Audience Gym: From Data to Audiences
The Audience Gym is back. In autumn 2026, it offers two practical workshops open to the South Bohemian cultural sector.
We will build on what we already know about cultural behaviour thanks to the unique Jižní Čechy kulturní research. Its findings help us better understand who participates in cultural life, what motivates people to engage with culture, what barriers stand in their way, and how their needs differ depending on their life situation.
In the workshops, we want to take the next step: translating these findings into the concrete practice of cultural organisations. We will work with real situations and participants' own experiences, and together look for changes we can start making right now.
30. 9. 2026 | 9:00–13:00
From research to practice: how to strengthen motivations and overcome barriers
Why do some people engage with culture regularly, while others do so only occasionally – or not at all? And what can we as cultural organisations actually influence?
Building on the findings of the South Bohemian cultural behaviour research, we will focus on what motivates people to participate in culture, what barriers prevent them from coming, and what we can practically do about this when developing programmes, communicating, and shaping the visitor experience.
Together we will look for answers to questions such as:
- What can convince someone who doesn't usually visit cultural institutions to come?
- What barriers might stand in their way even before they leave the house?
- How can we communicate about a programme in a way that feels clear and appealing to new audiences?
- What determines whether a visitor feels welcome and wants to come back?
We won't stop at theory. As a shared case study, we will use Noc na Ostrově kultury 2027 – a February event organised by the cultural institutions involved in Ostrov kultury. Participation is open to all.
4. 11. 2026 | 14:30–18:30
How to create culture for families and carers
"Families with children" are not a single target group. The needs, possibilities and barriers to cultural participation vary significantly depending on the age of the children or the family situation.
Visiting a cultural venue looks very different with a baby, a preschooler or a teenager. And the situation differs again for someone on parental leave, a single parent, or someone caring for other family members.
In this workshop, we will look at how cultural organisations can better respond to the diverse life situations of parents and carers. It won't just be about creating special "family programmes". We will also address start times, related services, the physical environment, communication and other changes that can determine whether visiting a cultural venue is even possible for someone with caring responsibilities.
We will explore questions such as:
- Why are families not a single target group?
- How do needs and barriers shift depending on the age of children and life situation?
- What can a cultural institution change without creating a new programme?
The goal is to leave with concrete ideas applicable within your own organisation. In 2027, we will follow up on this topic in collaboration with the Parent Friendly Culture initiative, with whom we are currently exploring specific ways to make cultural offerings more accessible to parents and carers.
Practical information
Who it's for: Anyone working in a cultural organisation who influences programming, communication or the visitor experience – whether in production, dramaturgy, marketing, education, audience development, visitor services or organisational leadership. If the topics are relevant to more people in your organisation, we recommend coming as a team. No specialist knowledge of audience work or data is required.
Where: The České Budějovice – European Capital of Culture 2028 office at Nádražní 6, 3rd floor.
Language: The programme is partly in English, but a perfect command of the language is not required – independent work can take place in small groups in Czech.
Who it's from: The Audience Gym programme is part of the preparations for the European Capital of Culture 2028 and is being developed with our colleagues Agata Etmanowicz and Aleksandra Koltun, experts in audience research and audience development.
Registration: Free of charge. Each workshop can be registered for independently.
Any questions?
If you have any questions about the programme, registration, or are unsure whether the Audience Gym is right for you, don't hesitate to get in touch at lucie.bilkova@budejovice2028.cz
