Sheffield Performer and Audience Research Centre (SPARC)

Description

The Sheffield Performer and Audience Research Centre (SPARC) was established in 2010 as an integral part of the music psychology research at the University of Sheffield. Its mission is to collaborate with arts sector entities, developing robust, interdisciplinary methodologies to comprehend the how, why, and when of audience experiences.

SPARC aims to amalgamate the practical knowledge of music management with the empirical research of music psychology, offering fresh perspectives on how arts and culture organisations engage their audiences. It has a commendable history of partnerships with arts organisations, such as researching long-term changes at Music in the Round, exploring audience crossover possibilities in contemporary arts with organisations across four UK cities, and assessing the effect of education on lifelong musical participation. Undergraduate students benefit from SPARC's approach through projects and placements, such as Community, Music and Education and Music Placements. Postgraduates in Psychology of Music and Music Management courses receive training in research methods and can undertake dissertations in collaboration with SPARC's extensive network of arts and culture organisations.

SPARC is dedicated to studying audiences, performers, and live music, using empirical methods to understand arts experiences. It aims to explore the functions and practicalities of empirical research with audiences and performers, consider audience members' roles as musical participants, illustrate the richness of audience experience in various contexts, investigate the perceived relationships between audiences and performers, and explore musicians' perspectives on live performance.

SPARC team members have conducted research with a host of organisations, including the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Buxton Festival, and Sheffield City Council.

Offers funding

No, this infrastructure does not provide funding.

Founding year

2010

Contact details

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University affiliation(s)

University of Sheffield
Sheffield