Alan Brown in conversation

A leading thinker, researcher and management consultant, Alan Brown is Principle of WolfBrown, a provider of market research, consulting and evaluation services for the arts and cultural sector. He works across the world with cultural institutions and leaders, funders and policymakers to help them engage more deeply with their communities in honest discussions about effectiveness and value, make informed decisions, respond to changing conditions, seek new opportunities and envision the future. Spanning the fields of arts management, policy and academia, Alan’s foundational work in areas of intrinsic impact, arts participation and audience research, together with his infectious curiosity, has established a unique legacy in the field, inspiring researchers, students and practitioners alike. In this interview Alan discusses how audience research, and engagement in particular, is impacted by the broader ecology of both policy and sector practice, and vice versa. Alan then goes on to describe how his thinking on the qualitative and longitudinal nature of impact has shifted; considers both existing and potential ways to better understand the impact and value of performing arts experiences; and reflects on the most promising avenues for future research, including more collaborations with artists and practitioners working within the sector itself.