The Social Impact of NSW Arts, Screen and Culture Programs

Final Report - April 2019

Deborah Stevenson, Sarah Barns, Jacqueline Clements, Cecelia Cmielewski, Phillip Mar The project team

Professor Deborah Stevenson Dr Sarah Barns Ms Jacqueline Clements Dr Cecelia Cmielewski Dr Phillip Mar

ISBN: 978-1-74108-488-7 DOI: 10.26183/5c871ae0c676c

Acknowledgements

The research team would like to acknowledge the co-operation and assistance of the Create NSW Strategy and Advocacy team in the preparation of this report.

Typesetting and layout: Dr Andrea Pollio

Cover image: Studio A BirdFoxMonster (2017). Photographer James Brown.

Referencing guide: Stevenson, D., Barns, S., Clements, J., Cmielewski, C. and Mar, P. (2019) The Social Impact of NSW Arts, Screen and Culture Programs. Western Sydney University.

This is an independent report produced by the Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University for Create NSW. The accuracy and content of the report are the sole responsibility of the project team and its views do not necessarily represent those of Create NSW.

2 Table of Contents

Executive Summary...... 4 Findings and Recommendations...... 8 1. Key domains of social impact...... 12 1.1 Introduction ...... 12 1.2 Health and wellbeing ...... 12 1.3 Community resilience and liveability ...... 21 1.4 Social inclusion ...... 23 1.5 Cultural identity ...... 23 2. Evaluations of Create NSW initiatives...... 25 2.1 Evaluated programs and types of evaluation ...... 25 2.2 Evaluation types and methodologies ...... 26 2.3 Key evaluations of NSW programs concerned with social impacts and their findings ...... 27 2.4 Summary of evaluated programs ...... 31 3. Case studies for social impacts...... 33 3.1 Case study selection ...... 33 3.2 The Case Studies ...... 38 Milk Crate Theatre ...... 38 Beyond Empathy ...... 42 Studio A ...... 45 Art Gallery of NSW: Art and Dementia and other access programs ...... 48 Arts OutWest ...... 52 Blacktown Arts ...... 55 CuriousWorks ...... 58 Bangarra Dance Theatre ...... 62 Conclusion...... 66 Bibliography...... 67 Appendices...... 71 Appendix A: Project Team ...... 71 Appendix B: List of Interviews ...... 74 Appendix C: Interview questions ...... 75 Appendix D: Understanding Social Impact ...... 76 Appendix E: Methodology and Program ...... 86 westernsydney.edu.au/ics 3 Executive Summary

Objectives of the research Scope of the research project NSW Aboriginal Arts and project Cultural Strategy which was Researchers from the Institute for designed to deliver 129 The purpose of the report is to Culture and Society undertook to initiatives to foster greater provide an analysis demonstrating deliver a report with the following opportunities to “participate the social benefits of arts and agreed outputs: in, share and strengthen their culture to the NSW community. culture through arts practice; This report was commissioned to and develop careers and 1. A summary and high-level assist Create NSW gain insights businesses in the arts and overview of the social impact of into the social impacts of arts, cultural sector” (Lois Randall selected programs delivered through screen and culture programs and Creative Consulting 2016: 10). Create NSW and the NSW cultural the role that arts and cultural institutions that have relevant policy can play in supporting evaluation reports and other data. programs that have positive social 2. An assessment of other notable The selected programs were: outcomes. It also considers the arts, screen and culture social valuable work currently being • Beyond Empathy and the impact initiatives in NSW and other done by Create NSW with respect film project, Rites of Passage jurisdictions. to social impact. directed by Phillip Crawford, Researchers undertook a which involved young people This study represents the first comprehensive literature from the Illawarra suburbs of attempt to take a broad view of review, summarised ways of Berkeley and Warrawong, two this important issue in the NSW understanding and measuring of the most disadvantaged arts, screen and culture sector social impact, gathered areas in New South Wales and thus should be seen as a information on arts, screen and (Vinson and Rawsthorne pilot study or starting point for culture initiatives with high levels 2015). understanding how the arts are of social impact, and identified mobilised to engage with social • Twelve arts and disability policy and funding models issues across this state. projects funded under designed to support and promote the NSW Arts and Disability these activities (as at Appendix E). Partnership between Create NSW and the NSW Department of Family and 3. Interviews with relevant arts Community Services, designed organisations and artists involved in to promote a culture of identified social impact programs inclusion in the arts and The research involved in-depth cultural sector for people with semi-structured interviews with a disability. representatives from: • The Art Gallery of NSW’s • nine arts organisations based Arts and Dementia initiative in NSW and funded through which involved a suite of Create NSW that are delivering access tours and educational programs with social impact programs for people with (interview questions are at dementia and their carers at Appendix C). the Gallery. For additional insights into the • Projects delivered under social impact of arts, screen Create NSW’s $3.8 million and cultural programs, these

4 Organisation Case study project Domain type

Art Gallery of NSW Arts and Dementia Arts Health and Well-being

Lachlan Health Service Culture and Arts Program; Arts and Community Resilience; Arts OutWest Aboriginal arts; Arts Health and Well-being Villages of the Heart.

