“GMV were able to relate every aspect of our strategy to a wider policy and market context and then recommend practical and enjoyable ways of using digital, data and innovation to enable its delivery.” Catherine Mallyon, Executive Director
Back in summer 2012, the team from Golant Media Ventures – led by Patrick Towell – were working on the Royal Shakespeare Company’s image management strategy when they realised that the ways to address the barriers to images being managed and exploited effectively would also help provide a strong framework for stimulating other digital innovation at one of the world’s most recognised cultural organisations.
This coincided with Catherine Mallyon joining the RSC as Executive Director and together with the Artistic Director, Gregory Doran, leading a strategic review – resulting in a fresh articulation of the RSC’s artistic and business strategy in a document that became known as Our Plan.
Working with Catherine, Finance Director Steve Eames and other members of the senior management team, GMV:
- Identified specific objectives for digital and data that would underpin and enhance the achievement of the RSC’s revenue and public benefit goals
- Created the RSC’s Digital Innovation Framework, to provide the right foundations to support innovation.
The Digital Innovation Framework vision is “never having to say no to ideas because of issues relating to technology, rights or our organisational capability.” The framework formed the basis of the organisational development aspects of the Company’s Plan and was shared with the RSC’s principal funder, Arts Council England.
The workstreams within it focus on user experience, data and research, intellectual property rights and information standards. They all encourage cross-departmental working and allow the Company to track strategic benefits. The approach is applicable to many other arts and cultural organisations – GMV is reusing parts of it in its work with Miracle Theatre and the Hackney Empire .
“GMVs’ help in defining our aspiration of ‘never having to say no to ideas because of issues relating to technology, rights or our organisational capability’ was game changing for us and provides daily motivation to implement the many ideas that they helped us to articulate.” Catherine Mallyon, Executive Director
