Illuminate is an audience data platform and was launched in 2023. It is described as a free tool to help organisations gather and analyse data on their audiences and participants.
As first reported exclusively by Arts Professional news editor Neil Puffett, in a bid to share insights around ACE-funded events through the Illuminate platform, dashboards were created featuring 2023/24 data.
These dashboards would allow users to analyse the data, and among the filters available was ‘ticket type’. This created a dropdown list featuring the names of individual cultural organisations. This had then allowed users to view ticket sales data.
In a statement to Arts Professional, ACE said the ticket type options were based on the names organisations had given to the different ticket types they offer, and that the sales information was published in error. The blunder affected 49 organisations out of more than 1,000, and the information was taken down by ACE earlier this week. Some of the organisations affected included English National Ballet, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
ACE has notified the affected organisations, and will review processes with Illuminate’s developers PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). The body added that no commercial financial data, such as profit made by different ticket type sales, was shared.
“Our Illuminate platform gathers data from cultural organisations to support analysis and audience development, while also allowing us to build a stronger understanding of, and case for, investment in our sector,” an Arts Council England spokesperson told Arts Professional.
“We are aware that a comparatively small amount of information, not intended for publication, was added to our newly launched audience data dashboards. We are sorry for this mistake and have worked quickly to review the dashboards, make swift changes, and have informed and apologised to the organisations this relates to.
“We encourage users to continue to provide feedback on Illuminate, as we’re dedicated to developing a platform that is the most useful for the sector – both in aggregating data, and interpreting it.”
ACE also removed data featured on the Illuminate dashboards relating to under-16s. The body added that while the system does not specifically ask for data relating to under-16s, if an organisation uploaded data already collected in this category then this was featured on the system and the dashboards.