The Visitor Studies Group: Championing excellent visitor experiences
News & Events
The latest news and upcoming events from The Visitor Studies Group (VSG). To find out more or make a booking please see the events posted below.
2020 conference bursary opportunity!
Each year the Visitor Studies Group offers one bursary to support one person to attend our annual conference. This year we are offering one full (two-day) ticket for the conference plus £100 towards travel and accommodation. We are welcoming applications now. To apply, we ask that you send us one or two paragraphs demonstrating why… Continue Reading
Visitor Studies Group Conference 2020
We are delighted to announce the call for papers for our annual conference 2020. The topic of our 2020 conference is Co-Creating the Future: Participation and the Role of Visitor Studies. The conference will take place at the Museum of London, March 5th & 6th, 2020. Over these two days, we will explore, interrogate… Continue Reading
Big data toolkit
As part of the VSG 2018 Conference, ‘Big Data, Big Opportunities’, delegates were invited to contribute ideas to a ‘Big Data Toolkit’. We have compiled notes collected from the conference into the toolkit, which we are sharing with VSG members. This includes examples of ‘big’ and ‘bigger’ data used in the sector, examples of ‘big… Continue Reading
Masterclass -Commissioning audience research: a practical guide
23 January 2019, 15:00 – 17:30, Dana Research Centre and Library, Science Museum Tickets are free for Visitor Studies Group members or cost £30 for non-members and £20 for independent freelancers or students. Book via Eventbrite . The amount of audience research that the museums, culture and tourism sectors commission from external evaluators and agencies is ever… Continue Reading
Conference 2019: Bursary opportunity
*** The deadline for this bursary has been extended to Friday 25th January*** At VSG we always like to support the visitor studies community where we can, and we are pleased to once again offer a conference bursary, which will cover the cost of one person to attend the conference for both days. To apply… Continue Reading
Conference 2019 – programme announced!
We are delighted to announce the programme for the Visitor Studies Group conference 2019. VSG Conference 2019 Programme “Visitor studies: reflecting the wider world, advocating for change?” will take place March 7th and 8th, 2019, National Gallery, London. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite . Use discount code ERLYBRD at checkout by 18th January for 10% off.
Early bird conference tickets until 18th January!
We are offering an earlybird discount of 10% on all of our conference tickets until Friday 18th January 2019. ***Book via Eventbrite and use discount code ERLYBRD*** “Visitor studies: reflecting the wider world, advocating for change?” will take place March 7th and 8th, 2019, at the National Gallery, London
#VSGConf19 tickets on sale!
Tickets for the Visitor Studies Group conference, 2019, have been released. Book via Eventbrite . ***Use discount code ERLYBRD for 10% off before 18th January.*** “Visitor studies: reflecting the wider world, advocating for change?” March 7th and 8th, 2019, National Gallery, London As visitor studies practitioners seeking to understand the broad identities of our visitors, how can… Continue Reading
Alison James Professional Development Bursary 2019 – applications open
In honour of Alison James, a keen supporter of professional development in the museum sector, a bursary of £500 is offered by VSG annually. We are delighted to open applications for this year’s award. Please find further details and the application form on our bursary page . The deadline is 11th January 2019.
Networking drinks – Sept 2018
Please join us on Tuesday 11th September at the Somers Town Coffee House from 6.30-8pm for networking drinks. Meet members of the committee and other audience researchers to discuss the latest happenings in the world of visitor studies as well as ideas for #VSGConf19’s call for papers . If you are planning on attending, please email: m.hobson@nhm.ac.uk so we can… Continue Reading
#VSGConf19 – Call for Papers
We are delighted to open up submissions for our 2019 conference: “Visitor studies: reflecting the wider world, advocating for change?” Taking place March 7th and 8th at the National Gallery London, we are looking for sessions that explore, interrogate and understand how emerging trends – especially those borne from audience research both within and outside the… Continue Reading
#VSGConf19 – what would YOU like the theme to be?
We are currently brainstorming themes for our next annual conference and we’d love to hear from you. Tweet @visitorstudies or email admin@visitors.org with any potential themes.
‘Big data, big opportunities?’ – Reflections
This year’s VSG Conference, ‘Big data, big opportunities?’ took place March 8th and 9th in London’s Natural History Museum. Our bursary recipient, Elena Trimarchi, reflects on a busy two days: The theme of this year’s conference was Big Data. One of the things that most struck me was the variety of the speakers’ backgrounds:… Continue Reading
The Visitor Studies Survival Kit training workshop
Training event, Inverness, 19th March 2018 The Visitor Studies Group has partnered with GEM to offer ‘The Visitor Studies Survival Kit’ to be held in Inverness next year. Presenting an overview of qualitative and quantitative research techniques that can be delivered on limited budgets with limited resources, this event will give GEM and Visitor Studies Group members… Continue Reading
Conference 2018
***Tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite .*** The full programme is available for download here: VSG Conference 2018 Programme . In visitor studies, we are constantly striving to respond to an ever-changing socio-political landscape. We are frequently tasked with helping our organisations understand and support evidence-informed decision making, in response to these often complex areas. As populations and communities… Continue Reading
Conference 2018: Call for Papers
We are excited to announce the theme for our 2018 annual conference and issue our call for papers . The theme will be: ‘Big data, big opportunities?’ In visitor studies, we are constantly striving to respond to an ever-changing socio-political landscape. We are frequently tasked with helping our organisations understand and support evidence-informed decision making, in response… Continue Reading
Bursary applications open!
