Created in Barrie is a summary of the results of the Culture Market Study of Barrie and Simcoe County. The City of Barrie Department of Culture shared the results at its second annual update to the community and the culture sector. Artists, arts organizations and culture sector workers, patrons and supporters attended this event on Tuesday, March 23rd in Barrie, Ontario, Canada.

1. Created in Barrie
Created in Barrie
Understanding Barrie’s Arts & Culture Markets
Presentation at
Department of Culture Annual Update
The Resource Management Consulting Group
www.rmcg.ca
March 23, 2010
March 2010

2. Why?
Created in Barrie
To understand market opportunities for Barrie’s A&C sector
 Barrie’s regional positioning for A&C
 Input to Strategic & Business Plans
 Baseline research to measure future growth of the A&C market
 Input to future cultural infrastructure projects
→ Market information to share with A&C orgs & Tourism Barrie
2 March 2010

3. How?
Created in Barrie
 Phase 1: Barrie Arts Committee Input Bracebridge
Workshop
Gravenhurst
 Phase 2: Resident Surveys
 710 Barrie (half north & south) Midland
 693 Regional (half north & south)
 Phase 3: Barrie Resident Focus Groups
Collingwood
 Participants recruited from resident Barrie
survey
 Phase 4: Geo-demographic analysis using Alliston
PRIZM “lifestyle” clusters Newmarket
Aurora
3 March 2010

4. Important Definitions
Created in Barrie
Arts & Culture
 All varieties of music (rock, jazz, folk, classical)
 All types of performances (drama, dance, music, readings)
 All type of visual arts (galleries, tours)
 Community events with an A&C component
 History (museums, re-enactments, historical sites and events)
 Cultural heritage celebration
Participation
 Audience
 Performer or artist
 Student
 Member of an organization
4 March 2010

5. “Respondents” vs “Residents”
Created in Barrie
Screened for participating in Arts & Culture in past 3 years
Barrie & Regional respondents similar
 Young to senior (Region more seniors)
 Post-secondary educated
 85% households had 2+ people
 Just over 1/3 had children at home
Barrie Respondents
 Lived in Barrie average of 18 years
 Range <1 to 40 years
Projecting to the Barrie population, based on the results of the survey screening question…
→ ~ 2/3 of Barrie & regional residents participated in A&C in past 3 years
5 March 2010

6. Respondents’ Participation in A&C
Created in Barrie
Barrie and Regional respondents have very similar patterns
 Highest participation in Music, Drama/Dance, Visual Arts
 Almost all attended performances/shows/events
 Over 30% involved as performers/organizers/students
Barrie respondents have higher arts &
crafts participation (Kempenfest)
Most Barrie respondents’ children participate, projecting to the population…
→ 2/3 of Barrie children involved in A&C
Barrie respondents participate in Barrie
Most regional respondents participate in community, skip over Barrie and go to Toronto
6 March 2010

7. Created in Barrie Barrie vs The Region  Barrie respondents had highest participation
in Barrie for all categories
Where Barrie Respondents Participate
 Very high Arts & Crafts participation
Barrie Toronto/GTA Other
Travel from Barrie for at least one performance/year?
Music  70% of respondents = 47% of residents
 Orion (2005) 54% of residents
Arts & Crafts
Drama/Dance
Where Regional Respondents Participate
Visual arts
Barrie Toronto/GTA Other
History
 GTA big music draw
Music  Own communities for
Cultural heritage everything else, except…
Arts & Crafts
Poetry/literature
Drama/Dance Barrie for arts & crafts
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Visual arts
N=85-551
History
Cultural heritage
Poetry/literature
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
N=86-565
7 March 2010

8. Created in Barrie Respondents’ Annual Household A&C Spending
Average 2009 Household
Barrie residents tended to Arts & Culture Spending
spend more than regional Barrie Region
residents for all three Equipment/Accessories $946 $298
categories. This much higher
Attendance at events $841 $725
value for equipment &
accessories resulted from 4 Lessons $367 $263
respondents who each spent Total $2,154 $ 1,286
between $40,000 and
N=577-665/574-637
$250,000.
Projected annual direct spending of Barrie households on A&C…
64,0001 x.67 = 42,880 participate in A&C x $2,154 = $40.5 M annually
Building a Creative Future2
 Cultural goods and services economy in Barrie is close to $95 M annually (included home-
based activities, such as home entertainment and reading, which dominated cultural spending)
1 City of Barrie Households, 2006 Census of Canada, http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/famil124e-eng.htm
2 Building a Creative Future: A Plan for Culture, Final Report, City of Barrie, April 2006
8 March 2010