Bangarra Dance Theatre Rekindling Arts and Cultural Identities

Maven; CCC Moree; Arts and Social Inclusion Beyond Empathy Sea of Bellies; Health and Well-being Rites of Passage. Blacktown Native Institution; Blacktown Arts Centre Stitching the sea; Arts and Community Resilience Danaher exhibition.

CuriousWorks outreach; CuriousWorks Curious Creators; Arts and Cultural Identities CuriousWorks Social Enterprise.

Headway; Milk Crate Theatre Arts and Social Inclusion Pathways.

Studio A artists; Studio A Studio A partnerships; Studio A Arts Health and Well-being brand.

Blak Box Urban Theatre Projects Arts and Community Resilience Right Here Right Now

Table 1. Case study organisations, projects and domain types

interviews were supplemented by understanding the ways in which a evaluative models include: background discussions with key social impact agenda can effectively • program outcomes people from: be organised): • expected return and cost • Regional Arts NSW, • Arts and Social Inclusion effectiveness Information and Cultural • Arts, Health and Wellbeing Exchange, and the Australia • systematic reviews (such as Council for the Arts. • Arts and Community literature reviews) Resilience • participatory and relationship- • Arts and Cultural Identities based methods 4. Nine case studies on the programs of the organisations • integrative approaches interviewed in 3 above. The cases The qualitative research also studies were selected across identified and analysed the variety four primary social impact of evaluation methods used by The evaluative models used in this domains (which are key ways of arts organisations. The types of report are summarised in Table westernsydney.edu.au/ics 5 3. The summary of the findings to the case study research were and cultural policy in Australia, using these methods with the in-depth interviews with key and the challenges that must case studied arts organisations personnel from each of the be addressed when operating are at Section 2.3 and Table 4 of selected organisations, which in different contexts and with this report. augmented the detailed desk different communities. and documentary research that was also undertaken. The case study organisations, projects and domain types are represented in Arts Organisations Case Studies Create NSW Table 1. and Sector Interviews With respect to Create NSW Taking an exploratory case study processes, the research found approach, this report provides that there is: both a snapshot of a cross- Overview of the research • a lack of consistent data on section of exciting initiatives, as findings social impact across all Create well as suggesting a productive NSW arts programs; framework for thinking about The research found that there social impact through the lenses is a continuum along which • no definition in Create NSW of Social Inclusion, Health and arts organisations engage with grant guidelines of what is Wellbeing, Community Resilience, social concerns and differences expected of clients to address and Cultural Identities. These four in the ways in which they ‘public or community and/or domains are condensed from track any outcomes. There social outcomes’. models developed by theorists, are organisations dedicated including Matarasso (see table to effecting social change 5 and discussion pp 30; 89-93) through art programs and which There have been evaluations of and are terms that have become consolidate data gathering as Create NSW-supported projects to familiar within the lexicon of the part of their program, exemplified measure social impact, however, arts, cultural policy makers and, by the organisation, Beyond these have been ad hoc and to an extent, the general public. Empathy (see pp. 48-50 below). Create NSW is yet to adopt a A familiar vocabulary increases An independent evaluation consistent or strategic approach the potential for traction and undertaken on behalf of Beyond to describing and assessing social recognition of the value of the arts Empathy found that a strong impact. To date the evaluations and culture to society. return on investment resulted have used a mix of methodologies from the film project,Rites of and vary in their robustness The case studies were selected Passage. Using a proxy figure and quality, and depend upon in consultation with Create of Rites of Passage’s social value the context of the program NSW following a review of calculated from measurements of and the data that is available. organisations and programs that the impacts, it was revealed that Some organisations or specific receive funding from Create NSW $1.94 million was generated from programs aspire to deliver social and which are working positively an investment of $632,823. impact, which is expressed in their with local communities in a range mission statement or program of ways and contexts. The majority, however, are ‘one- scope. This documentation may off projects’ that sit within an The case studies were not produce useful output data, but it organisation’s overall program intended to be exhaustive and nor limits strong outcomes or impact and tend to estimate outcomes should they be regarded as the data. It is important that Create at the completion of a program. only examples of ‘best practice’ NSW reconsiders the manner Building evaluation as part of the in this field. The organisations in which these programs are project development will increase considered are indicative of the being evaluated if it wishes more the validity of these evaluations. exciting and socially valuable effectively to showcase the social work being undertaken in NSW. The background discussions impact of projects. They provide insights into with Regional Arts NSW, ICE and programs at different scales the Australia Council provided of operation and in different both overview and invaluable Create NSW does not yet have parts of the state – rural, urban, insights into emerging policy an established approach or regional, inner city, and broader environments that are relevant mechanism for collecting data metropolitan. Some of the to supporting arts and cultural relating to social impact and organisations and programs programs calibrated to have does not require organisations have strong public profiles, positive social impact. The to identify specific social impact while others have emerged from discussions also explored the measures as part of their funding the priorities and concerns of place of a social agenda within agreements. Social impact particular communities. Central the broader framework of arts evaluation can be costly and

