September 17, 2019

Department of Theatre, Film & Television, University of York

Deadline: June 28, 2019

Keynotes

• Professor Martin Barker (Aberystwyth University)
• Dr Kirsty Sedgman (University of Bristol)

Audience research is a growing area in many diverse areas of study, from film, television and theatre to music, communications media and gaming. As a developing and inherently interdisciplinary area of academic study, the methodological components of audience research are constantly evolving, inviting innovative approaches to methodologies. This form of research is notoriously demanding, presenting ethical, epistemological and practical issues that need to be considered before any research can begin to take place. Given both the fast-moving and demanding nature of audience research, it is therefore more than usually suited to input and support from cross-disciplinary researchers, who can share their own experiences and practices. However, whilst collaboration within subject areas is more common, there is little opportunity for researchers working with audiences from different cultural practices to come together and share their practice and experiences.

This one-day conference will bring together academics and researchers from across the disciplines of film and television, media and communications, theatre and performance studies to present their research approaches and share their processes and their experiences. The organisers invite people working in the area of audience research in any field to submit proposals for 20 minute papers, or other forms of presentation. We strongly encourage proposals from postgraduate researchers and early career researchers; however, all are welcome to apply. Presentations on any form of audience research are welcome, but a particular focus on methodological issues or innovations is encouraged.

Subjects for proposals may include the following topics (although all aspects of audience research will be considered):

• Considerations of how audiences find meaning in the works that they see, and the relationship this has to the intended meaning of the producer.

• Marginalised or under-researched audiences and the ways in which their feedback might challenge hegemonic ideas about cultural products and audience reception.

• The reception of specific art forms or genres and audience expectations of these.

• Cultural differences in the reception of the same product.
• Artist and audience communication, and ways in which audiences can feed into the creative process

• The place of cultural intermediaries in shaping audience experience. Reflections on collaborative audience research, considering the role of partners and gatekeepers, means of knowledge exchange and collaborative learning.

• Innovative or emerging audience research methodologies, and how we can make our research accessible and meaningful to participants

• How audience research might better drive sectoral change and impact on arts, culture and creative industries policy

Proposals should be no more than 300 words, accompanied by an author biography of no more than 100 words. In order to allow us to make the event as inclusive as possible, we would encourage potential presenters to inform us of any particular access requirements they might have, as well as any specific AV requirements they require for their presentation. Please send proposals or any enquiries to Shelley Anne Galpin (sag534@york.ac.uk ) and Emma McDowell (pcelmd@leeds.ac.uk ).

The closing date for proposals is Friday 28th June 2019. Contributors will be notified by mid-July.

Registration will open June 2019 and is £40 (£25 for early bird registration by Friday 16th August). We are able to offer bursaries of £30 to a limited number of PGRs / unwaged researchers as a contribution towards travel costs. We also encourage anyone with specific access needs to get in touch with the conference organisers, to ensure we are able to make the event as inclusive and accessible as possible.

For more details on any of the information above, or anything else to do with the conference, do get in touch with Shelley Anne Galpin (sag534@york.ac.uk ) and/or Emma McDowell (pcelmd@leeds.ac.uk ).

Follow the conference on Twitter: @across_audience

This conference is organised by Shelley Anne Galpin (University of York) and Emma McDowell (University of Leeds) and is funded generously by the White Rose College of Arts & Humanities (WRoCAH) as a Student Led Forum, the Arts & Humanities Research Council and the University of York.