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CASE STUDIES
Clients: innovation and lasting value.
We partner with cultural organisations, communities, funding bodies and educational institutions to understand audiences, shape strategy and create meaningful impact.
200+
Projects delivered
143
Arts Council England funded organisations
31
National Lottery Heritage Fund projects
19
National Portfolio Organisations
14
Higher and Further Education Institutions
Recent commissions
Audience research
National Maritime Museum, London
Increasing access through community engagement and audience insight.
Community engagement research fed into the content and design of the landmark ‘Our Connection to Water’ exhibition, supporting the museum to reach and reflect the diversity of its local communities.
100,000+
visitors to the exhibition
18%
increase in visitors from diverse communities
Strategy and evaluation
The Culture Trust, Luton
Evidence-led evaluation across a multi-site cultural portfolio.
Delivered evaluation across four heritage and cultural sites, synthesising consultation, stakeholder engagement and audience data to inform strategy and improve impact.
4
cultural sites evaluated
250+
stakeholders engaged
Participation and engagement
Pedestrian Arts, Leicester
Reviving local stories and inspiring new generations.
Supporting the delivery of Tell Tall Tales, a National Lottery Heritage Fund project uncovering and retelling local folklore through creative outputs and community activity.
1,200+
participants
8
school and library partners
Audience research
Using Audience Profiling, research and evaluation frameworks to reveal insights that inform confident decisions and reach the right people.
MoMA
Informing inclusive programme design through audience insight.
Our audience development research was recognised by MoMA and used to shape programme design, including their ongoing Arts and Activity initiative, supporting inclusive, intergenerational engagement.
15 years
since research informed programme design
Somerset Libraries
Audience profiling to strengthen community outreach.
We supported Somerset Libraries to identify target groups, tailor engagement strategies and increase library usage through more relevant, inclusive and effective programming and communication.
16
library branches supported
A Bit of A Do Festival
Inclusive audience development for a disability-led festival.
Leading audience development and marketing for A Bit of A Do in Croydon, creating inclusive strategies to reach diverse communities and increase engagement and attendance.
100%
disability-led festival
This is Croydon
Collated evidence of audience and community outreach for the Mayor of London’s Borough of Culture Croydon year.
Circus Factory Ireland
Developed an audience development strategy targeting new demographics, increasing engagement and accessibility
Strategy and planning
Strategic planning, business and cultural planning that aligns purpose, audiences and resources for sustainable growth.
HQI Foundation
Building stronger funding applications for lasting social impact.
Supporting HQI Foundation to develop clear, evidence-led funding applications that articulate social, cultural and community impact, strengthening future investment and programme development.
20
paid internships for young people
Bolton Contemporary
Creative participation that connects with older communities.
Supporting the development of community arts programmes designed to reduce isolation, encourage creativity and increase participation among older people through locally delivered cultural activities.
23
65+ participants
Exeter Street Parade
Strengthening community connections through audience insight.
Developing an audience insight and engagement strategy to deepen community participation, strengthen local partnerships and ensure the parade reflects the people, stories and identity of Exeter.
2000
anticipated visitors
Creative United
Ongoing advice on audience development to diversify reach and strengthen programme impact.
The Space
Audience profiling and strategy to enable targeted engagement and grow diverse audiences.
Participation and engagement
Designing and delivering inclusive participation programmes that empower communities and create meaningful opportunities.
Black Boys Choir
Building confidence through music and belonging.
Supported the development of a compelling funding application to establish a creative space where Black and South Asian boys could build confidence, wellbeing and community through high-quality musical experiences.
12
bursaries distributed
Aurora Orchestra
Designing accessible cultural experiences for D/deaf audiences.
Led community outreach and evaluation for an inclusive performance at Printworks, bringing deaf and hearing-impaired audiences into the creative process to shape a more accessible and meaningful cultural experience.
25
hearing impaired performances
Let’s Create and Reuse
In-school sustainable textiles workshops.
Supported the successful funding and delivery of a creative learning programme engaging children and young people across Coventry and Warwickshire through environmental arts, community partnerships and hands-on creative activities.
560
young participants
Muslim Artist Academy
Supported funding and growth, amplifying underrepresented voices and widening cultural access.
Blanket Fort Club
Secured funding for immersive theatre co-created with young children and those with complex needs.
International
Supporting cross-border collaboration, cultural exchange and international funding for creative programmes.
British Council
Building stronger funding applications for lasting social impact.
Supporting HQI Foundation to develop clear, evidence-led funding applications that articulate social, cultural and community impact, strengthening future investment and programme development.
International cultural partnerships
InDance International, Barcelona
Creative participation that connects with older communities.
Supporting the development of community arts programmes designed to reduce isolation, encourage creativity and increase participation among older people through locally delivered cultural activities.
3-country collaboration
Mathare Foundation, Kenya
Strengthening community connections through audience insight.
Developing an audience insight and engagement strategy to deepen community participation, strengthen local partnerships and ensure the parade reflects the people, stories and identity of Exeter.
UK–Kenya creative exchange
Circus Factory Ireland
Audience development strategy to increase engagement and accessibility within the circus arts sector.
Art Meets Culture
Invited to speak about securing funding and navigating the international arts funding landscape.
Black Country Touring
Audience behaviour research across local touring locations
We partnered with Black Country Touring to build the first behavioural evidence base for audience participation across their network; informing programming, marketing and long-term engagement strategy.
