Arts Marketing Association announces platform which will learn from sector to provide marketing advice, backed by the National Lottery Heritage Fund
An AI platform is being developed specifically to support heritage organisations with marketing and audience development.
Currently named, ‘Goose’, the platform will provide an “AI-powered 24/7 mentor, coach, and virtual colleague” to address what its creators, Arts Marketing Association (AMA), called a “marketing skills gap in the sector”.
The project, backed by £250,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, will see its first iteration begin testing in Autumn 2025 before a launch in early 2026.
It is being guided by a steering group including Trish Thomas, AMA Board Member and head of digital Innovation at London Museum, and Daniel Rowles, CEO of Target Internet and Senior Lecturer at Imperial College.
The platform will be co-designed by heritage organisations from across the four home nations including Carlisle Cathedral, Tŷ Pawb in Wrexham and Northern Ireland Screen, and is being developed alongside digital agency Make Sense Of It.
AMA said the ‘Goose’ AI will differ from more generic alternatives because it will learn from each user’s experience “to build a platform which is shaped by the collective knowledge of the heritage workforce.”
AMA CEO and project lead, Cath Humes said the project is hoped to help “small grass-roots heritage sites [to] tap into the same expertise and support that large national institutions enjoy – no matter their resources or where they’re based.
“This project isn’t about imposing technology, it’s about empowering heritage professionals to shape how AI can best serve their audience development needs.
Co-founder of Make Sense Of It, Edd Baldry says: “Heritage organisations are rich in expertise, knowledge – and passion. But they are often low on the marketing skills and resources urgently needed to increase visitor numbers and boost revenue.
George Stanley-Jones, Head of Innovation and Partnerships at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said the project “looks to strengthen collaboration and how organisations share their remarkable stories with new audiences.”
Heritage organisations interested in participating in the co-design process or beta testing can express their interest by emailing Goose’s Innovation Lead, Carol Jones: [email protected]
