Exhibitions 2023

Background

At the forefront of contemporary practice, John Curtin Gallery is embraced by its audience as a centre for learning and research, and also as a place of thoughtful contemplation.

Aspiring to bring to its audiences, from within Curtin University and well beyond, opportunities to experience and critically engage with the visual culture of our time. Exploring the infinite possibilities engendered by art, the exhibitions, events, and public programs offered by the Gallery are a catalyst for thought, change, and exchange. John Curtin Gallery provides a forum for examining the past and how it shapes the present, and for imagining the future.

As one of Western Australia’s major public art galleries located on the Bentley campus of Curtin University, the John Curtin Gallery enlivens the intellectual life of the University and its surrounding communities through exhibitions, events and public programs that explore global perspectives on contemporary art. Innovative exhibitions and programs complement the international perspective of the University. Collaborating with national and international artists and curators, the Gallery contributes to the dynamic and changing culture of Australia by fostering critical dialogue.

The following report presents the 2023 exhibition attendee and participant responses, identifying outcomes, benefits, and learnings.

Evaluation Methodology

John Curtin Gallery engaged Culture Counts to conduct an evaluation of its 2023 Exhibitions. Surveys were completed by visitors at the gallery and were also sent out via email. In partnership with Culture Counts, this survey was designed and developed to evaluate the strategic goals and outcomes of John Curtin Gallery.

85 responses were collected from public attendees via display and online surveys. The below table contains a list of the surveys that have been analysed as part of this report, alongside the respective response count.

Each survey contained a range of ‘dimension’ questions, asking stakeholders about their experience of the event. These dimensions have been developed and tested in collaboration with industry, practitioners, and academics to measure the impact and value of arts and cultural events and activities.

Appropriate dimensions were chosen based on their alignment with the festival's strategic objectives.

Dimensions are assessed on a Likert scale, in which respondents move a slider to a point that indicates whether they agree or disagree with the dimension statement. An example of a dimension question in the Culture Counts survey tool is presented below.

Audience Profile

Demographics

Survey respondents were asked to provide their age, gender, and identity. This data identifies the demographic sample of people who responded to the survey and took part in the event. It enables data to be matched to the wider population and responses to be filtered to understand differences in demographics.

The following charts show the proportion of survey responses captured for each of the age, gender, and identity demographic questions.

Location and Postcode

Survey respondents were asked to provide their current living location and postcode. This data identifies the demographic sample of people who responded to the survey and took part in the event. It enables data to be matched to the wider population and responses to be filtered to understand differences in demographics.

The following charts show the proportion of survey responses captured for respondents' identified living location and top suburb results.

University Role

Survey respondents were asked to indicate whether they had any affiliation or connection to Curtin University. This allows the gallery to better understand the nuanced profiles of its attendees within the context of the university, throughout programs held over the year.

Prior Attendance

Attendees of the various programs were asked to indicate whether this was their first time attending John Curtin Gallery. This allows for an understanding of the engagement types and reach of the different exhibitions with new and existing audiences.

Outcomes

Survey respondents moved a slider to indicate whether they agreed or disagreed with the included dimension statements in relation to the event. The first tab chart contains the response data for 'public' responses, showing the average result for each dimension.

The second tab shows the interquartile range of responses for each dimension. These ranges represent the middle 50% of responses, which are areas on the slider where most responses typically fell. Accompanying this range is the median result for each dimension (i.e. the most common response). Smaller ranges indicate similarity in agreement between respondents, whereas larger ranges indicate a wider spread of responses.

The Culture Counts platform provides various methods to capture survey responses at a minimal marginal cost. Achieving larger samples enables organisations to be more confident about the average results and that opinions of the survey respondents are representative of all attendees. The accompanying margin of error chart shows the expected differences for the associated dimension results calculated at a 95% confidence level.

Outcome Averages

Overall Experience

Respondents were asked about their overall experience of attending John Curtin Gallery exhibitions, with a choice of five options - Excellent, Good, Neutral, Poor, and Terrible.

This chart shows the percentage of respondents that rated the events overall across these five options and the results per event.

Net Promoter Score

Respondents were asked whether they would recommend John Curtin Gallery to a friend or colleague. Respondents could choose a number from 0 to 10 from a menu, with 0 meaning 'not likely at all' and 10 meaning 'extremely likely'.

These results can be used to calculate a Net Promoter Score (NPS). NPS is a standardised metric that seeks to measure loyalty between an organisation and its audience. Respondents with a score of 9 or 10 are considered 'Promoters'. 'Detractors' are those who respond with a score of 0 to 6. Scores of 7 and 8 are considered 'Passives'.

NPS is calculated by subtracting the percentage of respondents who are Detractors from the percentage of customers who are Promoters. This means that an overall Net Promoter Score can range between -100 to +100.

This chart shows the proportion of respondents that would or would not recommend John Curtin Gallery, followed by the calculated NPS below.

Audience Behaviour

Marketing Methods

Respondents were asked how they heard about the exhibition by selecting options from a multiple-choice list. This allows organisers to determine the effectiveness of various marketing channels used to promote the gallery. Results can be seen as distributed on the chart below.

Intent to Return

Respondents were asked to indicate whether they would be likely to return to John Curtin Gallery again, based on the experience of the event they attended. Responses can be seen distributed on the chart below.

Comments and Feedback

Sentiment Analysis

Respondents were asked to leave any additional feedback about their experience at John Curtin Gallery exibitions. This feedback has been classified into positive, neutral, or negative categories, with the percentage of feedback sentiment types presented in the following chart.

General Feedback

Feedback helps organisations understand where the value of visitor experiences lies and how they can be improved and strengthened in the future. A selection of comments have been highlighted underneath.

one of the best exhibitions I have been to in a while! Congratulations on content as well as presentation. The opening evening was a fabulous night. One suggestion - with the welcome to country, it would have been great to be able to pick up a flyer or similar with the Nyoongar words on it so as to respectfully repeat the sentences we were asked to say. I felt awkward not hearing the speaker clearly and having to repeat her words. Lovely to be asked to speak in language.

Staff were excellent, attentive and informed. The exhibition installation was 1st class with all works sensitively-installed and lit, with appropriate labels and an excellent catalogue.

Hearing the artists speak about their practice and the inspiration leading to their art pieces was intriguing and very moving. The overall presentation by the curator was wonderful.

LOVE your work JCG team.

Great to feel part of a creative community, to share a space

Fabulous exhibition, beatifully curated and a real treat

Very well curated - thank you for putting it on.

Informative experience in a venue with helpful compassionate and dedicated staff

I was impressed with the lighting illuminating all the artworks - the darkened gallery with the spotlights enhanced all the artworks.

I was moved and also compelled to know more about the artists and their political and social commitment.