It is challenging but necessary to work on audience development. The cultural sector has faced a multitude of new challenges in recent years regarding the audience – just consider the COVID19 pandemic and the resulting economic consequences of the war in Ukraine.

These are all conditions that have significant implications for how and why the cultural sector should engage with the audience.

Therefore, RasmussenNordic have joined forces with the Center for Art and Interculture to create an anthology that aims to compile the work on audience development from a Nordic perspective.

The anthology, titled “AUDIENCE – 15 stories about audience development,” features brand new articles from researchers, practitioners, artists, and professionals specializing in audience-focused work. It follows in the footsteps of Norwegian and Swedish anthologies on the same subject, thereby connecting the threads of Scandinavian work on audience development and cultural democracy from perspectives such as leadership, cultural policy, programming, diversity, and everyday audience engagement.

Let it be said from the outset: Most articles point out that working on audience development can be challenging. Cultural institutions are often caught in a crossfire where they generally need to be very mindful of what it means to address the audience’s wishes and needs, while also creating unique experiences and outstanding art.

Therefore, we also see that the cultural sector draws on many new tools from other industries when developing and integrating the relationship with the audience into daily practice. Thus, there is also plenty of inspiration for the cultural sector in the many stories that the book unfolds in its 15 articles.

The anthology addresses topics such as digital art dissemination, politics, music in schools, access and inclusion, data collection and utilization, leadership, planetary design thinking, and representation.

Each article expresses a sharp critical focus on the authors’ own practices, and they raise topics for debate for the benefit and inspiration of stakeholders across the cultural sector. All contributors have a strong professional background, and all writers face audience-related choices and dilemmas in their daily work.

The contributions are written by Mikkel Bogh, Heather Maitland, Ingrid Handeland, Gry Worre Hallberg, Esben Danielsen & Åsmund Kverneland, Bjarki Valtysson, Sidsel Bech-Petersen, Gitte Abildtrup & Dorthe Damgaard, Moussa Mchangama & Frederik Larsen, Marcin Poprawski, Åsa Bernlo, Anja Mølle Lindelof, Nina Gram, Johanna Hagerius, and Sargun Oshana.

The anthology is freely accessible and can be downloaded from the Center for Art and Interculture’s and RasmussenNordic’s websites.

The anthology has been made possible with the support of the Augustinus Foundation.