G Live hosted the launch of its new Connect at G Live Open Day on Saturday 31 January. The event brought to life the venue’s newly developed sub-brand values: connect, respect, excel, create and collaborate, demonstrating how every interaction with stakeholders, from audiences and promoters to local businesses and touring companies, can deliver on the G Live brand promise.

As part of the venue’s audience development project, the focus here was on connect: strengthening relationships with the local community, including existing and potential audiences, businesses and charities. With a year of shows and creative learning opportunities ahead, the Open Day showcased G Live’s spaces and facilities, family-friendly programming, baby-friendly cinema, singing workshops and more.

Demand was strong from the outset. Many workshops and backstage tours sold out immediately, with over 1,000 people booking their free tickets in advance. Local businesses and charities were also invited to take part, with 25 organisations committing to the event including Howdens, Guildford Food Bank, Experience Guildford, Guildford Festival of the Arts, Guide Dogs UK, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre and Home-Start.

On the day, visitors enjoyed a packed programme of activities including singing workshops, backstage tours, face painting, balloon modelling, DJ workshops, ((BOUNCE)) trampoline fitness classes, pottery painting, many craft tables and giant games, with refreshments from the café.

The day was full of memorable moments all captured in the event photography, but one of the most significant outcomes was the way it brought the G Live team together around a shared project they could be really proud of.

The event welcomed 1037 attendees, generated 52 new mailing list sign-ups and gained 25 new Instagram followers across the day.

From 310 bookers we identified that 173 of these were first time bookers, travelling within a 15-mile radius.

Special thanks go to Megan Sullivan-Moon for creating and managing the event, to Amy Kaye & Emma Jones for helping bring it to life, and to Christina and the whole of the wider team whose hard work on the day ensured a fantastic experience for all.

A further legacy of the project is a reusable template of marketing designs, promotional copy and event planning resources, supported by the team’s expertise, which can now be shared with and adapted for other theatres and venues. Please contact Vicky: [email protected] for details.