Where is Lauderdale House?

Today began like any normal day at the House. I was asked by the general manager to do some research of potential websites for press and event promotion and to make a data base. Out of curiosity, and to see what there was to do on the weekend, I typed in 'jazz in London'. To my shock, nowhere within the top searches (or at least the searches which individuals bother to look at) did the Lauderdale House appear! I went to TimeOut, my trusted websites for events, and when looking for music, also no Lauderdale House! Typing it in to the search box only brought up an event which was months away and had nothing to do with jazz. The tragedy! If one goal of the House was to remain local but be in touch with greater London (Ives, 2010), then there is a problem. It's true that with so many events in London, an organization which is north rather than central can be overlooked. However, it was my duty to introduce something that may push Lauderdale House higher on the search list, or at least to a page where it obtains greater visibility. Presenting: Google Analytics! A wonderful program, most of which is free that allows an organization to increase its chances of being found, records the website's usage, and gives tailored qualitative data regarding search capabilities (www.google.com/analytics). With one of the services, the Lauderdale House may select words or phrases which an individual might enter in to the search bar and with the click of a button, Lauderdale House has a higher chance of being visible in the search. While this may be a long shot since the website is not yet up and running, it is a simple way to track progress and increase chances of being seen. With over 7.5 million people living in London (www.statistics.gov.uk), its difficult to be noticed but with Google Analytics, the chances just might increase.

Ives, K. 2010. Research Discussion. (Personal Communication 27 January 2010)

Google Analytics. 2010. Enterprise-class features delivered on Google's world-class platform. [Online] Available at: http://www.google.com/analytics/features.html# (Accessed 27 January 2010).

National Statistics Online. 2007. Population & Migration. [Online] Available at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=1812 (Accessed 27 January 2010).

The Great Story

Today was full of learning, magical discoveries, and the unfortunate realization that I knew nothing about Lauderdale House other than it was built, there was a fire, it was re-built, and now it's historic. However, all that changed with the 50+ page application of the Historic Lottery Grant application falling on to my desk for editing purposes. As you will be interested to know, Lauderdale House was originally erected in 1582 as a Tudor building and to this day remains a historic site, representing centuries of British social, religious, and political heritage (Heritage Lottery Grant Application, 2010). Currently, the House classifies itself as an arts and education center, offering music events, arts exhibitions, workshops, partaking in community outreach, and allowing the hiring of the House (Lauderdale House, 2010). Through a great range of activities and events, the organization has become a local treasure, combining heritage, arts, and culture while encouraging unique expression and artistic development from a young age and in an array of communities. In 2009 alone, the House hosted over 2,285 activities attended by 650,000 people (Heritage Lottery Grant Application, 2010). To this day, Lauderdale House is classified as a Grade II building, containing some of the original structures and architecture, such as the gallery fireplace and Tudor era beams (Heritage Lottery Application, 2010). It is home to over 20 volunteers, diverse in age (this ranges from 23-90) and background, contributing the time of 8 full time employees throughout the week (Heritage Lottery Application, 2010).
Now while there is enough information about the House for 50+ pages, I will leave it up to you to find out more about the House and its current activities. Access www.lauderdalehouse.co.uk and see What's On for the upcoming months.

Heritage Lottery Grant Application, 2010. Lauderdale House Heritage Lottery Grant Application 2010. London: Lauderdale House.

Lauderdale House, 2010. Lauderdale House. [Online] Available at: www.lauderdalehouse.co.uk [Accessed 18 January 2010].

Not Just Arts

When thinking about the vast array of services and activities provided by the Lauderdale House, one might overlook the fact that the organization is a charity and also does work in the social sector by working with disadvantage youth across the Camden area. According to Lee (2005), due to the social impact of the arts, it may transcend in to the social and non-profit sector, which is exactly what Lauderdale House has incorporated in to its agenda. With a designed employee responsible for activities with kids and school outreach, activities are conducted right in the House or in the school's very own classroom. By focusing on one large area, Lauderdale House is able to distribute tailored and interactive programs, introducing children to art and culture and allowing them to participate in activities beyond their studies. It has been said that "cultural policy has moved from viewing the arts in terms of the funding and administration of certain kinds of artistic and heritage culture to viewing them as a tool for social inclusion, community development and urban regeneration” (Kerrigan, O’Reilly, Vom Lehn, 2009). This cannot be more true with the House and its activities for families and the community, from Easter egg rolling and Christmas tree decorating to kids workshops and family shows, the organization has gone above and beyond to being a hub for the community. With this, the house is developing its image within the community and through that, building a larger target market as well as developing its brand to be relevant to even children. Through this, it is clear to see how people build a relationship with the house from an early age and become not just participants or attendants, but part of a community.

Hye-Kyung L. (2005). Rethinking arts marketing in a changing cultural policy context. International Journal of Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector Marketing. 10(3):151-164.

Kerrigan F, O'Reilly D, Vom Lehn D. (2009). Producing and consuming arts: A marketing perspective. Consumption, Markets & Culture . 12(3):203-207.