9. PRIZM C2 Geo-Demographic Analysis
Created in Barrie
 Tool developed by Environics Analytics Group
ww.environicsanalytics.ca
 Market segmentation based on lifestyle data, demographics and geography
(PCs + CDs)
 66 clusters developed for Canadian residents
 Information about lifestyle and leisure preferences
 Used by Ontario & Federal governments for tourism, many others (Aeroplan,
United Church of Canada, Canadian Cancer Society and more)
 For Barrie Culture
 Better understanding of A&C markets
 Product - market matching
 Insight into effective ways of attracting and marketing to segments
9 March 2010

10. Created in Barrie PRIZM for A&C in Barrie
 Calculated a Barrie A&C Index for Barrie’s PRIZM clusters (25) Highest Score = 358
A&C Index = % of A&C sample
Lowest Score = 0
% of pop 5 clusters
 Identified 11 target clusters
10 March 2010

11. Created in Barrie
11
March 2010

12. Making Decisions About
Created in Barrie
Participating in A&C
Primary Decision-Maker
Barrie Region
Together 54% 54%
Female 38% 38%
Male 8% 8%
N=699/679
Women lead family decisions
12 March 2010

13. Created in Barrie Finding out about A&C…
Finding Out
Barrie respondents Regional respondents
Traditional media still strong
Newspaper
Radio
Social media Social media!!
Magazines
Internet
E-mail
Word of Mouth #1
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
N=708/688
Respondents were asked to select from a list, which did not include local television stations,
an additional source of information about local arts and culture.
13 March 2010

14. The Most Important
Created in Barrie
Arts or Cultural Activity, Performance or Event
Where?  89% of Barrie respondents
participated in their most important
Barrie A&C activity in Barrie
GTA
Orillia
 57% of Regional respondents
Simcoe County identified Toronto experiences
Ottawa  24% participated in Barrie
Midland/Penetang
Stratford
Rama
Niagara
Muskoka
Hamilton
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
14 N=618/577 March 2010

15. Created in Barrie The Most Important A&C Activity/Performance/Event
Barrie Respondents
Kempenfest 30%
puts Barrie on the map
Music concerts 16%
Theatre/musicals 14%
Gryphon Theatre 5%
Museum/art gallery 4%
MacLaren 4% Gryphon, MacLaren & Theatre By The Bay
Dance/ballet 3%
Theatre by the Bay 3%
Choir 3%
Caribfest 2%
Two new events: Caribfest & Film Festival
Arts & Crafts 2%
Film Festival 2%
Talk is Free Theatre 1%
Jazz /Blues Fest 1%
New Years Eve 1%
Celebrate Barrie 1%
Historical Events 1%
Christmas events 1%
Named Barrie experience
15 N=617 Experience category March 2010

16. Created in Barrie The Most Important A&C Activity/Performance/Event
Regional Respondents
Theatre/musicals 33%
Music concerts 26%
Museum/art gallery 11%
puts Barrie on the map
Kempenfest 6%
Dance/ballet 5%
Arts & Crafts 3%
Cultural/Ethnic 2%
Historical Events 2%
Film Festival 1%
Education/school 2%
Stratford/Shaw 1%
Gryphon Theatre 1% Gryphon & MacLaren
MacLaren 1%
Choir 1%
Jazz and Blues 1%
Christmas Events 1%
N=578
Named Barrie experience
Experience category
16 March 2010