6 resource intensive, depending on environmental, social and provide a useful framework for its scale and complexity so Create urban challenges, including better capturing evidence of NSW may need to consider that it natural disasters and major their positive social outcomes will be necessary for organisations urban redevelopment and in a tangible way. It does, to procure specialists in this area. displacement. however, require investment in evaluation as part of the roll • An understanding of social out of a program, and not at its inclusion as a central concept conclusion. in, and goal of, socially The Report Content focused arts programs, with It is clear that more work is programs around the world needed to better capture and This report provides: being calibrated to support communicate the social benefits • An explanation of the ways in marginalised groups become and impacts of arts programs. which social impact has been active citizens. It is in this The report reinforces the need understood both in Australia context that the arts, as for policy to be underpinned by a and internationally, and an empowering tools through comprehensive understanding of examination of the strengths which to express and explore cultural value and the complexity and weaknesses of different identity, have proved valuable of the role the arts and cultural approaches. in supporting people from a practice play as mechanisms range of cultural backgrounds. for holding societies and • An assessment of key communities together. challenges which include the • A snapshot of the variety of need to: develop sophisticated programs Create NSW has and nuanced methodologies initiated and supported that and evaluative tools; collect are having demonstrable longitudinal data that provides benefits for communities, evidence of outcomes over including people with time; and ensure the starting disabilities, health challenges point for any study or and those who are socially evaluation is recognition of marginalised. the intrinsic value of the arts. • An important start in • Confirmation that evidence- developing a systematic gathering and analysis approach to understanding must be part of a broader the social impact of the arts in suite of resources, forms of NSW. explanation, and sources of • Recommendations (pages 12- data, including those that are 14) regarding how Create NSW qualitative. could improve evaluation • A comprehensive assessment systems, addressed under the of the key domains of social following headings: impact and relationships • Build capacity in social between them. Important research across the art here is health and wellbeing, and cultural sector which is perhaps the most fully developed use of the • Produce and promote arts to achieve social benefits. useable resources What is clear, is that the • Utilise existing data more evidence and approaches effectively to arts impacts in the health space can be understood as • Stimulate professional something of a continuum. development Initiatives range from using opportunities. the arts in healthcare settings to those that are focused From inspiring stories of resilience on health promotion and to improvements in quality of protection. life, the arts and cultural activities • Insights into the ways in which are supporting and enriching the the arts are used to help lives of people across the state. build community resilience For the arts sector, the range of in the face of considerable approaches detailed in this report westernsydney.edu.au/ics 7 Findings and Recommendations

The important contribution art Observations from the • There are a number of and culture can make to diverse Literature challenges that must to be aspects of social wellbeing are overcome in developing the recognised internationally, From an examination of the tools that will generate data including by bodies such social impact of the arts and that is simultaneously fine- as UNESCO. Australia led culture both in Australia and grained and robust. international interest in, and internationally, and drawing on • If the arts are to flourish, the debate over, the social impact the research team’s extensive aim of demonstrating their agenda in the mid 1990s and knowledge of the literature, it is ‘measurable’ beneficial social early 2000s. The support provided possible to make the following impact must be tempered through the programs and observations regarding key issues by an understanding of funding of Create NSW generates and best practice: the limitations of restricted a considerable amount of activity • Any consideration of the measurement tools and an in the four social impact domains value of the arts and culture acceptance of the importance across the state. must start with recognition of qualitative insights. Over the last decade, however, of their intrinsic qualities and • The challenges associated there has been relatively personal and highly subjective with producing robust limited adoption of new impact nature. Much of what is evidence of impact are assessment approaches and known regarding the social not unique to the arts many social impact studies impact of the arts is anecdotal but are common to many assert claims of impact in the and easily dismissed as interventions designed to absence of clear and consistent not sufficiently ‘hard’ data. produce beneficial change in methodologies. However, first-hand, individual complex community settings, experiences of arts and including in health and Understanding and assessing culture must be at the heart criminal justice. the social impacts of the arts is of any examination of cultural a complex endeavour, and no value and the social impact of • New models of evaluation one methodology is sufficient. the arts. have been developed to Social benefits resulting from address the unique nature • Culture is complex and the arts are the result of intricate of arts and culture, including unpredictable, and it is interconnections, incorporating notions of ‘cultural value’. critical that these qualities These models include theory- a diverse range of art forms are not undermined by based evaluations or ‘logic and experiences, which make it ‘one size fits all’ evaluation models’ that take context and difficult to isolate the effects of processes. There is no one ‘what works’ as analytically specific initiatives. method capable of capturing valid. the complexity of the social impacts of the arts and any • The concepts of ‘social attempt to create one is likely value’ and ‘social return on to be counterproductive. investment’ are also now used

