This is VERY LONG! It's about looking how
Landscape Artist of the Year
(LAOTY) might change to provide
- a much more satisfactory experience for all the artists who participate in it and
- deliver a much better programme to all those who watch it
- those who would participate - BUT for the formulaic way it works at the moment where artists are constrained from the outset by the pods
- those who create art and like watching - but have become more and more disappointed over the years
- Context: Another perspective or four - about other matters which are relevant to a rethink of LAOTY - or the development of competition by another production company.
- Scope for Solutions? Looking at the broad context of what change needs to address in terms of weaknesses in the programme
- Structure of the Programme
- Calibre of Artist - Who's the REAL TALENT?
- Wildcards
- Location, Location, Location
- Judges
- Presenters
Context: Another perspective or four
Landscape Artist of the Year: Time for a Refresh? highlights many of the issues which, in the opinion of me and rather a lot of other people - need to be changed
Since writing it, four more things have come to my attention which were not "front of brain" when I wrote the first post
Plein Air Art
- The first is that somebody reminded me about the practice in the US of having competitive plein air painting paintouts all over the country. This is normal and routine.
- In the UK in the last decade, more and more groups have got together to do something similar - albeit only a few are competitive.
- My blog post Capturing the Moment - plein air paint out in St James's Park is an example of one such plein air painting group which I was invited to attend.
- Plus Urban Sketchers Groups which have developed all over the country in the last decade are the natural audience for overtures for people to participate
- For the record I was one of the Founders of Urban Sketchers London back in 2012 and I set up the Facebook Page for Urban Sketchers UK - Events where you can find out about upcoming events. There are now huge numbers of urban sketchers in the UK. (Minus me - I gave up when I tore the meniscus in my left knee which made mobilising totally about staying on my feet and very much limited my ability to carry anything. that then led on to the bone on bone ankle, then surgery etc etc)
Television and Broadcasting / Streaming
- The second was I listened to expert commentary about how much broadcast television has changed in recent years and then went off and looked at the data revealed in e.g. Media Nations 2023: Latest UK viewing and listening trends
- steep declines in watching broadcast TV - use of video on demand increases
- recent decline in older people watching is the steepest ever
older viewers are diversifying their viewing and becoming more likely to take up streaming services
- a steep decline in the number of programmes attracting ‘mass audiences’.
- huge increase in interest in commercial radio and podcasts
- there's more competition than ever for eyes and ears!
- The third highlighted something which really reinforced my thinking that the current format was well over due for a radical change. I listened to an episode of "The Rest is Entertainment" podcast ("The Oscars, Ozempic and Wonka" on my daily walk.
- The very experienced and incredibly well informed 'telly person' Richard Osman (who used to be creative director of the television production company Endemol UK), discussed how much and how fast television programmes have changed in recent years - from pitch to putting a team together to broadcasting. In particular, I learned how programmes get made and how things have changed massively in the last few years - and how agile some of the new programme makers are at conceiving, making and monetising their output.
- A lot of this is due to the fact there are many more small companies are involved in delivering programmes for both broadcast and streaming media - and certain channels who are much more tuned into delivering decisions fast. Bottom line, they know what people like and what appeals and are fast and nimble on their feet and speedy with their delivery timelines.
- If you want an analogy - it's rather similar to how artists went from thinking art as being something that was sold in galleries to realising they can sell for themselves online - and ditching the too heavily corporate model. It connects the artist and the consumer much more directly.
- The fourth thing was I had a very big think about other similar programmes - operating in different fields of endeavour - and what made them successful. I'll reference this further in the Judges and Presenters section.
Context: What has changed radically in last 10 years
- Other models of delivering competition in plein air art are already well established elsewhere and are developing in the UK
- the broadcasting industry has changed radically in the last 10 years
- development and speed of delivery of television programmes has changed radically in the last 10 years (i.e. lifetime of LAOTY)
- as a result trends on what people watch have changed radically in the last 10 years - with a major change from broadcast on a regular day / regular time to much increased consumption of streaming - even by older people. Niche interests are now catered for.
- television formats for today need to be based on what is possible - and what connects with the potential audience - rather than what was thought a good idea 10 years ago
Scope for Solutions?
as the quality of the programme deteriorates, the quality of those applying does likewise which is then reflected in the pods etc etc etc. they are on a downward spiral.