FEASIBILITY_STUDY , item 14. PDF 1 MB - Meetings, agendas and ...

A feasibility study prepared for the Black Box TrustNovember 2011The „Cultural Avant Garde‟, „Business Leadership‟ (both part of the „Wealth and Wisdom‟ Group)and the „Terraced Melting Pot‟ and „Local and Commercial‟ (both part of the „Students andSingles‟ Group) make up four of the top five types of household booker attending the Black Box,defining the characteristics of the audience the venue attracts. Box 3.1 below details thetypology of the Black Box audience.Box 3.1: The Black Box audience typologyThe Cultural Avant Garde are well educated people working in 'newer' professions such asinformation technology, arts and entertainment, leisure services, advertising and marketing and thecaring professions, earning an annual salary of £50,000 upwards. The city is an exciting focus forthese people for leisure activities as well as employment, with most living close by, South and Eastof Belfast. This young middle-class are typically aged 25-44 years, married or co-habiting withchildren slightly younger than those living in the more peripheral upmarket suburbs. People inCultural Avant Garde tend to be busy, and foreign travel and eating out consume a higher thanaverage proportion of household income. Many participate in sports and visit fitness centres and aremore likely to visit the cinema where they watch avant garde films opposed to mainstreamblockbusters.Business Leadership contains people who have benefited from degree level education, likely to besupplemented by higher educational or professional qualifications. They have led highly successfulcareers, earning upwards of £50,000 per annum and tend to live in the most exclusive andexpensive neighbourhoods in Northern Ireland. Typically, they are aged between 45 and 64 yearsand married, with teenage or grown up children either at university or advancing their ownprofessional careers. Approaching retirement age much, of their discretionary time is spent oncharitable and community activities and engaging in and supporting the arts.The Terraced Melting Pot contains a cosmopolitan mix of young professionals and students, livingin privately rented, post-industrial Belfast terraced housing, ideally located in close proximity touniversities and new professional jobs. The peak age group for living in these neighbourhoods is 25-29 years, having largely completed formal education but are not ready to start lifelong relationships.Generally these people are interested in spending their money on experiences such as the arts,eating out or holidays and many will practice a performing art themselves.The Local and Commercial contains many single people, both young and old, who live in smallapartments in large old Victorian houses, or above shops, often located in the city centre or alongimportant radial arteries. There are disproportionate numbers of single people and childless couples,including students and other young singles, but also lifelong singles, co-habitees and significantnumbers of people who have come out of long term relationships. The peak age group is 25 – 29and occupations are usually within sales and customer services and hotels and catering, with annualearnings under £7,499.22