Fifty years on and Birmingham’s MAC arts centre has just had a makeover (it’s had a few along the way) and turned itself from the City’s favourite cultural hangout, to one its smartest. 

Not that this has diminished its passion for actively welcoming people who think the arts are not for them. 

Director Dorothy Wilson says it’s in MAC’s DNA to engage and encourage people ‘to take their own creative journey, to have their own voice’.

At Jolt 11, Dorothy electrified symposium delegates with her radical approach to audience engagement. Throw out your own pre-conceptions she said, surround yourself with the people you want, show them what you do. Above all, listen to them and trust their judgement. Audiences aren't an add-on. They are at the heart of what you do.

‘Don't tell people why we’re good – find out what we are doing wrong, and what we could do better,’ she says.

Listen to the audio-boo of Dorothy interviewed by Caron-Jane Lyon at Jolt for more insights: listen to ‘@deejay3 - Dorothy Wilson’ on Audioboo.

And read the full report (JOLT Dorothy Wilson Know Your Neighbours) packed with practical ideas.