cornerhouse activity report for 2006/2007

CORNERHOUSE70 OXFORD STREET MANCHESTER M1 5NHBOX OFFICE: 0161 200 1500www.cornerhouse.orgDesign by NONCONFORM 0151 702 0334

FILMCornerhouse aims to contribute to the developmentof film and moving image culture in GreaterManchester and the UK by presenting a distinctiverange of moving image work and events thatpromotes audiences' interest in, and engagementwith, these media.In the last 12 months Cornerhouse presented:• 3,850 screenings• more than 370 filmsincluding• 648 screenings of British Films• 1,111 screenings of films made in otherEU countries• 2,034 from countries outside of the EUFESTIVALS AND SPECIAL EVENTS¡Viva! 13th Spanish & Latin American Film FestivalOur best-attended festival so far attracted animpressive array of high profile guests who cameto introduce their films, answer audience questions,and of course enjoy our famous ¡Viva! parties.• Attendance was increased for the sixth year ina row, topping the 10,000 mark for the first time –an average of 1,000 per day• New development included an Irish arm ofthe festival at the Irish Film Institute in Dublin(20 films screened)• A partnership with distributors Soda Picturesto create the new Soda ¡Viva! DVD label.• An extended tour, that included 22 venues acrossthe UK for an additional 111 screenings until themiddle of June• ¡Viva! also enabled us to build importantpartnerships with Spain and Latin Americaand businesses that trade into and out ofthese countriesIn addition to the in-house curated festivals(¡Viva! and exposures), Cornerhouse presented:• The Commonwealth Film Festival, a regionallydevised event• UK Jewish Film Festival• Italian Film Festival on Tour• Sheffield Documentary Festival on TourDuring 2006/2007 Cornerhouse continued topresent a regular programme of special eventsinvolving filmmakers and external contributors.Highlights included:• Barry Norman’s introduction to INFAMOUS andco-hosting of the TCM Film Quiz with Chris Payne• PANDORA’S BOXscreening with musicalaccompaniment by Neil Brand• Screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga Q&A and booksigningfor THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA• Sorted - BBC writersroom event withDanny Brocklehurst• SUNSHINE preview with cast and crew + DannyBoyle recorded interview for preview and website• AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH panel debate on climatechange with David Milliband MP and leadingenvironmentalists• Terry Gilliam Q&A with screening of TIDELAND• Director Andrea Arnold Q&A with theaward-winning RED ROAD• Acclaimed British/Danish cinematographerAnthony Dod Mantle Q&A with BROTHERS OF THE HEAD• Launch of Arts About Manchester's In Touchproject with a special Christmas preview of thenew copy of THE WIZARD OF OZ with AudioDescription for blind and partially sighted audiencemembers + caption subtitles for Deaf and hardof hearing audiences• Mitchell & Kenyon (Manchester & Salford) silentscreenings with live accompaniment and narrationSEASONS – OVER 15 SEASONSWERE PRESENTED DURING THEYEAR, INCLUDING:• Ambulante Tour (part of National Film Theatre’sMexican season)• Chicas de Almodóvar season• ‘Censorship’ screenings• China @ Manchester• Cornucopia of classics: new 35mm prints of 3B&W classics• Family Friendly Festival screenings• Feel the Heat: Mexican Cinema Now (NFT Touring)• Football films• Granada Music season• Haskell Wexler season• Luc Besson season• Mexican wrestler films season• Refugee Week and Exodus screenings• The Fast and the Furriest: European kids’ matineesEXPERIMENTAL SCREENINGSEvery two months, Cornerhouse took audienceson a journey through experimental screeningsand artists' video. The screenings were followedby Q&As with the artist filmmakers.REGIONAL FILMMAKERSexposures UK Student Film Festival and the BiggerPicture programme for the BBC Big Screen inExchange Square, Manchester provided the mainoutlet for regional made films. The overexposed strandwas a bimonthly showcase dedicated to regionalfilmmaking and the best new short films being madetoday by the Northwest's independent filmmakers.FIRST RUNSScreenings of new independent, UK, European andnon European foreign language films is a vital partof the programme. Many of the titles screened aresimply not available anywhere else in the region.Top ten first run titles by admissions:VOLVER - SpainPAN'S LABYRINTH - SpainHIDDEN - AustriaTHE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY – Great BritainBROKEBACK MOUNTAIN - USACAPOTE - USAGOOD NIGHT & GOOD LUCK - USATHE HISTORY BOYS – Great BritainLITTLE MISS SUNSHINE - USAWALK THE LINE – USAINDUSTRY SUPPORTIn addition to supporting the film industry byscreening their films and building audiencesCornerhouse also provided screening facilities forfilmmakers during production and post production.89