8 OVERVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS

in the context of social impact • Support targeted partnerships identified by Matarasso (see analyses of the arts as a way between cultural agencies, table 5) such as personal of generating monetary values policy makers and universities development; community which serve as proxies for a to provide a context for empowerment and self- range of social impacts. longer-term research into key determination; local image areas of social benefit. and identity; and imagination • Recent progress in evaluation and vision. This matrix could methods has led to a • Adopt a whole-of-organisation assist in developing project better understanding and approach that foregrounds specific questions under the documentation of different social impact across the full domains involved in a project. forms of value, or benefit, range of initiatives including Targeted questions would generated by arts and culture. the intrinsic positive social form the basis of an adaptive These developments entail a outcomes that come from the evaluation model that tracks shift away from the language production of excellent art. ‘before’, ‘during’ and ‘after’ of ‘impact’, which can be hard to evidence and often detracts • Build partnerships focused scenarios, with artists, from culture’s more unique on socially beneficial arts and participants and audiences. qualities. cultural practice with other It is recommended that such agencies of government a matrix first be ‘road-tested’ including Health, Justice, with a range of Create NSW Education, and Family and client organisations to gauge Community Services. its usefulness. The following • Develop and publish a set of guidelines for social impact 2. Produce and promote useable recommendations evaluation to inform arts resources reflect areas for future organisations and policy • Establish and promote a makers about various investment by Create nuanced framework for models of evaluation design NSW: understanding social benefit and implementation. The and describing social impact. guidelines should aim to use Such a framework could evaluation as a development 1. Build capacity in social place organisations within a tool and not be an onerous research across the art and ‘primary’ social impact domain task. They should be tailored cultural sector that reflects their main to the different stages of an emphasis. arts project and focus on the • Undertake a more participant’s experience. comprehensive assessment of • Arts and Social Inclusion social benefits of the arts and • Facilitate evidence-gathering • Arts, Health and Wellbeing adopt a systematic approach through a research to supporting the arts in • Arts and Community program designed to reflect ways that achieve a range Resilience different stages of project development, the forms of of social, as well as creative, • Arts and Cultural Identities objectives. These aspects of participation and value it the arts should be reviewed at • Effective research parameters generates, and longer-term intervals that align with Create of such a framework would: outcomes. This approach to evaluation is resource NSW’s strategic planning. • be grounded in a detailed intensive but critical to • NSW arts organisations understanding of the producing robust evidence of appear to be poorly resourced context of actions in which value and benefit. Partnering to undertake social impact change is attempted. with social and cultural evaluations. We suggest • enable an understanding researchers will enable this Create NSW partners with of the relationship approach. social and cultural policy between a program’s researchers to independently • Several organisations intentions, processes and capture the conditions and (including the “Culture outcomes. outcomes of a project or Counts” platform developed intervention. This ‘expert • An alternative qualitative by the Western Australian research’ model is exemplified matrix could be developed Department for the Arts (DCA); in recent evaluations of that addresses the four the University of Technology Beyond Empathy and the Arts primary social domains Sydney (UTS); and Beyond and Disability Partnership detailed in this report and Empathy) have produced Projects. includes experiential aspects evaluation techniques for westernsydney.edu.au/ics 9 OVERVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Image 1. Merrigong Theatre Company The Man Who Dreamt the Stars (2014). Courtesy of Merrigong Theatre Company.

the arts. Beyond Empathy Also, there is considerable personnel (artists, has published online their information on social impacts participants, audiences), methods for utilising art in project acquittals that is not partnerships, networks, practices to achieve social readily accessible. This lack of employment, seeding benefit along with their data is an information gap and new programs, and approach to evaluating consideration should be given to infrastructure. those projects. Any of these addressing it, at least for future models could be promoted funded projects, particularly and adapted by other arts if social impact is to assume a 4. Stimulate professional organisations to assess the higher priority. development opportunities relevance and results of their • Identify or develop a common • Value and encourage the art projects and practices. The platform to share evaluation expertise of artists who work issue though is to utilise both processes and measurements across the social domains. quantitative and qualitative and enable comparison results that are appropriate to • Improve artistic professional and articulation of different the project, organisation and development pathways across impacts resulting from agreement with Create NSW the social domains. differing approaches within a as to reporting consistency. sector. Such a platform would • Link support to demonstrable also: social benefit that extends beyond areas such as health 3. Utilise existing data more • enable comparisons and education to encompass effectively between similar the value of the arts and programs or projects (and Create NSW does not have culture to society more acknowledge different complete data on the number of generally. contexts and processes). projects that have been evaluated • Understand that for arts and for their social impact in part • enable insights into the health projects, the creative because it is not uncommon for legacies of projects or processes best occur in a groups to carry out their own programs, in terms of safe environment that is evaluations for their own records flows (or lack thereof) of ‘scaffolded’ with support from and to assist in the development new knowledge, strategies, non-arts experts such as of programming priorities. ongoing processes, mental health professionals.

10 OVERVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS

These processes develop skills including working collaboratively, decision- making, imaginative thinking, and risk-taking within a safe environment. • Expand existing arts and educational opportunities by developing links with TAFE and universities. (For instance, Durham University in the UK has championed and worked in the local context to improve capacity.)

