Evaluation of the Cultural Pathfinder Programme in Scotland Evaluation of the Cultural Pathfinder Programme in Scotland Programme Pathfinder Cultural the of Evaluation ISSN 0950 2254 ISBN 978-0-7559-7535-8 ISBN 978 0 7559 7535 8 Price £5.00 www.scotland.gov.uk/socialresearch The text pages of this document are produced from 100% Elemental Chlorine-Free material. 9 780755 975358 The paper carries the Nordic Ecolabel for low emissions during Culture Art and production, and is 100% recyclable. RR Donnelley B60717 05/09 EVALUATION OF THE CULTURAL PATHFINDER PROGRAMME IN SCOTLAND EKOS Scottish Government Social Research 2009 Further copies of this report can be obtained from: Scottish Government Social Research rd 3 Floor West Rear St Andrew’s House Regent Road EDINBURGH EH1 3DG Tel: 0131 244 7560 Fax: 0131 244 5393 Email: [email protected] Website: www.scotland.gov.uk/socialresearch The views expressed in this report are those of the researcher and do not necessarily represent those of the Scottish Government or Scottish Ministers. © Crown Copyright 2009 Limited extracts from the text may be produced provided the source is acknowledged. For more extensive reproduction, please contact the Queens Printers of Scotland, Admail, ADM 4058, Edinburgh EH1 1NG. Email: [email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS i ABBREVIATIONS ii LIST OF TABLES ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY v 1 INTRODUCTION 1 Background 1 Study Aims 1 Study Method 1 Structure of Report 5 2 THE CULTURAL PATHFINDER PROGRAMME 7 Introduction 7 Policy Context 7 Programme Description 9 Pathfinder Projects 12 3 PATHFINDER PROJECTS – AN OVERVIEW 15 Introduction 15 Aims and Objectives 15 Project Approaches 17 Summary 20 4 ACHIEVEMENTS AND IMPACTS 21 Introduction 21 Participation and Engagement 22 Local Authority Cross-Service and Collaborative Working 32 Interface with Community Planning 37 Impacts on the Cultural Sector 44 5 ADDITIONALITY, SUSTAINABILITY AND LEGACIES 45 Introduction 45 Additionality 45 Innovation 47 Sustainability and Legacies 48 6 EVALUATION AND LEARNING 51 Introduction 51 Project Evaluation 51 Creative Evaluation Processes 53 Pathfinder Learning Collaborative 54 7 PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT AND PROCESSES 56 8 CONCLUSIONS AND KEY LESSONS 57 Introduction 57 Conclusions 57 Overall Assessment 61 Wider Issues and Implications 61 Key Lessons 64 i APPENDICES 69 Appendix 1: Project case studies 69 Appendix 2: Interview Topic Guides 275 Appendix 3: List of Organisations Consulte 287 ABBREVIATIONS BME Black and Minority Ethnic Groups CPP Community Planning Partnership CSG Culture and Sport Glasgow HMIE HM Inspectorate of Education LCPP (Glasgow) Local Community Planning Partnership LGBT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender groups LRP (Perth and Kinross) Local Regeneration Partnership NTS National Theatre of Scotland SLP Scotland’s Learning Partnership SOA Single Outcome Agreement LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1 Pathfinder projects Table 2.2 Programme funding (£) Table 4.1 Participant groups Table 5.1 Project additionality ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The evaluation team would like to express thanks to all of the individuals and organisations that took time out of their schedules to contribute views, opinions and data throughout the study process. In particular, we are grateful to the Pathfinder project managers that contributed essential data and progress reports throughout the study, and provided useful feedback on emerging findings. Thanks are also due to staff in the Culture Division of the Culture, External Affairs and Tourism Directorate of the Scottish Government for invaluable input throughout the evaluation process. Julie Carr, Bob King, Janet Ruiz and Angela Saunders all played key roles in facilitating access to documents, data and other essential information and in providing feedback and clarification on many specific issues. Finally, we are grateful to the members of the Research Advisory Group for their guidance and input throughout the study, and for valuable feedback on draft reports. iii iv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Cultural Pathfinder Programme in Scotland was developed by the then Scottish Executive (now Scottish Government) as a way of supporting local authorities and their partners to explore ways of widening access to, and participation in, cultural activities across diverse communities. The Programme supported 13 projects across Scotland and was intended to generate useful learning that could be shared across the local authority, Community Planning Partnership and cultural sectors to inform future planning and delivery. In order to help capture this learning, the Scottish Government commissioned EKOS to conduct an independent evaluation of the Programme, focussed