17. Created in Barrie The Most Important A&C Activity/Performance/Event
Barrie Respondents
Kempenfest 30%
Music concerts 16% How?
Theatre/musicals
Regional14%
Respondents
Gryphon TheatreTheatre/musicals
5% 33% Spectator/audience
Music concerts
Museum/art gallery 4% 26%
MacLaren Museum/art4%
gallery 11% Parent/supporter
Dance/ballet Kempenfest 3% 6% Almost everyone is a spectator
Dance/ballet3%
Theatre by the Bay 5% Organization member
Choir Arts & Crafts3% 3%
Cultural/Ethnic 2%
Performer/artist
Caribfest 2%
Arts & Crafts Historical Events
2% 2%
Student
Film Festival Film Festival 2% 1%
Education/school
Talk is Free Theatre 1% 2%
Your job
Jazz /Blues Fest Stratford/Shaw
1% 1%
New Years Eve Gryphon Theatre
1% 1% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
N=622/583
Celebrate Barrie MacLaren 1% 1%
Historical Events Choir 1% 1%
Christmas events Jazz and Blues
1% 1%
Christmas Events 1%
17 March 2010

18. Created in Barrie
Along with Toronto, Barrie seen as a
vibrant community for arts & culture
18 March 2010

19. Created in Barrie Ontario communities with most vibrant A&C scene
Vibrant A&C Scene Toronto first, Barrie second
Barrie respondents Regional respondents
Toronto/GTA
Barrie
Stratford
Ottawa
Why?
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Orillia Barrie respondents Regional respondents
Muskoka Variety/choice/diversity
Midland/Penetang
Funding/quality/producti…
Collingwood
Multi-cultural
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Community participation
N=637/595
Attendance/size
Aesthetics/geography
Facilities/venues
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
N=637/574
19 March 2010

20. Created in Barrie In their own words…
Barrie Toronto
 The excitement of people involved… they give  Variety of venues, gives you more choices
150% and we try support each other  Eclectic assortment of people
 The lake and beauty of Barrie  Draws larger professional productions
 The city itself, not as big as Toronto, makes it
feel like a gathering of friends
Stratford/Niagara-On-The-Lake
 It's a local happening and you don't have to
travel for it and you support your community  High quality performance - restaurant facility
by doing it combination at a reasonable price
 A lot of things to choose from, good quality
and entertainment Ottawa
 Because it comes up with new ideas and  The many events that occur.
there’s always something to do there  It’s bilingual and it’s the capital.
Collingwood Mid-Penetang
Orillia Muskoka
 It has a lovely  King’s Wharf
 Availability of  Everybody buys historic Theatre and
shows at a good in and everyone downtown, many historic sites
price shows up artists, great  Dynamic artists
music scene, good group and local
arts council theatre group
20 March 2010

21. Created in Barrie
Attendance at Barrie’s A&C Attractions,
Events & Performances in the past year
Festivals & events are Barrie’s mainstay
 Almost all Barrie respondents participated
 High proportion of regional respondents participated
Projecting…
→ 50% of Barrie & 20% of regional residents participated in Barrie A&C
in the past year
21 March 2010

22. Created in Barrie Barrie Respondents’ Attendance (past year)
Attendance at Barrie A&C Attractions 2/3 went to Kempenfest 2009
Kempenfest
Celebrate Barrie
Gryphon theatre 1/3 went to Celebrate Barrie, Gryphon
Rock Theatre and rock music performances
Downtown Countdown
MacLaren
Jazz
Choir
Theatre by the Bay
Caribfest
Attendance at Barrie A&C Attractions
Orchestra
Folk Festivals & Events
Talk is Free
Kempenfelt Players Music Performance
Barrie Concert Assoc
Barrie Film Festival Performing Arts
Lawn Chair Luminata
Poetry/lit Visual arts
Barrie Art Club
Poetry or lit reading
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
N=710
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
N=710/693
22 March 2010

23. Ratings for Barrie’s A&C scene: Mediocre
Created in Barrie
Overall Ratings
Barrie Region
Festivals & events 7.3 6.8
Getting involved 6.6 5.8
Variety 6.3 6.1
Facilities/Venues/Places 5.8 6.2
Solid Strengths Can Improve…
 Community/people/talent  More/improved venues
 Variety & choice  Better advertising
 Location  Variety of events, performances, activities
23
March 2010