westernsydney.edu.au/ics 11 1. Key domains of social impact

1.1 Introduction cohesion and addressing 1.2 Health and issues of social exclusion and isolation; and, wellbeing In this chapter we review how • Arts and cultural identity; the value of arts and culture recognising the importance Health and wellbeing have have been captured and of cultural identity and self- become an increasingly important documented in key social contexts determination to broader domain with the adoption of (see Appendix D for further outcomes such as personal holistic policy approaches that elaboration). development, and health and wellbeing. recognise the significant role of Early attempts to understand creativity and the arts to health the social impacts of the arts set outcomes and personal wellbeing. out six core domains of impact In the following section we On a policy level, the value of (Matarasso 1997; Landry et al review the key approaches and the arts and creative activity to 1993). These include: frameworks used to understand health has been recognised by • personal development; social impacts across these the National Arts and Health domains. Framework and its state-level • social cohesion; implementation including the • community empowerment NSW Health and Arts Framework, and self-determination, as well as by research and programs recognising the • local image and identity; importance of arts and cultural • imagination and vision; and maintenance for the wellbeing of First Nations peoples. The • health and wellbeing. evidence base linking the arts to health and wellbeing is supported by a range of evaluation While each of these domains is methodologies and practices. no doubt important, major areas While this is a burgeoning and of impact evaluation for arts and vibrant field of practice, there culture have been focused in the are challenges associated following four domains: with synthesising the breadth • Health and wellbeing; of practices and disciplines incorporating mental health, associated with the field (Putland wellbeing (incorporating 2012: 2). These challenges personal wellbeing or reflect very diverse forms of arts development); practice and participation, but also different focus areas for • Community resilience and health and wellbeing, including regeneration; incorporating the promotion and prevention both economic and social of ill-health, and the use of arts indicators including practices as an intervention in community resilience, place- the management of chronic and making; acute symptoms. As put by one • Arts and social inclusion; leading arts and health advocate: incorporating notions of social “The ubiquity of references to

12 KEY DOMAINS OF SOCIAL IMPACT wellbeing and the diffusion of report found that evidence meanings they bear means any of art and health impacts is attempt to summarise the field unevenly distributed across the must inspire some trepidation” field, is of variable quality and is (All-Party Parliamentary Group sometimes inaccessible. This in on Arts Health and Wellbeing part reflects the wide number (APPGAHW) 2017). of relatively small-scale studies and evaluations undertaken In recent years there has also using varying methodologies with been interest by practitioners limited comparability. The Creative in building a stronger evidence Health report argues that greater base for arts and health impacts. investment is needed in ‘good- This interest has resulted in a quality’ evaluation that allows for series of reports examining the comparative analysis, as well as existing evidence demonstrating appropriate longitudinal research the role of the arts in health. Key into the relationship between reports include one by the UK arts engagement, health and All-Party Parliamentary Group wellbeing. on Arts Health and Wellbeing (APPGAHW) called Creative Health: The Arts and Health Foundation The Arts for Health and Wellbeing Australia also produced a guide to (2017), which was based on a the evidence of arts and health in 2-year study involving evidence 2012 (Putland 2012). The report gathering, research and interviews reviewed the evidence of arts with diverse policy makers and and health across a continuum practitioners. This report is of health care environments, broadly positioned as “part of a spanning healthy populations, growing movement advancing preventative health, and social the ‘transformation of the health determinants of good health, and care system from a hospital- through to at risk populations, centred and illness-based system and those with chronic or to a person-centred and health- established diseases and/or based system”. end of life care. This continuum provides a useful way to frame the This Creative Health report took various health intervention and a broad approach to health and arts practice domains constituting wellbeing, stating that the ability the broad and burgeoning field of to fulfil one’s individual and social arts and health practice (see Table potential as a defining feature examining the extent to which 1, below). of wellbeing, is ‘axiomatic’. It particular arts initiatives quotes the 2008 Foresight Mental Other reviews have been have achieved goals and Capital and Wellbeing Project, commissioned by the UK Arts for expectations and met needs. which defined mental wellbeing Health organisation, exploring as a “dynamic state, in which longitudinal evidence over a the individual is able to develop 15-year period (Gordon-Nesbitt Definitions of arts and culture their potential, work productively 2015), and an Australian study Research into arts and health and creatively, build strong reviewing arts health practices also addresses a range of arts and positive relationships with over a forty year period (Wreford practices, spanning receptive others, and contribute to their 2010). or passive experiences of the community. It is enhanced when arts (for example, attendance As Putland (2012: 2-3) noted in an individual is able to fulfil their of an arts event as an audience her review, there are two main personal and social goals and member) to more participatory types of research linking the arts achieve a sense of purpose in and community-based arts to health and wellbeing: society”. activities. • Applied research: studies As with broader research on As stated in the Creative Health examining the effects of the social impacts of the arts, report, “the act of creation, and arts-based strategies or gathering evidence of arts and our appreciation of it, provides practical interventions and health impacts has proved an individual experience that comparisons challenging. In summarising can have positive effects on our their review of arts in healthcare • Small-scale studies and physical and mental health and settings, the 2017 Creative Health evaluations of practice: wellbeing” (2017: 10). In line westernsydney.edu.au/ics 13 KEY DOMAINS OF SOCIAL IMPACT

