Wales Millennium Centre has just passed a phenomenal £20 million in ticket sales since opening. As the Centre nears its birthday in November, this puts the business well on track to achieving all its targets for the third year running. In announcing these figures, WMC’s Chairman Lord Rowe-Beddoe said, ‘These are landmark figures for a cultural centre which has been operating for less than three years. Over 1.5 million visitors have now visited the Centre. What’s more, we continue to attract new audiences – for example, 49% of all the audiences for the recent new musical ‘Never Forget’, were first time ticket buyers’. Like any business, Wales Millennium Centre constantly reviews its operations, and streamlines its services to ensure its continued success. With innovative programming it is continually looking at ways to capture brand new audiences. For example this summer the Centre ran a series of films, including Elvis on Tour which coincided with the 30th anniversary of the King himself. Forty eight percent of the film audiences were new to the Centre. This week sees Wales Millennium Centre go outdoors to Roald Dahl Plass for a two week season in a giant tent showing NoFit State Circus’ Immortal, which was a sell-out at the Edinburgh Festival for two years in succession. This production is again targeted at a potential new and different audience, which may not have visited the Centre before. As the business matures organisational structures set up prior to opening are being reviewed by its Board of Trustees to ensure the business’s preparedness for the next phase in the Centre’s development. All artistic programmes, including education and community provision, are currently being reviewed, with the aim of creating better synergies with the Centre’s resident organisations, including WNO, Diversions and, from 2008/9, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. ‘By embracing a facilitating role,’ said Judith Isherwood, Chief Executive, ‘in partnership with the whole of WMC, we will unlock the potential of this exciting project, delivering a programme with even greater impact’. Other key changes currently underway: Facilities Management is being brought in-house in the autumn to maintain the highest standards of customer care, with consistency across all areas of the business. A new brand for the Centre has recently been launched, again reflecting the maturing of the business a high profile start-up to an iconic landmark for Wales. The management of the Centre is looking to streamline its front of house operation, ticketing, guided tours and Sherpa services, again aimed at enhancing the visitor’s experience to Wales’ iconic arts centre. As a result of its renewed focus on customer care this year WMC is in the finals of The National Tourism Awards for Quality and Customer Care. (Winner will be announced at Showcase Wales in Bodelwyddan Castle on October 4) Judith Isherwood added “WMC is a significant business with an annual turnover in excess of £13 million, of which ticket sales represent some £7 million annually. Just like any activity of this scale we strive for best practice in our management of the Centre, seeking to ensure that all our visitors have an experience befitting that of a national and international venue for the performing arts. To realise our cultural ambitions as Wales’ national Centre for the performing arts it is imperative that we achieve best practice in every area of the business. We are already home to a critical mass of leading cultural organisations, and next year the BBC National Orchestra of Wales will be joining us when Phase 2 of the building is completed. As we enter this exciting next phase in the development of the Centre, we will ensure that sound structures are in place to deliver the future cultural priorities of the Welsh Assembly Government.” |
| Wales Millennium Centre web site: www.wmc.org.uk |
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Tuesday, September 4, 2007 |
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