on strategic assessment of its impacts and of the lessons that could be applied to future planning processes. Main findings • The Programme supported a very diverse range of projects across Scotland, and explored a range of different methods for engaging communities in articulating their aspirations for culture and translating these into future planning activities. • In total, it was estimated that the projects reached up to 1% of Scotland’s population (or in excess of 50,000 people1), gathering valuable information and feedback about community aspirations for culture. In particular, the Programme engaged a range of groups known to be under-represented in cultural participation. • Projects developed and tested a wide-range of community consultation methods, and provided clear demonstration of the potential of well-designed and facilitated creative processes to allow people from often marginalised groups to express their views. • The extent to which the projects achieved a significant and sustainable influence on local planning activities was variable, although those projects that succeeded in this respect typically did so through strong strategic intent, effective and senior level support and committed project management. • The success of projects in engaging wider partners and Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) in planning for cultural provision was variable, with some notable and significant achievements in areas such as Fife, the Western Isles, Perth and Kinross and Edinburgh. In these projects, the role of structures (existing or new) was important, as was the degree of commitment and senior level support. • The quality and extent of evaluation at a project-level was inconsistent, despite the support provided by the Scottish Government through the Pathfinder Evaluation Toolkit and guidance and advice from analytical staff. There is room for improvement here, particularly if the cultural sector is to be able to 1 This is an estimate based on data supplied by projects and does involve some assumptions about the likely numbers of participants where imprecise information was supplied. v demonstrate its wider role to CPPs and articulate its potential contribution in the context of Single Outcome Agreements (SOAs). • The Programme highlighted issues with varying levels of priority attached to culture in local authorities and CPPs, and demonstrated clearly that one size will not fit all. Successful cross-partner – and cross-service – planning for culture must be developed in line with local circumstances and priorities. Introduction This summary outlines the key findings of an independent evaluation of the Cultural Pathfinder Programme in Scotland. The Programme was developed and managed by the, then Scottish Executive (now Scottish Government), and provided funding to local authorities and CPPs to enable them to explore new ways of encouraging participation in cultural activities and to inform or influence planning processes. The Programme had three broad aims: • encourage participation in cultural activities amongst under-represented groups; • develop effective means of community consultation to inform the development of plans for cultural provision; and • explore planning methods for cultural provision and develop partnerships and links to Community Planning processes. 13 projects were funded, of which 12 were managed by local authorities. One was managed by Scotland’s Learning Partnership (SLP) and 21 local authorities were involved due to cross-authority working in the following projects - SLP, Aberdeen City /Aberdeenshire and Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde. The projects varied considerably in terms of their ambition, scale and approach. While some targeted widespread consultation to gather information about community needs and aspirations for cultural provision, others adopted more practical programmes of cultural participation and engagement. All aspired to engage CPPs and promote the value of culture within a wider planning context. In line with the Programme’s intention to produce useful learning, projects were required to submit an evaluation plan and interim and final reports to the Scottish Government to account for their achievements and impacts. Aims of the evaluation The key objectives of this evaluation were to: • conduct a case study analysis of each project; • examine the processes supporting the Programme; vi • analyse the final outputs and outcomes of the Programme; • highlight general lessons and good practice; • assess the additionality of the Programme; and • provide a view on the legacies of the Programme. Throughout, the main focus of the evaluation was on identifying useful learning to inform and enhance future policy and practice. Study method The study method combined a desk-based review of the information supplied by