Audience and Goals

What are the goals for this website? How can this website best serve the intended audience?

Audience

I used sticky notes to define the audience that the Anderson Arts Center intends to reach. I began by researching groups of people in the community to determine specific demographics. After gaining a better understanding of the audience, I was able to cater the website to the needs of the audience.

Directly Involved

I started by defining the groups directly involved with the Anderson Arts Center. In my research I found that teachers, children, students, local artists, and people of all ages that are interested in creating or viewing art. These groups are all directly involved in creating art, and for teachers, leading classes on creating art as well. I included a category of all people interested in the creation or viewing of art, as well. There are people of all ages that may not fall into the previous categories but are equally involved in the arts.

Peripherally Relevant

After identifying groups directly involved with the Anderson Arts Center, I considered groups that are peripherally involved. I listed grandparents and parents in this category. Senior citizens are the largest group to contribute monetarily to the arts, but they are not the most involved group. However, if they have grandchildren interested in the arts, they are more likely to become involved by attending shows, recitals, and galleries. The same goes for parents. Parents may be directly involved and sign up for classes, especially if they are geared towards families.

It is important to consider these two groups when one of the demographics most directly involved is children, who cannot sign up for classes and events themselves. The website should focus on a parent as the user but the content will be what interests kids.

Connections

Next, I considered how the Anderson Arts Center connects to its audience. I focused on three categories of connection: fans, skeptics, and what groups the arts center needed most on their side to successfully connect with the community. For fans, I listed children, who take classes and create art, and senior citizens, who are the largest age group to spend money on art. I placed parents and donors under the category of skeptics. Both of these groups contribute money, and the arts center needs to meet their expectations, so they feel like their money is being used wisely. As for groups that the arts center needs on their side, I listed parents, local artists, and teachers as groups to consider. Parents are needed to get their kids involved, local artists so that the arts center has work to display, and teachers to teach classes at the arts center.

Extra Revenue

I then began to think about ways the arts center makes money other than the approaches I mentioned earlier through donations and class and event sign-ups. The Anderson Arts Center does have an additional source of revenue. This extra revenue comes from renting out various spaces on the weekend. This is not directly related to the arts, but it helps fund the arts and draws attention to the arts center.

Volunteers/Involvement

The Anderson Arts Center provides ample opportunity for volunteers and community involvement. For volunteer experience, members of the community can assist an art teacher in leading a class. This is a perfect opportunity for high school students and young adults. As for involvement with the Anderson Arts Center, there are a few key paid and unpaid opportunities. For example, art students can submit art for juried shows or galleries to gain experience in the art world. As for necessary employees, teachers and representatives are crucial for the many events the arts center offers. The Anderson Arts Center employs teachers to lead classes and events. They also hire people to work as art representatives who serve as a point of contact during rental space use.

Overarching Goals

In order to cater to the needs of the audience, I first explored the needs and goals of the client. From there I was able to identify the goals of the audience when visiting the Anderson Arts Center. Finally, with the priorities of the client and audience in mind, I considered how to combine the two groups and create an effective website.

Client
Pay workers Buy art supplies for classes Buy supplies for displaying the pieces Money made goes back into the arts
Audience
To buy art To participate in making art To view art To view events related to the arts To participate in events To teach art To display art
Website
To have information about the organization and mission statement Information regarding location and weekly hours List staff and board of directors Details about events, classes, and services available. (Times, a place to pay if applicable, and description of the activity) Information regarding open studio A place for donation Thank and give recognition to major donors A way to get in contact with staff A way to apply for shows A way to apply for teaching positions Display information about current exhibitions Apply for membership Information about rental space details Showcase current gallery exhibit (Bay 3 Artisan Gallery)

Specific Goals

After gathering the information above pertaining to overarching goals, I focused on crafting specific goals to move this project forward. I broke apart the audience into more specific user groups. Then I focused on details by determining the goals of each user, and the appropriate actions needed to accomplish each goal. By taking these details into consideration, I can create the website to be functional for the user.

User	Goal	Content/Action
25-53 yr. old moms (mothers of children < 18) (Reach families, through mothers.)	Find group activities that the whole family will enjoy, and encourage an appreciation of the arts in their children.	Visit open galleries, attend Arts Center events, sign up for family activities, and pay a fee, if applicable.
Mothers (aged 25-35 predominantly) of young children	To occupy young children with an activity, and have children create artwork.	Find classes for young children and sign up, drive the child to the Arts Center, and pay a fee, if applicable.
Mothers (aged 39-53 predominantly) of older children (12-18)	To occupy older children with an afterschool activity, cultivate an appreciation of the arts in the child, and encourage an interest or hobby that the child has.	Find and sign up children for art classes, possibly drive the child to the Arts Center, and pay fee, if applicable.
Local artists (of any age)	To gain recognition/ notoriety for their artwork (get exposure), to sell their artwork, display their artwork, to enter in juried shows with a chance of winning prize money, gain experience in the process of displaying and selling artwork, use open studios to practice their craft and access supplies provided by the Arts Center, and teach classes.	Prepare artwork to be displayed, have the artwork reviewed by the curator for display, submit prepared artwork to be judged for a juried show, sign up and pay for the use of the open studio, and talk to staff in order to teach classes.
Senior citizens (considered 55-60+ years old)	Wish to support the arts financially, wish to view art, attend events surrounding the arts, and support younger family members involved in the arts.	Donate money, purchase artwork, attend events at the Arts Center and sign up. (less likely to do so online. Provide information on how to do this in person), visit galleries, and view the artwork of their grandchildren.
Art teachers employed at schools in the area	Seek work over the summer, and have a desire to teach art in addition to current employment.	Apply to work as a teacher for the Summer Art Camp, and talk to staff to teach classes during the school year on weekends.