Image 2. NORPA and Urban Theatre Projects, My Radio Heart (2014). Courtesy of UTP and NORPA. with progressive approaches to wellbeing approach because of and health’ broadly as: understanding wellbeing, this its ability to “value nonmarket the practice of applying creative, report understands ‘the arts’ very goods, and goods which we value participatory or receptive arts broadly to refer to “everyday for reasons that have little to do interventions to health problems human creativity”, rather than with the market.” It argues that and health promoting settings referring to “a lofty activity which arts should be thought of as to create health and wellbeing requires some sort of superior an integral part of person- and across the spectrum of health cultural intelligence to access” community centred care aimed practice from primary prevention (2017: 18). Interestingly, this at the management of long-term through to tertiary treatment. research deliberately excludes physical and mental conditions. (MCM 2013) definitions of creative industries from its understanding of the The Framework defined the arts and argues: “While there are Definitions of arts and health field as inclusive of 1) arts‐based overlaps between the creative activities and events to directly In Australia, the National Arts and industries and territory covered promote or improve health; or Health Framework was set up in this report, our consideration 2) the introduction of art into a in 2013 to support the arts and of individual and social value, in setting to enhance the health health sector and to “promote terms of health and wellbeing, has environment (e.g. paintings, greater integration of arts and little to do with the commercial sculptures, architecture). health practice and approaches exploitation of intellectual into health promotion, services, Vogelpoel and Gattenhof have property” (2017: 18). settings and facilities” (MCM also proposed a framework of The Creative Health Report also 2013). The National Arts and “arts-health intersections” defined advocates the benefits of a Health Framework defined ‘arts as “arts activities that develop

14 KEY DOMAINS OF SOCIAL IMPACT artistry and health and wellbeing the role of arts and culture as Scottish Government’s National concurrently for a participant” a determinant of wellbeing. In Programme for Improving (Vogelpoel 2013). turn, the role of arts in promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing. ‘upstream’ social determinants of Commissioned by NHS Health health and wellbeing is becoming Scotland, this was developed Framing the evidence increasingly central to broad- by the University of Warwick based arts and health promotion and the University of Edinburgh Putnam’s (2012) framework frameworks. and promotes use of SWB is useful for summarising key as a measure of a particular approaches and evidence of arts program’s effectiveness. This and health impacts. ii. Subjective wellbeing (SWB) WEMWBS framework is being i. Health and wellbeing promotion The UK Culture and Sport used in countries like Australia Health is an exquisitely sensitive Evidence (CASE) Programme now to better correlate levels of arts indicator of our societal recognises subjective wellbeing engagement with wellbeing. structures, economic conditions (SWB) as central to the value of As an example, a Western and political priorities. Health culture. SWB broadly refers to Australian survey included is also an elegant gauge of the an individual self-assessment interviews with more than 700 physical and social fabric of of overall wellbeing, and has in people and was conducted using our communities and of our recent times become the focus of the WEMWBS method. It was individual journeys through life – an expanding range of evaluation found that respondents with from the nurturing received and research across the social high levels of arts engagement opportunities available during sciences (Wheatley and Bickerton enjoyed significantly better the early years of life, through to 2017). The growth of SWB as a mental wellbeing than their low- the experiences and challenges measure has been driven by a attending counterparts. The study encountered in adulthood and widespread recognition that a was able to locate a threshold of in later life. The health of the reliance on economic indicators 100 hours per year (two or more nation is a definitive and unifying to measure progress and hours a week), and led to Western societal measure, reflecting welfare across society is limited, Australia’s health-promotion these individual, collective particularly in failing to capture organisation, Healthway, to and cumulative influences, broader non-monetary measures commit sizeable sponsorship experiences, challenges and of value (Weijers and Jarden 2013) to cultural venues (reported in journeys. (Chris Harkins, In Australia, subjective wellbeing Creative Health 2017: 36). Glasgow Centre for Population is assessed through the It is worth noting that WEMWBS Health, 2014, in Creative Health Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) has been criticised for its failure 2017: 16) (Cummins et al. 2003). This index to capture other factors impacting There are now increasingly includes ratings across seven upon wellbeing, including socio- well-known social and economic domains: standard of living, economic inequalities, the determinants of health and health, achievements in life, vagaries of daily life and the wellbeing. For example, the community connection, personal imminent end of enjoyable arts World Health Organization (WHO) relationships, safety, and future activities (2017: 36). defines the social determinants security. of health as the “conditions in Measures of SWB are now being which people are born, grow, used to advocate the instrumental iii. Correlations between arts work, live, and age, and the impacts of the arts on health engagement and positive health wider set of forces and systems outcomes. For example, the indicators across the general shaping the conditions of daily UK All-Party Parliamentary population life”. A recent WHO Commission Group (APPG) on Wellbeing Many nations have used large- on Social Determinants of Health Economics published a report scale national surveys to identify prescribed a reduction in health in 2014 identifying the arts and links between arts participation inequalities across the life course culture as one of four key policy and health outcomes. These (early childhood, adulthood, end areas for wellbeing. This Report surveys are used to explore the of life etc) which has provided championed the intrinsic, non- correlation between those who a framework for thinking about economic human benefits of participate in cultural activities, the role of arts in reducing health the arts and acknowledged their including attending arts events inequalities. impact upon health as a central as members of an audience, and driver of wellbeing. Likewise, growing attention those with good health. As the to quantifying and measuring The ‘Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Creative Health report put it: “The indicators of wellbeing has helped Well-being Scale [WEMWBS] arts have a significant role in to generate new evidence of is an initiative funded by the preventing illness and infirmity westernsydney.edu.au/ics 15 KEY DOMAINS OF SOCIAL IMPACT from developing in the first place variables in a statistical model framework is calibrated to work and worsening in the longer term” in the absence of an experiment in tandem with the state health (2017: 11). to measure directly the body, NSW Health. The framework impacts of culture on personal document emphasises guidance Findings of large-scale studies wellbeing (Smith et al. 2016: for NSW Health at a local level, include: 18). Nevertheless, these large- through Local Health Districts and • UK researchers, using the scale surveys demonstrate that Networks, to use arts to enhance Understanding Society national engagement in arts and culture patient experience, to help create survey, found those engaged is related to wider measures of a sense of place in health services in the arts as an audience wellbeing across the population. including the design of new member were 5.4% more spaces, and to leverage arts as a likely to report good health means of engaging communities compared with 14% of iv. Arts in healthcare settings and supporting health messages those participating in sports Historically, the majority of (NSW Health and the Arts activities. These figures were arts and health practice has Framework: 4) used to capture cost savings been situated within dedicated The Framework recommends to the National Health Service healthcare environments. The that the 15 NSW Health Local (NHS) associated with fewer UK National Alliance for Arts, Health Districts establish a Health visits to the GP – resulting in Health and Wellbeing (NAAHW) and the Arts Committee. The identified financial impacts of has identified five main sites at key functions of this Committee approximately forty pounds which the arts and health typically include: per person per annum intersect (APPGAHW 2017): (Fujiwara et al. 2014: 20). • “engaging Health Service Arts in health and care leadership and innovative • Studies across Scandinavia, environments (for example, thinkers across sectors in USA, UK and Australia hospitals, aged care facilities); development and oversight of have shown a link between health and the Arts programs; receptive and active • Participatory arts programs participation in arts and – individual and group arts • responding to areas of focus as cultural activities and activities aimed at attaining nominated by the Minister for indicators of health and and maintaining health and Health and NSW Health policy wellbeing outcomes (Putland wellbeing, in health and social about health priorities; care settings and community 2012: 4). • Inform local strategic locations; • In the UK, a review of 15 approaches to health and longitudinal studies found • Arts on prescription – the the Arts programs, based on there to be a “significant referral of people to take part consultation regarding local association between engaging in creative activities, often but health and health needs with the arts and longer lives not exclusively in response to priorities.” better lived” (Gordon-Nesbitt mental health problems; 2015: 11). • Art therapies – drama, music The framework’s governance and visual arts activities • A 2013 Canadian report by features guidance through this targeted at individuals, usually Hill Strategies examined Committee centred on NSW in clinical settings; and data derived from Statistics Health, at the same time as Canada’s 2010 General Social • Medical training and medical devolving the formulation of Survey Time Stress and humanities – inclusion of the local plans and initiatives to NSW Well-being Cycle that show a arts in the formation and Health’s Local Health Districts and strong connection between professional development Networks. 18 cultural activities and eight of health and social care social indicators of health professionals. and wellbeing, such as health, mental health, volunteering, Evaluations of arts impacts in feeling stressed and overall In 2015, the NSW government healthcare settings satisfaction with life (Smith et established a taskforce on Health al. 2016). and the Arts to provide advice and In line with broader approaches to encourage the integration of to social impact and the arts arts into NSW Health. Out of this evaluations, the APPGAHW As the Canadian review of process, the NSW Health and the Creative Health report examines evidence has noted, it is difficult Arts Framework emerged. While the impact of arts-based to provide evidence of a ‘cause closely aligned with the aims of interventions in health care and effect’ relationship between the national framework, the NSW settings in terms of “How, where

