Presentation at the Orchestras Canada Annual Meeting, Winnipeg
by Sophie Galaise, General Manager, OSQ, and Head of ContactCulture.ca

Table of Contents
1. Word of Welcome
2. Background
3. About the Network
4. Network Objectives
5. Organizational Structure
6. Member Contributions
7. A Series on Joint Initiatives

• On-site surveys
• Monthly electronic newsletter
• Survey on cultural behaviour
• Website

8. Future prospects – Short and Medium Term

Background
In February 2009, the Horizon Culture summit was held in Québec City at the instigation of Québec’s minister of culture.  The summit was an opportunity to reflect on the future of Québec’s capital and the role of culture in the city.  During the event, various announcements were also made about projects underway in the capital (the relocation of conservatories, artistic projects, and others) totaling some $50 million in value.
It was against this backdrop that ContactCulture.ca was created in 2009 at the initiative of Orchestre symphonique de Québec.  The organization is a strategic marketing intelligence bureau for professional performing arts organizations in the Québec City area.
ContactCulture.ca is funded by Bureau de la Capitale-Nationale and the City of Québec, as well as by membership fees.  The project received a three-year grant for $345,000 under Horizon Culture.

About the Network
After Horizon Culture, in June 2009, professional performing arts organizations and presenters in the Greater Québec City area agreed to develop a network dedicated to documentary and statistical research, audience surveys, and cultural marketing.  The network meets a clearly identified need from the professional performing arts community, which was concerned about audience development.
The name of the network is ContactCulture.ca

Organizational Structure
Management Committee: Sophie Galaise, OSQ, Project Leader; Michèle Drouin, Bureau de la Capitale-Nationale; Rhonda Rioux, City of Québec
Scientific Committee: Andrée Fortin, Professor, Department of Sociology, Université Laval; Rosaire Garon, Sociologist and Associate Professorm UQTR; Maurice Rhéaume, Marketing and Development Manager, OSQ; Jean-Pierre Pellegrin, Vice President, Conseil de la Culture Québec/Chaudière-Appalaches
Coordinator: Michel Lemieux
Members: OSQ, Opéra de Québec, Club musical, Les Rhapsodes, Salle Albert-Rousseau, L’Annexe, Diffusion culturelle de Lévis, Envol et macadam, Grand Théâtre de Québec, Les Gros Becs, Palais Montcalm, Théâtre Périscope, Premier Acte, La Rotonde, etc.

Member Contributions

• Membership in ContactCulture.ca is by letter of agreement signed by a duly authorized representative of the organization and subject to membership dues.
• In 2009-2010, ContactCulture.ca already had 16 members out of a potential of about 20 cultural organizations in the region (producers and presenters in the performing arts).  Membership is still growing and has largely exceeded initial estimates of 10.
• Annual membership dues for each organization are based on its total annual sales for the previous year and take into account the member’s financial situation (dues vary from $150 for an organization with sales under $150,000 to up to $2,000 for an organization with sales over $2 million).
• In response to strong demand, an Associate Member category will be introduced for 2010-2011 (consultants, marketing firms, etc.).  Members in this category will not have access to all the services available to regular members (professional performing arts organizations).

A Series of Joint Projects
ContactCulture.ca already offers various services to its members:

• On-site surveys
• Monthly e-newsletter
• Major surveys
• Website

On-Site Surveys

• These surveys are conducted using a basic questionnaire (75% common section – 25% satisfaction rating) and a suggested survey administration method (directions).  Data is professionally processed, and members receive customized confidential reports.  Member participation is voluntary.
• Approximately ten organizations currently use this tool.

It enables them to directly survey audiences about satisfaction levels, demographic data, geographic and postal location, etc.
To date, some 4,000 spectators have been surveyed.
Data recorded: social and demographic data, satisfaction rating, irritants, Web addresses, postal code, etc.

Potential future use: We have secured respondent authorization to use their email addresses to promote concerts and shows put on by members of ContactCulture.ca

Monthly E-Newsletter
Currently a members-only publication, this e-newsletter presents news as well as examples of innovative practices in audience development.
It is designed and produced by Gilles Laforce, a marketing and communications specialist.
Three content-rich issues filled with relevant and much appreciated information have been published to date.
The newsletters will soon be available and archived on ContactCulture.ca.

Major Survey of Cultural Behaviour in the Greater Québec City Area

• Major survey on performing arts audience behaviour in the Greater Québec City area with 2,000 respondents.  Members will have access to the strategic survey results in September 2010.
• Survey completed April 3 (2,000 respondents)
• 35 questions, more than 200 pages of results
• Dimensions: attendance; event notoriety; ways of increasing attendance; consumer behaviour; performing arts preferences
• Using the data (e.g., 60% of people in the region don’t go out…)

Website

• The website (under construction) will be hosted on the City of Québec website and provide secure data to members.
• Site design now complete
• Web copy complete, architecture finalized
• Special features: Public section and members-only section

Future Prospects – Short Term

• Annual meeting of members and partners (next meeting September 2010).
• Continue on-site surveys (2010-2011 season)
• Continue surveys on cultural behavior
• New research projects for 2010-2011: economic spinoffs by cultural industry (music, theater, dance, etc.), school and school board consumption habits (events for young audiences), etc.
• Agreement under negotiation with Observatoire de la culture and Institut de la statistique.  We process current data, whereas they often process validated data that is several years old.

Future Prospects – Medium Term

• Given the success of the project, Ministère de la Culture, des communications et de la condition féminine has asked us to assess the possibility of extending the initiative to other parts of Québec and other disciplines than the performing arts.