Ethnographic research
Ever feel like you’re shouting into the void? You’ve crafted a brilliant programme, a stunning exhibition, or a thought-provoking play, but the audience engagement isn't what you hoped for. You've run the surveys and analysed the ticketing data, but you're still missing the 'why'. Why aren't people connecting?
The answer often lies beyond the numbers. Sometimes it can be found in lived experiences, unspoken behaviours, and the complex context of everyday life. This is the domain of ethnographic research - a powerful tool for gaining deep, authentic human insight. This guide will demystify ethnography, providing you with actionable steps to understand the relevant community on a profound level. Done appropriately, ethnographic research methodologies can uncover that kernel of truth that can shape everything from your brand strategy through to your communications approach.
What is ethnographic research and why does it matter for the arts?
Put simply, ethnographic research is the art and science of understanding people in their own environment. Instead of asking what people say they do (like in a survey), you observe what they actually do. It’s about immersion, close engagement and deep listening. For an arts organisation in the UK, this means stepping out of the office and into the community centre, the local park, the café, or even observing how visitors navigate your own gallery space.
This approach delivers a richness that quantitative data can’t match. It uncovers the nuances of cultural behaviour, builds genuine connection with your audience, and provides the foundational insight needed for meaningful placemaking and effective stakeholder engagement.
Your step-by-step guide to ethnographic research
Ready to move beyond assumptions? Here’s how to get started.
Step 1: Define your purpose & research question(s)
Before you begin, you must clarify your goals. Raw data is useless without a purpose. Are you trying to understand barriers to attendance for a specific demographic? Are you exploring how to make your front-of-house experience more welcoming? Perhaps you need compelling human stories for a fundraising campaign or an evaluation report.
Your purpose will shape your research questions. Avoid simple 'yes/no' questions. Instead, ask 'how' and 'why'.
Poor question: Do young people like our theatre?
Good question: How do local young people spend their leisure time, and what role, if any, could our theatre play in their lives?
Step 2: Choose your methods (beyond the survey)
Ethnographic research is flexible and creative. The methods you choose will depend on your research questions, timeline and resources. For example, you could consider a combination of the following:
Participant observation: This is the cornerstone of ethnography. It involves spending time in a specific environment, observing and participating (to a non-disruptive degree) in the activities happening there. You become a ‘fly on the wall’ to understand natural behaviours.
In-depth interviews: These are more like guided conversations than structured Q&As. The goal is to encourage participants to share their stories, experiences and perspectives in their own words. Often these can be shaped as a narrative which the chosen participant can shape and own.
Creative activities: Give participants a creative exercise and the tools to do it. This could be using a disposable camera to take photographs of the average day, writing a diary or sketching on a map. Whatever approach is chosen, make sure you provide clear prompts so that participants can document their own lives and experiences related to your research topic. The aim is to provide an engaging - even fun! - way to gather personal insight.
Step 3: The art of observation
When observing, your job is to be present and notice everything. How do people interact with a boundaried space? What is the atmosphere? What are the unspoken rules of behaviour? Take detailed field notes, jotting observations into a notebook or using voice memos. Describe the setting, the people, what they are doing, and what they are saying. Note your own reflections, but be careful to distinguish your observations (“The group cannot find the box office, despite checking the signs”) from your interpretations (“I think the group finds the signage confusing and impenetrable”). This is a critical skill for any ethnographic researcher - but can be complicated to learn as it can go against our everyday instincts.
Step 4: Conducting powerful ethnographic interviews
Building rapport and trust is key when approaching ethnographic methodologies. An ethnographic interview should feel like a natural conversation where the participant is the expert and in control of what is covered.
Start broad: Begin with general, open-ended questions so that your participant feels comfortable, e.g. "Tell me about a typical Saturday for you."
Listen more, talk less: Your role is to guide, not to lead. Use prompts like "Tell me more about that" or "How did that feel?"
Allow the conversation to flow naturally: You may have expectations as to what a conversation is going to cover, but make sure that you allow the interviewee to shift the conversation if they want to - allow yourself to be surprised by where your dialogue has ended up! Don’t put strictures or boundaries on what needs to be covered.
Ask naïve questions: Try not to assume you know what someone means. For example, asking "What do you mean by 'community'?" can reveal incredibly deep insights.
Pay attention to non-verbal cues: Body language and tone of voice can be as revealing as the words spoken - this is particularly true for in-person engagements.
Be grateful: Thank them sincerely for their time and their stories. Make sure that you make room in your budget to appropriate remunerate a participant for their time.
Step 5: From notes to insight - analysis & synthesis
You’ll return with pages of notes, hours of recordings, and a camera full of photos. The next step is to find the patterns and connections. Read through your data, highlighting key quotes, recurring themes, and surprising moments. Group these findings into categories.
This synthesis is where data becomes insight. It’s where you might discover that the lack of comfortable seating is a bigger barrier than ticket price, or that your branding feels exclusive to a key local group. This is the evidence that fuels effective change management and smarter organisational transformation.
The power of true understanding
Ethnographic research is not a shortcut. It requires time, empathy and an open mind. But the rewards are immense. By truly understanding the lives, motivations and behaviours of your audience, you move from making assumptions to making informed, strategic decisions that are grounded in learning. This then can be a significant contribution to the creation of programming, marketing and spaces that resonate deeply because they are built on a foundation of genuine human connection.