A creative space to gather and learn

AmbITion Approach

Make:IT:Happen Funding report April 2014

Who are we?An artist led organisation run on a voluntary basis, offering a space to explore a wide range of arts activities. These include classes and workshops, arts events and gatherings, and occasional exhibitions. Established in 2011, we lease the former station house at Ladybank Station and have converted it from this…..

to this..

and this

Why did we apply for AmbITion Make IT Happen funding?

Two years from start-up, and with some success under our belt, we recognised that we needed to take our business into its next stage of development. To do this we needed support for someone with experience of moving organisations on. In particular, we recognised the need to become digitally ‘fitter’ so that the organisation could build sustainable and resilient business practices as it evolved from start-up into established social enterprise. We considered that this would help us to reach more people, match their expectations about how modern businesses operate and capitalise on the digital revolution.

How did we proceed?With the support of AmbITion Make IT Happen funding, we engaged the services of a consultant, Hannah Rudman, who spent several sessions with our steering group of nine people. This helped us to: • analyse our market• identify our resources and capacity – including our own digital

skills• evaluate our operating practices through a SWOT analysis, and• articulate our future ambitions. We were open honest and on occasions argumentative! But we ended up with a clear sense of direction, a clear business case and an implementation plan to take forward.

Playing to our strengths…

and experience

…which included:

• the unique character, capacity and location of our premises • our growing reputation for the quality of our workshops

and events• the commitment, creativity and range of

complementary skills of our steering committee • our financial stability• our track record of successful operation and personal

customer service

..and using a Business Model Canvas approach…

…we could see clearly how to move our organisation forward. But we also recognised aspects which needed more work. These included:

• the need to communicate much more regularly and efficiently with potential customers• the rather limited nature of our current market and underuse of

the premises• a booking system that was too clunky (though friendly)• a need to make much stronger links with other stakeholders, to

promote our product more proactively and to enhance our brand • recognition that technology could provide a much more efficient

business operation. This could relieve the pressure on our steering group – all volunteers with busy lives

What did we conclude? That we need:• a well-designed high-functioning website, which reflects the

intimate character of the project, but conveys a strong message about our professional approach

• a much more joined up digital and social media presence

• to embrace digital systems like mailchimp, eventbrite and paypal

• to understand the digital requirements of our potential customers and realise them (while remaining friendly and welcoming)

• to develop our programme and target potential new markets more specifically

And once we are digitally up and running, to explore establishing virtual communities of practice with other arts organisations

Particularly useful exercises

The exercise in ‘digital scenario planning’ particularly helped us clarify who our customers were and to analysing their relationship with our product and with digital technology. In the long term, we recognised certain things - that organisational development might result in a change of focus within our customer base and a ‘letting go’ of some parts of our market. We also remembered that some of our customers need a gentler approach with a ‘slow wooing’ to draw them in!

What were the risks? And mitigations?

The risks for a small voluntary organisation like tend to be mainly financial, especially the considerable outlay required for a high-functioning website. Though we predict that this will transform our business, we cannot yet be sure that it will increase our turnover and ensure financial stability. The mitigation for this is that our money is managed very tightly, and our business is building steadily, so we will not take any financial risks without careful consideration. Another risk is the current digital capacity of the steering group, and the workload involved in maintaining a digital presence. This is mitigated by the fact that one or two of our group are highly expert, and the rest of us have been motivated to learn as much as we can about new technologies. Part of our contract with the website developer includes training, which most of us will embrace. This will share the work and expertise, and will of itself stimulate our creative thinking.

What happens next?

by Jane Murray

THE KITCHEN GARDEN

• New website is being developed, building on the positive aspects of our current one• Digital payment and event advertising systems have

been developed• Training will be offered to the steering group and taken

up by most• Programme development is well underway. We are

currently planning workshops in digital photography and in the future, hope to develop workshops in interactive media.

What did we learn from the process?• We learned quite a lot about each others’ strengths,

weaknesses, hopes and fears. This has pulled us together more strongly as a group. • We have also all become much more interested in

technology in general, even aside from this project. As many of the group are practising artists, this is of enormous benefit.• Our focus on our market, and the sense of a possible

‘letting go’ of some segments of it was also reassuring and creative. • We recognise that growth will take time, and this is

only one step in the process

What would we have donedifferently?

Very little, in truth. However, for other organisations at this early stage of development, having a clear sense of where the business is going might be helpful prior to engaging with digital development. On the other hand, we found that having the discussions about digital development was a real catalyst for wider creative thinking about our future.

Did we enjoy this? And how will we know we have been successful?

• We sure did!• And come back and see us in a couple of years

www.offtherailsarthouse.comofftherails.arthouse@gmail.com