Presented as part of the Platforma Festival (October 2025) produced by Counterpoints Arts, the online event “Grow Your Digital Reach” featured contributions from Samia Malik and Nicola Barratt from Arts Council England’s Digital Culture Network.
Samia Malik is British Pakistani singer songwriter artist activist producer teacher based in Norwich. She recently won a Digital Culture Network Award ‘for her dedication to exploring new digital platforms to engage fresh audiences’ with spectacular and transformative results.
Nicola Barratt is Social Media Tech Champion for the Digital Culture Network which offers free digital skills advice and training to artists, creatives and anyone working with or for a creative or cultural organisation in England. Their digital experts – Tech Champions – can help you learn new skills, fix problems, or grow your audience through areas such as social media, websites, ticketing, data capture and analysis, and improving the accessibility of your online content.
At the online event Samia shared details of her latest ACE funded project ‘Azaadi – A Journey To Freedom’ which has a significant and ambitious digital access focus and discuss practical achievable ways in which freelancers can grow their digital reach.
She explained that the project explores her journey as a survivor of domestic violence and an artist from a Pakistani Muslim immigrant background. “My focus is to create art that heals and empowers,” she said.
The Azaadi project will feature four seasons of online concerts and albums, some of which will be remastered, premiering videos with archive footage and personal narratives behind each song. This narrative will also explore themes of identity, race, and gender, aiming to build an online community.
Transition to Digital and Audience Reach
Samia detailed her pivot to digital work during the pandemic, including building a home studio and learning music production to deliver their work online. An initial goal of reaching 400,000 people digitally online was far exceeded, with 2.5 million reached by the end of a six-month project. “This experience demonstrated the immense potential of online platforms to reach much larger audiences compared to traditional in-person concerts or festivals,” Samia said.
Digital Legacy and Community Connection
Samia emphasized her decision to focus on creating a digital legacy for their work, allowing it to be accessed from anywhere in the world, particularly after the passing of a dear friend and collaborator. She also discussed how their work acts as a mirror for marginalized communities, such as Asian women in women’s centers, by using familiar languages and cultural forms. For predominantly rural or white audiences, their art serves as a bridge, exploring common humanity rather than differences.
Platform Focus and Marketing Strategy
Samia explained that her strategy was to focus on YouTube, based on research showing that most of their target audience, particularly in women’s centers, accesses digital content there. “I am also building an email newsletter list,” she continued “which I consider a space for direct connection with my audience.”
Advertising Effectiveness and Engagement Metrics
Samia shared impressive results from her digital advertising campaigns, including a small Meta ad campaign (across Instagram and Facebook) that reached over 2 million people and achieved high click-through rates (CTR) in India, Pakistan, and England. A subsequent YouTube ad achieved even higher CTRs, with over 50% in India and England, and over 80% in Pakistan. They explained that these ads are primarily aimed at building awareness and engagement, with subsequent goals of encouraging YouTube subscriptions and newsletter sign-ups.
Recommendations for Artists
Samia’s recommendations for other artists included:
-Using small, targeted ads (as little as one pound a day) to break out of echo chambers.
-Spending time creating one high-quality ad can be more time-efficient than constant social media engagement.
-Building and nurturing email lists, as these offer a direct and owned connection to the audience.
Digital Culture Network Services
Nicola Barratt introduced the Digital Culture Network, an Arts Council England-funded program aimed at developing digital skills in the arts and cultural sector in England. They offer free and unlimited one-to-one support to individuals and organizations, along with online resources like articles, webinars, and events. Nicola specialises in social media, assisting with strategy, engagement, technical issues, and advertising.
Support Eligibility and Process
Nicola clarified that eligibility for Digital Culture Network support does not require prior Arts Council funding; applicants need to be based in or delivering work in England within an Arts Council-supported art form. The process involves filling out an online form, which is then directed to the appropriate tech champion, who schedules a meeting. While social media support might have a two-week to one-month waiting period, other specialisms often have immediate availability.
Collaborative Approach and Strategic Planning
Nicola highlighted the benefits of Samia Malik’s long-term strategic planning, focusing on future live-streamed shows and building a wider audience. This longer time frame allows for a more holistic approach to digital engagement, moving beyond just sales to focus on building awareness and long-term audience connections.
Image credit: Fiona Dale