BOOKSCornerhouse aims to enable the documentationand dissemination of contemporary culturalpractice through the provision of a specialistdistribution service for contemporary visual artsand photography publishers and, through thisservice, promotes the work of Cornerhouse,its client publishers, published artists, writersand practitioners.In the past 12 months Cornerhouse• distributed publications for over 100 publishers• sold over 40,000 books• exhibited at the Frankfurt and London Book Fairs• published 2 sales catalogues• managed sales reps in the UK, Mainland Europe,the Far East and USAOver the year Cornerhouse continued to provide aspecialist sales and distribution service for many ofthe most exciting and innovative publishers, galleriesand museums working in contemporary visual arts,working with over 100 client publishers includingArnolfini Publishing, Artangel, BALTIC, BritishCouncil Visual Arts & Design Publications, HaywardPublishing, The Henry Moore Institute, Institute ofContemporary Arts, Ikon Gallery, The Lowry, ModernArt Oxford, Photoworks, and the Whitechapel Gallery.We also worked with a large number of artist-leadorganisations such as Art Editions North, ArtsCatalyst, Autograph ABP, The Drawing Room,Information as Material, Picture This, and theResearch Group for Artists Publications.We provided a complete sales and distributionservice including representation, marketing andpublicity, warehousing and online sales. Sales repsin the UK, Europe and the Far East regularly visitedall the major bookshop chains and independentbookshops, many of the smaller independents,and all retail outlets (including Museum and Galleryshops) that specialise in contemporary visual arts,architecture, design and photography. We alsoworked directly with specialist wholesalers anddistributors in the USA and represented clientpublishers at the Frankfurt and London Book Fairs.Comprehensive details of all publications distributedby Cornerhouse are listed on our online bookstorewww.cornerhouse.org/books. Links are providedto our clients' websites and other relevant sites.Our titles are also available through Amazon.co.uk.Cornerhouse continued to provide an advisoryservice on publishing and the book trade for ourclient publishers and advice was also given to otherarts organisations and the public.NETWORK HUBCornerhouse plays an important role as a socialmeeting place and networking hub. 2006/07 saw anincrease in the footfall to the building to over 448,000visits. Many of those people came to enjoy the café,bar and shop facilities provided by Cornerhouse tosupport the visitor experience of those attending filmscreenings, exhibitions and education events. Othersused the venue as a place to meet and do business.FOOD AND DRINKReal Deal Mondays, The Breakfast Club on Sundaymornings and the weekly and monthly Quiz nights allcontributed to the social remit of the organisation.Free wireless internet access in the café bar is verypopular and a facility that is regularly cited by ourcustomers as being important to them. Our café barwas used for a number of book launches during theyear, supporting local publishers in partnership withour art, film and books teams.BOOKSHOPSSelling a unique range of cards and magazinesthe shop in the main building foyer has continuedto be a reason for many people to visit Cornerhouse.In October 2006 we added a second bookshop in thegallery foyer. This is focused purely on art books andrelates very strongly to the galleries programme andthe books distributed by Cornerhouse Publications.1213