Arts council england funded | 2026
12
Locations across Smethwick and the Black Country
2,842
Audience responses captured in real time
Stronger connections
With communities and more effective touring delivery
THE BRIEF
Black Country Touring needed deeper insight into how diverse audiences engage with touring performances across different communities, to support strategic decision-making and future growth.
The outcome
We created the first behavioural evidence base for touring audiences across the network, providing clear insight into participation patterns, barriers and opportunities. This enabled more confident strategic planning, stronger community connections and more effective touring delivery.
HOW WE WORKED
Designed bespoke audience surveys
Adapted for the realities of touring environments across multiple venues.
Captured real-time data
On audience behaviour, motivations and decision-making.
Analysed participation patterns
Across different locations and communities to identify trends and variations.
Applied psycho-segmentation frameworks
To uncover audience mindsets and opportunities for growth.
Translated insight into action
Developed a clear, actionable engagement strategy tailored to their touring context.
Key deliverables
- Robust evidence base grounded in real audience behaviour
- Clear insight into participation patterns across touring locations
- Identification of key barriers and opportunities for audience growth
- Strategic framework to guide programming, marketing and engagement
CLIENT REFLECTION
“Sandbox provided us with the clarity and evidence we needed to make confident decisions about our future. Their insight has been invaluable“.
– Black Country Touring team
SERVICES
Audience Research
Behavioural Insight
Strategy Development
TEAM
4 Sandbox consultants
DURATION
6 months
Education and mentoring
Building skills, confidence and pathways for the next generation of creatives and cultural professionals.
BIMM
Supporting students to market their work and navigate the creative industries.
Norwich University of the Arts
Workahops and managed research projects on audience understanding and cultural engagement.
ual
Mentorship and internship opportunities to support students entering the creative industries.
Artquest
Workahops and one-to-one sessions on audience development for the visual arts sector.
We Restart
Workshop for recent refugees on accessing Arts Council England’s Develop Your Creative Practice grant.
Creative Access
Mentorship and internship opportunities to support young people into the creative industries.
Arts Emergency
Mentoring young people to launch careers in the creative industries.
Tamworth Castle
Behaviour-led evaluation and audience insight for future investment
We partnered with Tamworth Castle to develop a robust behavioural research and evaluation framework; generating evidence of participation, impact and cultural value to support future strategy and an Arts Council England Unlocking Collections bid.
Arts council england funded | 2026
18,000+
Visitors engaged across the evaluation period
Robust evidence base
Demonstrating participation, impact and cultural value
Stronger investment decisions
Supporting future strategy and funding applications
THE BRIEF
Tamworth Castle required robust behaviour-led research and evaluation to better understand participation, demonstrate impact and inform future strategic planning in support of an Arts Council England Unlocking Collections bid.
The outcome
Created a comprehensive behavioural evidence base that revealed how audiences engage with the castle, the factors shaping participation and the long-term cultural value generated through engagement activities.
HOW WE WORKED
Designed a bespoke evaluation framework
Tailored to Tamworth Castle’s audiences, activities and Arts Council England funding requirements.
Captured participation and audience insight
Through behaviourally-informed surveys, in-venue research and audience feedback.
Explored motivations and barriers
Identifying what encouraged participation, what created friction and how audiences experienced the programme.
Gathered deeper qualitative evidence
Using dialogue-led engagement methods to understand meaning, value and audience experiences.
Applied behavioural analysis
Interpreting participation patterns, audience journeys and cultural impact beyond attendance figures alone.
Produced funding-ready evaluation evidence
Delivering clear reporting, strategic recommendations and evidence aligned with Arts Council England and Heritage Fund expectations.
Key deliverables
- Audience Evaluation Report
- Participation and Impact Analysis
- Behavioural Audience Insights
- Strategic Recommendations Framework
CLIENT REFLECTION
“Tamworth Castle gained a deeper understanding of how audiences engage, participate and derive value from cultural experiences, enabling more confident decision-making, stronger funding applications and more effective long-term planning.“
– Tamworth Castle team
SERVICES
Audience Research
Behavioural Insight
Strategy Development
TEAM
2 Sandbox consultants
DURATION
4 months
Funding and grants
Relationships with funding bodies and a proven track record of securing support across the arts, culture and heritage sectors.
Contributing to ACE strategy and independent review.
We help identify heritage value, engage diverse communities and demonstrate impact and legacy.
Helping community-led ideas thrive.
We help evidence artistic quality, diversity and long-term benefit for music creators.
Supporting international collaboration and cultural exchange.
Securing Erasmus+ funding for cross-border creative exchange and education projects.
FREE CONsultation
Book a 30-minute
consultation
A strategic conversation about your project, challenge or opportunity.
A strategic conversation
Speak directly with Disconnected Bodies Founder Pablo Colella about your project, challenge or opportunity.
No obligation, just focused, practical advice informed by two decades of research and practice in audience behaviour, evaluation and cultural strategy.
What happens next?
Choose a convenient time and we’ll explore your project, discuss possible approaches and answer any questions about our research, evaluation or strategic planning services.
TELEPHONE
020 3633 7617
Trusted by the cultural sector
Supporting cultural engagement across 200+ organisations, projects and partners
We build long-term partnerships grounded in trust, insight and shared ambition; working with organisations across the UK and internationally to deliver meaningful cultural impact and value.
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