24. Created in Barrie In their own words…
One way the City of Barrie can improve A&C in the community?
Barrie Respondents
Regional Respondents
1) More/improved venues
 A better venue or building (we only have 1) Better advertising
Georgian College as a theatre)  I'm an out of towner. I am a half hour away and
 Build a proper performing arts venue downtown don't know what's going on.
 Having a building in the city where all things are  Earlier and wider geographical promotion
under one roof (culture centre)  Notification in the community papers in the
2) Better advertising surrounding area
 More lead advertising so people know ahead of 2) Increased variety of events/diversity
time to plan  It has to have more variety and imagination, not
 Web/paper/magazine page what's on Barrie for the same as other communities
all art & culture, a weekly listing  I think more cultural diversity
 Having a centralized place that would advertise  More festivals/different cultural festivals
all of these things 3) Improved/increased facilities/venues
3) Variety of events, performances/activities  Appropriate arts center. More all the arts
 Additional types of festivals/music festivals, a including workshops and studios
little more worldly  Downtown theatre
 Involve more of the newer ethnic groups in town  Re-create atmosphere at Molson park
in different cultural events
 They can offer more outdoor concerts and bring
in the larger groups they used to have N=379
N=533
24 March 2010

25. The Future
Created in Barrie
If Barrie was as an important A&C centre, what would it be like?
Focus Groups
 Sustainable cultural centre
Performing house
Space for studios, teaching, mentoring
 Distinctly Canadian
 Excellence
Recognized on provincial/national scale (event?)
Not an ordinary place
 Outdoor concert venue (Molson Park)
 Outdoor environment
Water and forests
Outdoor arts
Gardens
 Multiculturalism/local identity
 Youth involvement
 Accessible
 Enough to attract visitors for more than a day
25 March 2010

26. What have we learned?
Created in Barrie
 Barrie can claim the space as the “Regional A&C Hub”
 Market strong, room to grow
 ~ 2/3 of Barrie & regional residents participated in A&C in past 3 years
 ½ of Barrie residents & ~20% residents participated in Barrie A&C last year
 Annual resident A&C expenditure $40.5M
 As a regional centre, people appreciate
Where can Barrie Culture go from here?
 Quality, variety, cultural diversity
 Accessibility
 Celebrating local talent 1. Improve A&C Communication & Awareness
 Setting and “vacation” atmosphere
 Kempenfest put Barrie on the A&C map & Events Strategy & Action Plan
2. Festival
 Growing pains
 Molson Park put Barrie on theImprovelost Spaces
3. map– now A&C
 Waterfront – losing setting by overuse (vendor control)
 More facilities needed/wanted
26 March 2010

27. Created in Barrie 1. Communication & Awareness
→ Brand Barrie Arts & Culture
→ Share market insight with A&C groups
 Highlights at A&C Annual Update
 Custom analysis of 2009 survey for
business decisions
→ Residents & participants should know…
 What is Arts & Culture?
 Role of Department of Culture?
 What is happening when, where?
→ Use the media of the future
 Internet, web sites, social media
 Strategic marketing using market research
 One group responsible for communicating A&C
 Logical, visible
 Collaborative, consistent
 Budget to keep up-to-date
27 March 2010

28. Created in Barrie 2. Festival & Events Strategy & Action Plan
→ Based on the research, recognize different events attract different
markets
 Local vs visitors
 Build market recognition
 Align competing festivals/events
 Fit with Barrie & region
→ Nurture festivals & events that are uniquely Barrie (authenticity)
→ Cross-fertilize to build awareness, interest & participation in other A&C
opportunities
→ Encourage accessibility for all
→ Evaluation and tracking - integrated
across all events
28 March 2010

29. Created in Barrie 3. Improve Arts & Cultural Spaces
Barrie is the regional A&C hub for Central Ontario, but ratings are mediocre
Respondents identified what could be done…
→ Waterfront is the jewel, but concern about overuse
 Do all events have to be at the waterfront?
 Sensitive use & design of waterfront for appropriate events
 Recognize limited capacity, functionality, parking, access
→ Need sustainable Arts & Culture Centre
 More than a performing arts centre
 Support local artists - artisans studios, practice spaces
 Incorporate outdoor spaces in the community
→ Upgrade the Georgian College
theatre
→ Outdoor performance space
 Can we recapture what we’ve
lost? …Molson Park
29 March 2010

30. Created in Barrie
Thank You
Comments &Questions?
March 2010