Who goes to Mona? Peering behind the ‘flannelette curtain’

As part of the ‘Mona Effect” Linkage Project, I led the Glenorchy component – considering the experiences and perceptions of local residents.

Why was this important? We know that most visitors to Mona (like to most cultural institutions) were middle class and tertiary educated. Also, we were surprised by the lack of in depth empirical research investigating this even though there were expectations both in government policy and academic research that new and novel institutions like Mona changed/transformed individuals and communities through art engagement. So we had an opportunity to examine these expectations more closely and provide robust empirical evidence to support our findings.

What did we find? Locals like and value Mona, but there are all kinds of social, cultural and financial barriers that inhibit access e.g. cost of food and drink, the type of food and drink, and a sense that places like Mona are just not for us’.