16 KEY DOMAINS OF SOCIAL IMPACT

Well population ‘At risk’ population FOCUS Primary care & prevention Social and Secondary care & prevention economic determinants

HEALTH Public health Public Health INTERVENTION DOMAINS Health promotion (Other sectors) Primary Health Care Preventative health

ARTS PRACTICE (Public participation in art/culture) Community-based arts (Art therapy) DOMAINS Community-based arts

Receptive & participatory arts are associated with improved morbidity and mortality in Europe, USA, UK, Australia. Personal development (confidence, knowledge, identity, empowerment, (see effects for well population – also quality of life measures). apply to the most vulnerable, at risk groups) Sense of control (efficacy, mastery) linked to immune system. Mental health needs (improved self- worth, self-efficacy, mutual aid and KNOWN EFFECTS Skills (learning, team-work, flexibility, positive outlook, mastery, autonomy). OF ARTS & communication) lead to employability. Raise awareness of issues and promotes HEALTH Physicality (dance, singing, musical public understanding. instruments etc.) maintains cardiac function & fitness, brain health. Healthy lifestyles (support systems, planning and organising skills). Social engagement (supports, networks, empathy, belonging) assists in coping. Health literacy (knowledge and understanding, addressing sensitive Community building (engagement, issues, expressing needs). motivation, cooperation, healthy environments). Social cohesion (group identity & pride, tolerance & understanding of difference).

