A co-design approach to enable dance theatre companies in South Africa to communicate with diverse audiences

Contemporary dance theatre companies often lack the in-house knowledge to design effective marketing materials and visual communication design materials. This research asks the question: In what ways can dance theatre companies in South Africa be assisted in developing effective marketing and visual communication design materials?The research methodology is qualitative and informed by design thinking and co-design, providing an understanding of the real-world nature of the problem. Throughout the data gathering and analysis phases and moving towards finding possible solutions, the design thinking approach engaged the researcher and stakeholders in a problem-solving and innovation mindset. Co-design fostered a collaborative approach to the research, empowering stakeholders to participate actively in an iterative design process.The findings confirmed the challenges facing dance theatre companies in South Africa and the lack of in-house knowledge to design effective marketing materials. Co-design was used to develop a prototype digital app. This human-centred design intervention is designed to simplify the complex task of designing marketing materials for dance theatre companies.