The international cultural centre Caisa

1. Alexandra Meincke, Melania Messina, Jennifer Egolf, Anastasia Gavrilova, Karyn Castillo, Miryam Rodriguez , 17.04.2012 The international culturalcentreCaisa

2. Caisa • Mission: “ supportthedevelopmentof a diversifiedcitybypromotinginteractionbetweenpeoplefrom different countries, encouragingtheindependent original practiceofnewethnicminoritycultureswhilstintegratingtheminto a finnishsocietyandgiving out information on Finland“ (CAISA, Aboutus). • Focus: MULTICULTURALISM and INTEGRATION

3. Howdotheyachieve the aims in their mission? • CAISA organises exhibitions, concerts, seminars, workshops (CAISA, About us) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52F2LpqF83o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtmxOEj7X2k • CAISA runs infopankki.fi (information for immigrants in 15 different languages) http://www.infopankki.fi/en-GB/home/(CAISA, About us) • CAISA rents out its venues to different organisations(CAISA, About us) • Highlight of the programme: OURVISION song contest http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PsZ6eVsPZ • Q

4. Customergroups and stakeholders • Citizenships granted according to country of previous citizenship 2009 - 2010 Naturalized foreigners and foreigners by age structure 2010 Official Statistics of Finland (OSF) • Stakeholders include the City of Helsinki Cultural Office, citizens of Helsinki, local businesses, tourists, artists, employees

5. Marketing Strategy • ”Supports the development of a multicultural city by promoting interaction between people from different countries and encouraging multicultural groups and minorities to practice cultural activities” (Annual Report, 2008 City of Helsinki Cultural Office); • Specialisation – multi-culturalism; • Co-creativerelationswithcustomers; • Culturalgroupsapproach; • Marketing strategy aims to providevariety and consistency; • Marketing strategy is specialised at foreigners. ButhowaboutFinns?

6. What are the consumer needs? I FOREIGNERS: • Need for integration • Learning Finnish/ Swedish • Job guidance • ‘Life’ arrangements: accommodation, day-care, healthcare etc. • Being taught local traditions • Made to feel accepted into Finnish society (2) Need for sense of community • Practice own language • Meet people of the same culture/country • Practice and share own culture/ traditions • Made to feel safe and comfortable in a foreign country • Shared interests • Shared creative experiences

7. What are the consumer needs? II NATIVES: • Integration/ Mixing • Interested in maintaining traditions • Interested in learning about other cultures NEEDED OF THEM: pro-active actors of integrating foreigners (passive acceptance versus cultural exchange) (2) Sense of community • Common interest/ cultural exchange as a change in routine • Experience of something new • Shared creative experiences • Interest in culture and creative activities • New networks and social opportunities NEEDED OF THEM: Willingness to cooperate with non-natives in social and professional life

8. Conclusion of ‘Who is CAISA’s audience?’: How can two different groups of an audience with varying needs be offered and find a common ground for exchange, learning and integration? >>> At Caisa?

9. What is the audience management strategy ? • Segmentation along cultural lines to approach audiences as cultural groups. • Practices & Relationships: Culture and Community perspective • By cultivating segments, they turn visitors into fans, and audience members into recruiters. If a strong community is built, Caisa‘s strategy is successful.

10. Audience management continued… • Manage audiences via marketing mix of visual culture (brand images), youtube links of performances, cultural events, contests, exhibitions, and seminars. • Display social and cultural encounters, encourage audiences to engage in encounters. • Caisa cafe encourages social bonding. Customer-to-customer relationships. • These bonding agents provide variety, consistency, and cohesion.

11. Critique of audience management strategy… • PerhapsimmigrantsaremorecateredtothanFinns. • Thiscouldhave an insular effect, where a smallsegmentreallyonlyutilizesthespace. • Caisa‘smost prominent partnersare English languagenewspapers Helsinki Times, SixDegrees • Theirtargetaudienceismainlyconstitutedbyimmigrants.

12. Ourexperiences as Caisavisitors and foreigners: • Location: Though the location is central, it is notreallyvisible. • Signagealsolacksvisibility

13. Our experiences as Caisa visitors and foreigners...: • Staff were not readily available: despite its mission to ’integrate’, employees did not seem enthusiastic about giving out information when approched • Inefficient use of space: in between exhibitions Caisa is empty and uninviting.

14. Our Suggestions: • Youtube • Facebook http://fi-fi.facebook.com/caisa.kulttuurikeskus • Increaseuse of English • Creatinglinkswithuniversitystudents- • Linkwithvariousstudentassociations to co-createvaluebetween the associations. • Helsinki WelcomeWeeks • Increaseexposure in touristbrochures

15. Conclusion • Caisa must increase its visibility amongst itsdesired target audience (i.e. Finns and immigrants): • Improve its physical signage • Increase efforts to attract Finns • Make better use of itsFacebook and YouTube channels to interact with users • Improve its website so that all information is in both English and Finnish

16. Questions?...

17. References • City of Helsinki. City of Helsinki Urban Facts. Review of Arts and Culture in Helsinki. Ed. SiniAskelo and TimoÄikäs. Helsinki: City of Helsinki, 2008. Print. • www.infopankki.fi • http://www.caisa.fi/esittely • Official Statistics of Finland (OSF) http://www.stat.fi/meta/svt/index_en.html