AUDIENCESCornerhouse continued to be a popular venue in the city:APRIL 06 - MARCH 07TOTAL AVERAGE / AVERAGE /ATTENDANCE DAY OPEN SESSIONCinemas 121,756 338Exhibitions 35,545 118Education 11,338 29Footfall 448,493 1,246WEBSITEThe launch of our new website in April 2006 produced an exponential increase in its use (see below). It alsoenables audiences to access previously unavailable resources to further their enjoyment and knowledge:some Q&As and talks are available in video or audio streaming; Study Guides and film notes are also available.All of these have seen massive growth in usage over the year.The traffic to our website has also grown significantly:PAGE VIEWSUNIQUE VISITORS10000000800000Year on year, our audience size keeps on growing:80000007000006000002002 2004 2006Visits 236,250 375,550 505,953Frequency 10.8 9.3 7.5Audience Size 21,794 40,382 67,460600000040000002000000500000400000300000200000100000Sources Mathews Millman 2007.02003/2004 2004/2005 2005/2006 2006/200702003/2004 2004/2005 2005/2006 2006/200735%30%25%20%15%10%5%0%Ensuring the best experience for our existing audience, whilst developing new audiences is at the heartof our activity: we want the widest possible audience to discover and enjoy the breadth of experienceCornerhouse has to offer, in the best conditions possible. Our artistic and education programmes as wellas our social spaces have been developed with this in mind.One important audience development initiative for the year was our active participation to InTouch.The InTouch programme, organised by Arts About Manchester aims to increase accessibility to, andenjoyment of, the arts for disabled people, in particular those with sensory impairment. This project is set toimprove area of promotion, programming, information dissemination in arts venues by establishing a dialogueand relationship between venues and disabled people organisations. Our regular subtitled and audiodescribed screenings will be promoted by the networks that this project has helped to establish.AUDIENCE PROFILE AND SATISFACTION RATINGWe commissioned the latest in an on-goingWork carried out in and around the buildingprogramme of audience research which provided has paid off with significant improvementssome useful information about our audiences. in audience approval ratings.AGE PROFILE: 2002 – 20072002 2004 200719-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64YEARSRATING THE CORNERHOUSE BUILDING: ALL RESPONDENTSEXCELLENT GOOD NOT VERY GOOD POOR DON’T KNOW NO REPLYACCESS TO THE BUILDINGFINDING THEIR WAYAROUND THE BUILDINGFINDING OUT WHAT'S ONAT CORNERHOUSEATMOSPHERECLEANLINESSSTANDARD OFCUSTOMER SERVICETOILET FACILITIES0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%LOCAL, REGIONAL, NATIONALAND INTERNATIONAL ROLELEADERSHIP PROJECTCornerhouse is leading a national project involvingfive other major UK venues as part of the CreativeLeadership Programme funded by Arts CouncilEngland. Over the next 12 months, a group of seniorarts managers will undertake an action basedlearning programme that looks at how arts venuescan develop effective strategies for audiencepersonalisation of the services that they offer.They will also explore how developing personalisationaffects leadership in creative businesses.REGIONAL AND NATIONALPROFESSIONAL BODIESCornerhouse plays a leading role within theindependent film sector. The annual conference forthe Association of Independent Film Exhibitors, anorganisation which we are an active member of, wasorganised by Cornerhouse in December 2006. Itlooked at the cultural value of cinema and took placeat the Curzon Cinema in Soho. Cornerhouse alsocontinued to administer the North West FilmExhibitors Consortium and Film Education sub-group,organising regular meetings, disseminating bestpractice and information, and managing the website.Other key regional, national and internationalorganisations which Cornerhouse actively engageswith include MoVies, the national association ofmoving image educators; Northern Film Network,the regional network of filmmakers; Engage, thenational association of gallery educators; VAGA,The Visual Arts and Galleries Association; MANET,the North west media arts network; and EuropaCinemas, the European network of independentcultural cinema operators.ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPSThroughout the year Cornerhouse has continuedto build on the strong links we have with the region’slearning institutions. Apart from the work we dothrough programmes such as the Tuesday Talks inpartnership with Manchester Metropolitan University,the Clegg & Guttman project with the University ofManchester and exposures UK Student Film Festivalwith the University of Salford, we have beendeveloping a key strategic partnership through ourinvolvement in the Oxford Road DevelopmentPartnership and the Oxford Road Cultural Corridor.These are major regeneration initiatives for the areawhere we are located with plans for majorinfrastructural and product changes.1415