ACT Consultant Services is a multi-disciplinary practice, covering arts strategies, business plans and market analysis through feasibility studies to detailed design development of arts and entertainment buildings, including the visual and performing arts and multi-media.

ACT works holistically, taking a 360 degree view of an organisation, its needs, its operation and circumstances. This can involve helping a local authority preparing its cultural strategy or developing a master plan of arts and entertainment provision; feasibility studies, marketplace and catchment area analyses, economic appraisals and business plans. ACT specialises in key strategic interventions to tackle operational, management or marketing issues, including delivering training and working with Boards.

The wide ranging in-house skills of the partners in ACT allow us to provide a unique service to our clients. Each of the partners has over 25 years expertise in their particular area and together we offer an all-embracing and directly managed service.

ACT works closely with a small highly skilled group of colleagues to ensure we are able to provide the best team to meet our clients' particular needs.

As well as feasibility and planning studies, the practice has particular strengths in ticketing and marketing technologies for the arts and entertainment industry, including web development and on-line sales. The practice can also manage design teams and provide full technical consultancy, including design development and employer's requirements for development projects.

Given our holistic approach, we often start with a scoping study in which we get an understanding of the key dimensions of what an organisation currently does and identify the realistic opportunities, be they capital or operational. We charge as modestly as possible, so organisations do not find too high an entry level at what is sometimes a speculative stage.

The Australia Council for the Arts and Creative New Zealand have each published the new book FULL HOUSE: Turning Data into Audiences. This is an expanded update of Boxing Clever by Roger Tomlinson, originally published by Arts Council England in 1993, and discusses ticketing and its greater potential to facilitate sophisticated arts marketing. Co-author Tim Roberts (based in Australia) and contributor Vicki Allpress (New Zealand) have researched and provided case histories. Available for purchase on-line from: http://www.artsoz.com.au/FULLHOUSE.htm

ACT Consultant Services Arts Development is led by Roger Tomlinson who can provide:

  • Strategic planning
  • Economic appraisals and business plans
  • Feasibility studies
  • Operational reviews
  • Board 'induction' and 'retreat' weekends
  • Training in customer care, marketing and sales
  • Management training for effective working with people
  • Seminars on database driven marketing and the use of computerised systems for ticketing and marketing
  • Data Protection audits, advice and training
  • Mapping, marketplace and catchment area analysis
  • Locational and site analysis
  • Functionality specifications for ticketing and marketing systems and on-line sales
  • Management and audit of tender processes to procure computerised ticketing and marketing systems
  • Qualitative and Quantitative Research and Interpretation
  • Advanced marketing audits and strategic marketing development
  • Audience development strategies
Projects:
  • Content management for the www.ticketing.org.uk website for the nine management bodies of the arts & entertainment industry
  • Economic Appraisal and Business Plan for the Audience Development Agency and Integrated On-line Ticketing Project for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland
  • Feasibility study for The Bridge "LIFE" Centre for Bridgend County Borough Council
  • Glasgow Arts Marketing and Audience Development Initiative
  • Audit and acceptance tests for the South Bank Centre London for the go-live of their new ticketing system
  • Computerised Box Office tender evaluation for the Newport City Council, South Wales
  • Computerised Box Office tender evaluation for the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
  • System functionality, specification and advice on ticketing and marketing operational issues for Compton Verney House Trust
  • Developing a Web Site Guide published by Arts Council: England
  • Masterplan for the Development of the Arts in Chelmsford
  • Training and mentoring for the Arts Index Southeast project managed by Arts Marketing Hampshire
  • Conference direction for Tickets.com International
  • Scoping study and employers requirements for the re-development of the Aylesbury Civic Centre
  • Mapping and catchment area analysis for the Ambassadors Theatre Group
  • Arts Development Strategy for Caithness, Highland Council
  • Arts About Manchester: governance review and ticketing portal.
  • Box Office System procurement advice for Malmo Opera, Marlowe Canterbury, Concertgebouw, Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod, Dr Anton PhilipsZaal, Den Haag.
  • Review of the Orchard Theatre for Dartford Borough Council.
  • AmbITion IT Development Project for the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Liverpool.
  • Australia Council - presenter Marketing Summit 2008.
  • Creative New Zealand 21st Century Arts Organisation Conference - marketing/ticketing presentations.

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