The Barbican asks “how do you feel?”

The “Sentiment Search Tool” has been developed by digital consultancy The Product Factory. It lets visitors to the Barbican website choose a particular feeling, then suggests an event or show based on that feeling.

For example, if you’re feeling “Quiet” it suggests visiting Constructing Worlds: Photography and Architecture in the Modern Age, and if you’re feeling “joyful” it suggests a screening of Björk’s Biophilia Live film or a performance of Handel’s Messiah.

The “sentiment” words are all pulled from social media about the different events, which means a database is formed about audience reaction to particular events.

Ryan Nelson, digital marketing manager at Barbican, says: “As a cross-arts venue with an extensive and often overwhelming programme of events, the Barbican is constantly searching for new ways to enhance audience interaction and to encourage guests to try something new.”

The project is funded by IC tomorrow, the digital arm of innovation agency UK, and was the winner of a challenge in which startups were tasked with creating a way for audiences to explore the Barbican programme in a non-linear way.

It will be trialled for three months and the Barbican says it could then become part of its main website.