Applications for the 2017 Alison James Professional Development Bursary are now open. In 2017 the VSG annual bursary will provide financial assistance to those in the early stages of their career to provide support and encouragement in their professional development. The closing date for applications this year is Monday 8 May 2017. Applicants will be expected… Continue Reading
Conference reflections
This year, the Visitor Studies Group were happy to be able to offer a bursary to assist one person to attend our conference. Louise Treble of Glasgow Museums was the deserving recipient and through the bursary was able to attend the full two day conference. Louise has kindly summarised her experience of the conference: As the… Continue Reading
Conference 2017 – Storify
For those of you who were not able to attend our 2017 conference, ”Measuring up”: ways of capturing social value and more intangible outcomes’, held in March, check out our handy Storify: https://storify.com/visitorstudies/visitor-studies-group-conference-2017 Thanks to all who tweeted and joined in the conversation over a thought-provoking two days!
Conference programme announced!
The full programme for the Visitor Studies Group’s 2017 conference, ”Measuring up”: ways of capturing social value and more intangible outcomes’ is available to view now. We think this is one of our most exciting programmes yet, featuring speakers from a diverse range of organisations and institutions both within and outside of the heritage sector. A sample of… Continue Reading
Conference 2017 – poster session
Do you have recent work relevant to our 2017 theme that you would like to share at our conference? Why not sign up to our poster session? At the end of day one we will be gathering for a glass of wine at which point there will be an opportunity for delegates to look at the… Continue Reading
Conference bookings open
Bookings are now open for our 2017 conference. Visit Eventbrite to book . Use the code ERLYBRD for a 10% discount before 6th January 2017. Our theme is ‘‘Measuring up’: ways of capturing social value and more intangible outcomes’ and the conference will take place, 22nd and 23rd March 2017, in the Royal Geographical Society , London.
December socials!
We are planning two festive social events in December, one in London and one in Glasgow. We would love to see you at either, or both! Glasgow, 1st December Come along to Brewdog (1397 Argyle St) at 6pm for a wee drink and some friendly visitor studies chat. Kelvin Hall is just around the corner… Continue Reading
Conference 2017: Call for papers!
*** Deadline extended to 1pm, Monday 3rd October 2016! *** We are pleased to announce the theme for the 2017 VSG Conference, ‘‘Measuring up’: ways of capturing social value and more intangible outcomes’. It will be held on the 22nd and 23rd March 2017, in the Royal Geographical Society , London. We think this is an exciting and… Continue Reading
Social event in London!
Join VSG committee members to catch up on all things visitor studies over a drink or two. Find out what others are up to and share questions, thoughts and experiences on research and evaluation, or anything else that’s on your mind. Plus we’ll be chatting about our 2017 conference theme, hot off the press! When:… Continue Reading
York Social Event!
Pop along to the York Tap from 4.45pm onwards on Thursday 7th July for some drinks and friendly chat with visitor studies enthusiasts. All welcome! Address: York Railway Station, Station Rd, York YO24 1AB
2016 Annual General Meeting
In line with our constitution , an Annual General Meeting of the Group was held at the Conference on 17 March 2016 at the Royal Geographical Society London. Minutes of the meeting can be downloaded here: ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2016
Conference Keynote Speakers
We are delighted to welcome two keynote speakers to this years’ conference who can open up the discussion on how we turn audience research into action. Lamia Dabboussy is Head of Audience Planning and Brand Insight at the BBC and Esme Ward is Head of Learning and Engagement at The Whitworth and Manchester Museum at… Continue Reading
Access All Areas? – Manchester
Wednesday 11 November Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester Following the success and feedback from our Access all Areas? event last year in Edinburgh, we are excited to offer another full-day session in Manchester that will focus on access and accessibility within the cultural sector. The programme for the day is available on the Event Page . Presentations have… Continue Reading
“Access all Areas?” Manchester – Call for Papers
Following the success and feedback from our “Access all Areas?” event last year in Edinburgh, we are excited to offer a similar session in Manchester that focuses on access and accessibility within the cultural sector. Aimed at people who work in visitor studies, learning and engagement, “Access All Areas?” will take a deeper look at… Continue Reading