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Abigail is an independent arts consultant and facilitator. She works with leaders and managers in cultural organisations and creative businesses to identify effective strategies to engage and stimulate customer and audience development. Before setting up ACA in 2004 Abigail spent 20 years working as a manager in a range of arts organisations which means that solutions are practical, achievable and deliver results.
Abigail can work with you in a variety of ways:
CONSULTANCY – Vision / mission development, organisational development, business plan reviews, audience development and marketing strategies.
FACILITATION – Development days and half days sessions for Boards and staff teams to identify opportunities, issues, solutions and strategies.
COACHING / MENTORING – Programmes to develop individuals’ skills, knowledge and effectiveness in audience development, business planning and delivery.
TRAINING – Practical interactive sessions in marketing which offer participants a range of activities from strategic planning to communications methods.
June 2009 - Abigail has joined the Board of Directors of Stills, Scotland's centre for photography.
June 2009 - ACA and Janet Sylvester of research agency Scotinform have just won a contract for an AUDIENCE RESEARCH & STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT project for Arts & Theatres Trust, Fife.
May - July 2009: Abigail and colleagues Miles Harrison and Jane Hogg won a pitch to review and develop GOVERNANCE, MANAGEMENT and MARKETING for North East Arts Touring (NEAT).
May - June 2009: Join Abigail in Glasgow at MARKET DAY, a fun interactive introductory marketing day supported by the Cultural Enterprise Office for indivduals and small businesses in the creative industries.
May 2009 - November 2010: Abigail and colleagues Paul Pinson and Jane Hogg will be delivering STEP UP, the new mentoring training programme for leaders in the performing arts sector. Step Up was launched in 2008 and is being supported by the Federation of Scottish Theatre and Scottish Arts Council. Applications for mentors open now, closing date 3 July.
Scottish Arts Council: Abigail is undertaking an ASSESSMENT of the impact of grants allocated to organisations under the Organisational Development fund 2007/8 and 2008/9.
Federation of Scottish Theatre: Abigail and colleagues Paul Pinson and Jane Hogg are delivering STEP UP 1, a coaching / mentoring training programme for performing arts leaders.
WASPS: Abigail is working with Miles Harrison and dance, circus, street theatre companies to facilitate the development of a BUSINESS AND AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN for a new visual / live arts centre at the Briggait, Glasgow.
Stills: Abigail is mentoring the Engagement Manager to develop a new ENGAGEMENT AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY for Scotland's centre for photography and new media.
2009 work includes:
Scottish Arts Council: Consultancy - A MARKETING STRATEGY to review and develop Own Art, an interest free art buying scheme which enables the general public to access and buy contemporary art and crafts in an affordable way.
Publishing Scotland: Training - A MARKETING SEMINAR for members - authors, editors, printers, designers - introducing 7 easy DIY activities to develop their own marketing plans.
Fife Contemporary Arts and Crafts: Consultancy - A mentoring programme to support FCA&C audience development mananager to produce an AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY for the agency.
2008 work included:
Callender Development Trust: Consultancy - Advice on ARTS PROGRAMMING and AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT as part of the BUSINESS PLAN for the redevelopment of St Kessog's into a multi-purpose community and visitor centre.
Glenkens Community and Arts Trust: Consultancy - An EVALUATION of a one year SAC funded audience development post and project at the CatStrand, an award-winning new arts and community centre in New Galloway.
Dumfries Theatre Royal Trust: Facilitation - Abigail devised and moderated a PUBLIC MEETING to gather the views of over 100 individuals - private and public - on the future of theatre provision in Dumfries.
Cultural Leadership Programme: Abigail and five colleagues won funding to research and develop GOVERNANCE models meeting in Edinburgh, York, London and Newcastle to present research and meet with arts leaders.
EKOS / Glasgow City Council: Consultancy - A MARKETING STRATEGY for Radiance: Festival of Light as part of a new business plan.
City of Edinburgh Council: Facilitation - bringing together CEC staff and five Edinburgh contemporary art gallery directors to review future development opportunities.
Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop: Consultancy - BUSINESS PLAN development to win SAC funds for a new centre. Building work will begin later this year.
Scottish Arts Council: Consultancy - A FEASIBILITY STUDY for a Young Person's Arts Award in Scotland, in association with management consultant Jane Hogg.
WASPS: Facilitation - VISION / MISSION DEVELOPMENT plus aims and management model for The Briggait, a new visual arts and dance facility in Glasgow.
Centre for Contemporary Arts: Facilitation - Board and management session to develop the VISION / MISSION for the new CCA.
Re:Create: Facilitation - to scope future audience development collaboration between Stills, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop and Edinburgh Printmakers.
Cultural Enterprise Office: Facilitation - for partners to assess the Artists as Leaders pilot programme and inform future programmes.
Edinburgh Science Festival: Consultancy - MENTORING programme to produce a marketing strategy, including staff team session in vision / mission and business planning.
