This document discusses the AmbITion approach to helping arts organizations develop their digital capabilities. The AmbITion approach involves conducting an audit and diagnostic of an organization, developing a business case for digital development, overseeing implementation, and providing continuous support and reflection. It has helped 15 arts organizations become leaders in digital development. There is potential to expand the AmbITion approach to more organizations through partnerships, knowledge sharing resources, and continuing to act as a model for effective digital transformation in the arts sector.

1. Hannah Rudman
www.getambition.com
Hannah@getambition.com

2. Context: mass innovation &
creativity
“My argument is that these new forms of mass, creative
collaboration announce the arrival of a society in which
participation will be the key organising
idea rather than consumption and work. People want to be
players not just spectators, part of the action,
not on the sidelines.”
Charles Leadbeater, thinker and author.
www.wethinkthebook.net

3. We are seeing a “renaissance of the amateur”
Director of Centre Pompidou, Prof. Bernard Steigler

4. Context: experience economy /
status stories

6. People want to attend,
and do more than just attend
• Personalise
• Participate
• Co-produce
• Create meaning
This affects:
– Artistic practice
– Organisations’ operations
– Business models

9. The arts sector’s need and
opportunity
• Low technology base overall, lack of inclusion in
any strategic or budgetary planning of plans
and aspirations in relation to digital
- Skills
- Infrastructure of the org
- Back office systems/data capture
- Websites don’t achieve good audience development
• Future opportunity
- New business models
- New content
- New ways of creating depth of engagement

12. AmbITion approach
• Vision:
– to generate a critical mass of arts organisations
that proactively consider digital development as
key to their business, organisational and artistic
growth and sustainability
• Via change projects
– Changing mindsets, people…
– Then changing processes and products

13. What has worked
• The AmbITion approach
• Risk assessment
• Audit
• Diagnostic
• Develop Business Case
• Overseen implementation
• Continuous reflection

14. Organisations change to digitally
offer…
• Product ✔
• Participation ✔
• Personalisation ✔
• Porosity ✔

16. Why does the AmbITion approach
work?
• It’s not about the technology!
• Audit and diagnostic looks at where an
org is at and where it wants to be and
is “cross-departmental”
• Orgs have to create robust business
cases - embeds
• Implementation is stakeholder owned,
but supported throughout
• It’s a scaleable process

17. The technologies…
• CRM, CMS driven websites, database
integration, intranets, wifi, remote
working, connectivity, ticketing, back-up
• Productivity tools
• Broadening digital channels
• Digital content capturing / recording kit
• Upgrading networks

18. When did it not work?…
• Ensuring continued buy-in during a stretched
timeline
• Projects affected by people leaving
• Organisations affected by internal/external
factors such as G4tA funds reducing
• Technology changes
• Remember - despite everything, it just might
not work!

19. The people…
• New skills
• Networking opportunities
• Inspiration via access to good examples
• Access to resources, knowledge and
support

20. Legacy so far
• 15 arts organisations that can act as beacons of good
practice in relation to digital development
• case studies of the processes and products of digital
developments in the arts sector
• thorough evaluation reports of the benefits to the 15
organisations
• a legacy of tried and tested methodologies, ideas,
toolkits and services
• a programme of regional roadshows to embed the
knowledge widely
• some influence on policy development

21. Audiences Central Say…
• Audiences Central needs to have
something like AmbITion and AmbITion's
approach to offer to member
organisations who are interested in
developing their IT and digital
capabilities... and its increasingly more of
them!

22. Continuing Legacy…
AmbITion 2?
• Trials to embed AmbITion approach with
– Audiences London OWE Theatres
– Arts About Manchester - rest of the NW
• A content and knowledge brand
– Guidebook-style publications
– Online knowledge base to facilitate knowledge transfer
• Video masterclasses, community, toolkits, resources
– Further training and networking opportunities
– National conference
– Online course
– Policy advice
– Benchmarks

23. WATCH THE VIDEO!
• www.getambition.com
VISIT THE SITES!
• http://del.ici.ous/hanrudman

24. Thanks for listening!
I’m porous…
Stay in touch!
Hannah@getambition.com
www.getambition.com