Marketing the Arts. Foundation for success - ACE173.5

Caption: "Part Two. National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside." Publicity materials for the seven establishments, both paying and free admission, which make up this Liverpool-area grouping, designated in 1986, following the abolition of the Metropolitan County Council. The new board of trustees is considered by Director, Richard Foster, as "committed to marketing". Foster walking round the Albert Dock, site of the Merseyside Maritime Museum; his VO talking about the success of the trustees’ initial marketing strategy. Foster in the Museum; his VO describing that strategy, looking at the product and concentrating on the local audience first. Planning meeting. Foster’s VO says that marketing has to work with "what the curators think is right for the collections" and to other points of view. Publicity brochures and Focus, a news magazine which covers a wide range of the museums’ activities. Albert Dock; Foster and others looking at publicity materials Foster’s VO on the decision to publish Focus which uses a considerable portion of available resources; he suggests presenting the Museum as "the answer to a problem", the general audience’s "problem of how to spend time"; he talks about using the tabloid press very successfully to reach a wide audience, and how national newspapers considered this approach newsworthy in itself. Exterior and interior the Lady Lever Art Gallery at Port Sunlight, which, says Foster’s VO; had only around 25,000 visitors a year; promoting it as "the Taj Mahal of Merseyside" doubled its visitor numbers. Foster’s VO talks about customer care, giving the example of a shuttle bus service between the Lady Lever Art Gallery and Walker Art Gallery. Children’s activities at the Natural History Centre; Foster VO talking about being "in competition with other branches of the leisure industry" so marketing is important and requires energy and creativity to ensure success. Foster VO talking about sponsorship which declines for an organisation which is "under-visited". Foster’s VO talking about museums’ responsibility for heritage and the consequent need for storage and improving access. Foster at Albert Dock; VO says the trustees are energised, may sometimes be able to bring in more sponsorship, and are happy to take responsibility for the success of the museums’ activities. Caption: "Stop the tape and return to your workbook."