Glenkens Community & Arts Trust: Consultancy - An AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY for CatStrand, a new rural community, arts and tourism centre in south west Scotland.
CatStrand: Consultancy - A successful FUNDING APPLICATION to the SAC for a one year development post to devise and implement an ambassadors, volunteer and friends programme.
Duff House: Consultancy - RESEARCH programme for a major arts facility in Banff, managed by Historic Scotland, National Galleries of Scotland and Aberdeenshire Council.
West Lothian Youth Theatre: Consultancy - Abigail undertook a CONSULTATION PROGRAMME and wrote the CREATIVE BRIEF to inform the RE-NAMING AND BRANDING of one of the UK's leading youth theatre companies, in association with Scotinform.
After 20 years as a practictioner in a range of senior management positions in the performing arts sector (Edinburgh's Lyceum and Traverse Theatres, Edinburgh Tourist Board, Scottish International Children's Festival and Imaginate) Abigail became an independent consultant in 2004. Since then she has worked with over 30 clients, large and small, organisations and individuals, not for profit and commercial, across all art forms. Abigail is also a specialist advisor for the Cultural Enterprise Office; a member of the Association of Coaching; a member of the Arts Marketing Association; an Associate (Culture) of the tourism consultancies The Market Specialists and TEAM. Previously she has been a member of the Theatrical Management Association's Marketing Advisory Committee, a board member of Boilerhouse and the Co-ordinator of the Edinburgh Capital Group. Earlier freelance clients during her time at the Children's Festival include Unique Events (Abigail was Press Director for Edinburgh's Hogmanay); Edinburgh Film Festival and The List Magazine (her work won an award from the Drum Magazine). Abigail is a graduate of the University of Wales and Chelsea School of Art.
Training
Thank you for facilitating such a stimulating and engaging seminar yesterday. I thought you pitched it exactly right for the group attending and the feedback yesterday certainly confirmed that.
Vanessa Garden, Publishing Scotland, Mar 2009
Fantastic course. Well worth the time – well delivered, good mix of activity and chat. Excellent!
Market Day participant, Edinburgh, Feb 2009
I found the whole thing absolutely brilliant - the organisation, the venue and, of course, Abigail's splendid presentation. She really knows her stuff and has such a lovely engaging presentational style. The event came at just the right time for me, and I can't say how grateful I am. Definitely a 10 all round!”
Sue Palmer, author, Toxic Childhood, participant Marketing Seminar for Publishing Scotland
Consultancy
A clear and focused project which will significantly benefit Stills and those who participate in it.
Deirdre McKenna, Director, Stills
Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop worked with Abigail Carney on a review of the Business Plan within the context of a major new building project and application to the Scottish Arts Council capital department. Abigail facilitated and led workshops with different stakeholders to identify priorities and clarify our objectives and provided invaluable support to ESW’s Director during the period spent revising and re-writing the Business Plan. It was essential that the Plan clearly demonstrated how ESW would manage change during the period of development and how the organisation would develop the project while still maintaining the core business. Following the work done with Abigail, funding was approved by the Scottish Arts Council.
Irene Kernan, Director, ESW
Abigail was a real asset to the Company and her delivery has always exceeded our expectations. Her commitment and expertise has been excellent, from consultation, to project delivery, to evaluation and reporting. Her warm personality makes her feel like she's one of the company, and never a "faceless consultant".
Paul Fitzpatrick, Producer, Catherine Wheels Theatre Company
I want to reiterate what I said when I first read the plan: it is impressive, comprehensive, realistic, "do-able" and reads like it is written by practitioners not consultants. Well done!
Martin Reynolds, Marketing Director, National Galleries of Scotland
Facilitation
The event has certainly achieved the aim of getting the project back and high on the public agenda. It more than matched my expectations, and if you ever need to have a reference from a satisfied customer please use me.
Howard Hann, Chairman, Dumfries Theatre Royal Trust
Thanks for the session and your summary.
Both educative and enjoyable; it should be bottled.
Gill Khosla, Board Member, Glenkens Community and Arts Trust
Everyone at the meeting was delighted with how much we achieved in the time available under your guidance and felt that you led the group though the issues very successfully and succinctly whilst at the same time not making them feel like they were being too directed.
Suzanne Jeffries, General Manager, Benchtours
Thanks very much for the session on Friday - it was exactly what we needed. I particularly liked your super-focused style and the sprightly pace enabled us to air views but not get bogged down (you're also the fastest flip chart writer I have ever seen!).
Deirdre Mackenna, Director, Stills
Mentoring
I can’t recommend Abigail highly enough. Due to her involvement my ability and confidence have improved significantly and the organisation has also seen tangible benefits. On a personal level I have found Abigail to be extremely supportive and positive which has helped me through a period of change, I feel better equipped to deal with the greater responsibility that I now have.
Jen Wood, General Manager, Edinburgh International Science Festival