Sheffield Performer and Audience Research Centre

14/04/2022

We are thrilled to announce that SPARC now offers a full audience research consultancy service! Have a look around our website to read about our services, current clients, and related research. If we can help your arts organisation with evaluation and inspiration, get in touch!

Audience research: evaluation, surveys, and data analysis for arts, heritage, leisure, and sport organisations. Our academic research and methods can help you improve engagement and strengthen relationships. An offshoot of the University of Sheffield, SPARC consultancy are experts in the field of au

17/09/2019

are presenting the findings of a major national study into arts audiences.

Come along to one of the events below to hear about the findings of the Understanding Audiences for the Contemporary Arts study, and talk with local arts organisations about where this research might take us next.

Bristol – Wednesday 18th September 5:30pm
Liverpool – Friday 20th September 5pm
Sheffield – Wednesday 25th September 5pm
Birmingham – Wednesday 9th October 5pm
London – Wednesday 16th October 5:30pm

Space is limited – RSVP to [email protected] if you would like to attend the event and we'll give you all the details. This event is open to the public, so please do pass this invitation on to anyone that might be interested.

For a flavour of our research findings as a whole, you can download the Understanding Audiences for the Contemporary Arts handbook here: http://www.sparc.dept.shef.ac.uk/uaca/handbook/

25/06/2019

Just published! Check out the new Cultural Trends article from 's finest, & Stephanie Pitts - "Spontaneity and planning in arts attendance: insights from qualitative interviews and the Audience Finder database"

(2019). Spontaneity and planning in arts attendance: insights from qualitative interviews and the Audience Finder database. Cultural Trends: Vol. 28, Special Issue: Audience data and research: perspectives from scholarship, policy, management and practice, pp. 220-238.

27/03/2019

Conference programme and abstracts are NOW AVAILABLE for Audience Research in the Arts conference, 3-5 July 2019 🙌🙌🙌

Book now... and take a look at our conference bursaries too!

http://www.sparc.dept.shef.ac.uk/audience-research-in-the-arts-conference-3-5-july-2019/

Audience Research in the Arts Conference 3–5 July 2019, The University of Sheffield Sheffield Performer and Audience Research Centre (SPARC) is hosting a conference in partnership with the International Network for Audience Research in the Performing Arts (iNARPA), The Audience Agency, Routledge, ...

06/03/2019

Registration OPEN and also conference bursaries now announced.

Audience Research in the Arts
Sheffield, 3-5 July 2019

Audience Research in the Arts Conference 3–5 July 2019, The University of Sheffield Sheffield Performer and Audience Research Centre (SPARC) is hosting a conference in partnership with the International Network for Audience Research in the Performing Arts (iNARPA), The Audience Agency, Routledge, ...

07/02/2019

Registration is NOW OPEN for the Audience Research in the Arts conference, 3-5 July 2019 - book now!

Audience Research in the Arts Conference 3–5th July 2019, The University of Sheffield Sheffield Performer and Audience Research Centre (SPARC) is hosting a conference in partnership with the International Network for Audience Research in the Performing Arts (iNARPA), The Audience Agency, Routledge...

18/12/2018

CFP REMINDER and PGR WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENT

We’re announcing a Postgraduate and Early Career Researcher Morning on Wednesday 3rd July 2019, 9am-1pm, at The University of Sheffield.

PGRs and ECRs, submit your proposal now! Deadline: 25 January 2019.

This session is part of our Audience Research in the Arts conference, 3-5 July 2019 at the University of Sheffield. While postgraduate and early career researchers are welcome to submit to and attend the main conference, this morning session will provide a chance for extended peer feedback and discussion.

N.B. the deadline for proposals to the main conference is 7th January.

For more information and to download the Call for Papers for both the main conference and the PGR morning, please see our central conference website.

Audience Research in the Arts Conference 3–5th July 2019, The University of Sheffield Sheffield Performer and Audience Research Centre (SPARC) is hosting a conference in partnership with the International Network for Audience Research in the Performing Arts (iNARPA), The Audience Agency, Routledge...

01/11/2018

How would you sum up where you live as a place for the arts?
We’d love to know more about what decisions you make when you attend arts events, whether it’s visual art, dance, theatre, music, or anything in between. We’re especially interested in what you think about contemporary works - love them or hate them!

SPARC have launched a national survey of audience attitudes and experiences and will be using this research to help support the development of contemporary arts in the UK.

Tell them what you think for a chance to win a £50 giftcard!

Take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/UACA

This project, Understanding Audiences for the Contemporary Arts, is run by the Sheffield Performer and Audience Research Centre (SPARC) at the University of Sheffield. Find out more here: sparc.dept.shef.ac.uk and follow them on Twitter

24/10/2018

How would you sum up where you live as a place for the arts?

We’d love to know more about what decisions you make when you attend arts events, whether it’s visual art, dance, theatre, music, or anything in between. We’re especially interested in what you think about contemporary works - love them or hate them! 😍😫

We’re launching a national survey of audience attitudes and experiences and we'll be using this research to help support the development of contemporary arts in the UK.

Tell us what you think for a chance to win a £50 giftcard! 🔥🔥🔥

Take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/UACA

This project, Understanding Audiences for the Contemporary Arts, is run by the Sheffield Performer and Audience Research Centre (SPARC) at the University of Sheffield. Find out more here: sparc.dept.shef.ac.uk and follow us on Twitter

20/10/2017

Come and work with us! Audience/artist research post doc on the Modern Fairies project at Sheffield Music Department - studying the creative process and audience response to new work. It's going to be a brilliant project!!!

View details for this Research Associate - “Modern Fairies and Loathly Ladies” AHRC job vacancy at University of Sheffield in Northern England....