prepare an audience development plan for the Allen Gallery and the Curtis Museum.
Girls dancing sculpture in garden Allen Gallery Garden
We worked with the North of England Civic Trust to prepare a Stage II heritage grant application for Bensham Grove, a community learning centre in Gateshead, with strong cultural connections to the Arts & Crafts Movement and 20th century social reform in the North East. Our task was to prepare an Activity Plan. Our challenge was to fit engagement activities in and around the already very busy centre.
Activity Planning Workshop at Bensham Grove
Our Learning, Access and Community Engagement Plan for the Solway Wetlands Partnership supported a stage II Landscape Partnership Scheme application. The south Solway has most of England’s surviving raised bog habitat, extensive coastal marshes and a rich associated cultural heritage. Our work involved identifying physical access improvements to the wetlands, and working with a variety of stakeholders and community groups to develop a programme of engagement activities.
Boardwalk on Bowness Common
In January & February 2011 we helped the Heritage Trust North West to complete a Stage 2 Heritage Lottery Fund grant application for Lytham Hall in Lancashire. We reviewed audience development planning, worked with volunteers to run an on-line questionnaire survey, conducted focus groups and wrote formulated audience development proposals for the draft activity plan.
This marketing plan for geology, landscape heritage and wildlife is guiding the promotion of the North Pennines UNESCO Geo-park. The work involved a review of geological sites, identifying places to enjoy nature and a review of available market research. We then undertook consultation with local tourism businesses and held 6 focus groups with existing and potential visitors to the Geo-park to test visitor response to aspects of the heritage, marketing images and themes and a range of interpretation methods.