IRMO Begins with the Project Audience Development in Culture in Vukovar

The City of Vukovar has entrusted IRMO with the Audience Development project in culture. Beside the city’s five main institutions, three of them are closely tied to culture affairs (the City Library, Croatian House, and Vukovar City Museum). The Vukovar Tourist Board plays a significant role in the city’s cultural life, primarily focusing on cultural tourism promotion. The cultural life of Vukovar also includes the civil sector, with 62 registered NGOs, and 41 private entities in culture. The festival audience, local and regional residents, as well as visitors from other parts of Croatia, constitute important audience groups. While some initiatives are visible, audience development programs have not been systematically implemented so far, partly due to each institution/organization working independently without proper collaboration. Additionally, there is space for increasing and diversifying the audience, and it’s crucial to retain existing and attract new audiences. To achieve this, IRMO will conduct expert-led research to define target groups and audience segmentation, and will carry out educational programs aimed at developing innovative and interdisciplinary audience approaches. All in order to enhance organizational capacities, encourage skill exchange, and provide mentorship in audience development planning for NGO’s and institutions. The project is coordinated by IRMO’s Center for Sustainable Development through Culture (CSDC), in collaboration with an expert from the Department of Resource Economics, Environmental Protection, and Regional Development.