HOTA Solving Communication Challenges

HOTA, Home of the Arts is the cultural precinct on the Gold Coast. Set in 17 hectares of parkland, on 8 May 2021, they launched Australia’s largest public gallery outside a capital city to complement their theatre and outdoor stage spaces. Spanning six levels, including over 2,000sqm of AAA rated, international standard exhibition space, the Gallery is also home to a rooftop bar, fine dining restaurant and a new retail store.

With so much growth and expansion in a short space of time and becoming a precinct operating over multiple venues and spaces, HOTA needed to streamline its connectivity and communication across the workforce.

HOTA were already an Artifax user, successfully managing their venues and spaces but decided to expand their use of the software to solve some of the new communication challenges.

A particular challenge for HOTA was the expansion of loading docks from three to seven – and the expansion from one to two security offices, managed by the City of Gold Coast. To overcome any friction in operations, with numerous internal and external stakeholders, the challenge was to communicate information about visitors and vehicles on site with the security team to ensure a seamless experience for visitors.

Using Artifax Web Forms, HOTA asked its workforce to complete relevant visitor information directly into the web based forms, from which daily reports are generated for the security team. Now, for the first time in 30 years the security team staff have a daily automated document that gives them relevant and timely information – critically, who is authorised to be on site, the purpose of their visit, what access they require and their HOTA contact. Passes are now prepped the night before, and contractors are welcomed and provided access almost immediately.

With HOTA managing multiple spaces with a diverse program ranging from film screenings, live performances, workshops, exhibitions and large-scale concerts, Artifax Web Forms also created an opportunity to streamline reporting. With the front-line team having easy access to the forms on the ground, they’re able to provide updates in real time that are stored and automated for delivery the next morning. Delivered as a consolidated set of reports straight to their inbox, the executive, senior management, and planning teams have an operational overview the next morning that identifies any immediate issues for resolution.

Artifax is a venue and event management software that is in use by hundreds of organisations worldwide (including theatres, arts centres, galleries, museums, production companies, festivals and councils). It is designed to meet the specialised needs of people who manage and deliver complex events to a high standard, where it’s crucial to have all the key information to hand in one place.

HOTA is a contemporary cultural precinct on the Gold Coast that has been undergoing a transformation as part of the City of Gold Coast Councils Cultural Precinct Master Plan. HOTA hosts a year-round program of live performances, workshops and events in its theatres, event spaces and on its award-winning Outdoor Stage.