In this episode, James talks to David Yard – Head of Marketing at the Gulbenkian Arts Centre, winners of a 2025 Digital Culture Network Award – about how the team transformed its digital marketing approach to boost cinema audiences and strengthen its online presence.

With support from the Digital Culture Network, Gulbenkian repositioned its strategy to tackle post-pandemic challenges and increased competition. The project included revamping the website for a better cinema experience, launching a dedicated Instagram channel, and using creative on-campus campaigns to engage students. These changes led to a 75% increase in student attendance and set the stage for future audience growth.

They discuss:

• Why redesigning the website to reflect cinema user behaviour improved the booking journey
• How combining physical signage with QR codes drove hundreds of click-throughs and boosted engagement
• What steps small arts teams can take to integrate digital tactics with wider marketing strategies

Links and resources discussed in this episode:

• Download the transcript for this episode (Word document)
• Learn more about the Gulbenkian’s Digital Culture Award win
• Check out the Gulbenkian’s revamped cinema listings

Gulbenkian Arts Centre was awarded a Digital Culture Network Award in the 2025 Digital Culture Awards. 

Music by ⁠⁠SHAR