Structural & social factors influencing resilience Empowerment: Increased capacity for vulnerable people to make changes in Community safety & cohesion linked their lives to reduced crime and race-based discrimination Harm reduction, problem prevention Human capital (education & skills) linked Reduced burden of disease (mental SYSTEM IMPACTS to productivity health, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, WITH POLICY cancers) Social capital (networks, trust & IMPLICATIONS resources) linked to social cohesion Reduced health care costs (fewer doctor visits, reduced medication) Cultural capital (creative skills, values & institutions) linked to social innovation Effective vehicle to support behaviour change & address emerging risk factors Contribution to addressing key public health issues upstream PREVENTS ESTABLISHMENT OF DISEASE & PROGRESSION OF ACUTE OR CHRONIC PROMOTES GOOD HEALTH - PREVENTS CONDITIONS DEVELOPMENT OF ‘RISK’ FACTORS

Table 2: A summary of the benefits of art and health on a continuum of determinants of health and wellbeing. westernsydney.edu.au/ics 17 KEY DOMAINS OF SOCIAL IMPACT

Chronic (controlled) Established disease FOCUS Management Tertiary care & treatment Clinical management

Acute hospital care HEALTH Community care INTERVENTION Specialist care DOMAINS Primary Health Care Therapy

Art in health care environment Art programs in ARTS PRACTICE Community-based arts Art health care Art therapy (Art & humanities in Health DOMAINS therapy Prof Ed)

Reduce stress & anxiety for: • Patients pre-operative • Intensive care • Cardiac care • Infants & children • Visitors & families • Outpatient (see effects for well • Cancer patients population and ‘at risk’ effects) KNOWN EFFECTS Management of conditions OF ARTS & Reduced pain and increased comfort for patients: like dementia: HEALTH • post-operative • cognitive, psychosocial, • serious illness physical • nausea & vomiting in bone marrow transplant • caregiver support and • sleep & rest respite.

Reduced demand for pain medication, anaesthesia & sedatives: • during procedures • post-operative • chronic conditions

Reduced need for analgesics, pain relief Shortened length of stay Environmental design reduces stress for patients – Maintaining brain vitality and increases efficiency function Improved perceptions of care quality Quality of life for those living with disease or disability SYSTEM IMPACTS Improved staff-patient communication & patient Reduces health care costs WITH POLICY ‘management’ (fewer doctor visits, reduced IMPLICATIONS Improved staff morale & retention medication) Culturally appropriate health care Supporting people to live Contribution to improved service delivery, independently supporting staff to deliver patient-centred health Promotes dignity - prevents care readmissions, complications ENSURES BEST-PRACTICE, PREVENTS INEFFICIENCIES & UNNECESSARY WASTE

Source: Putland, C. (2012) Arts and Health: A Guide to the Evidence. Background document prepared for the Arts and Health Foundation Australia: 4-5.

18 KEY DOMAINS OF SOCIAL IMPACT

Image 3. Beyond Empathy Maven Project (2016-2017). Photographer Raphaela Rosella. and why this works”. This focus below (Staricoff 2003). • Day Surgery Unit broadly aligns with theory-based • Medical Day Unit • Patients exposed to visual impact evaluations (discussed arts and live music during above) using a ‘theory of change’ • Live music was more the preoperative process or logic model rather than more effective in diminishing showed significantly lower ‘secessionist’ notions of cause and the levels of anxiety of levels of anxiety and effects (see Galloway 2009). patients receiving day depression than patients chemotherapy treatment A summary of evidence and who were prepared for approaches to arts impacts in a than visual art; surgery in the absence of continuum of health care settings • Visual art was more the arts. is provided in Table 2 (source: effective in diminishing the Putland 2012: 4-5). levels of depression in the same group of patients. A 2004 Review of arts in healthcare environments • Antenatal Clinic Some evidence relating to considered over 300 references specific arts practices and • Music, breathing and within medical literature and health care settings relaxation, as part of identified a range of crucial antenatal care, significantly outcomes, including: reduced anxiety and • inducing positive physiological i. Arts in clinical care depression in pregnant and psychological changes in Research undertaken by the women. clinical outcomes; Chelsea and Westminster • Postnatal Ward • reducing drug consumption; Hospital reported on whether visual and performing arts could • Levels of anxiety and • shortening length of stay in have an effect on psychological, depression of women hospital; physiological and biological who have given birth were • increasing job satisfaction; outcomes of clinical significance. significantly lowered after a Its summary findings are detailed program of live music. • promoting better doctor- westernsydney.edu.au/ics 19 KEY DOMAINS OF SOCIAL IMPACT

patient relationships; cognitive stimulation; and regular mental health is growing in commitment. Women were more prominence. In Australia, the • improving mental healthcare; likely to report the value of singing Australian Centre for Arts and • developing health for health and wellbeing than men Health (ACAH) focused on practitioners’ empathy across (Clift and Hancox 2010) the role of arts in promoting gender and cultural diversity. mental health in its 2018 annual A controlled evaluation was (Staricoff 2004) symposium. The ‘Big Anxiety’ undertaken by the Sidney de Festival delivered through UNSW Haan Research Centre for Arts Art and Design has promoted ii. Creative Arts and Music therapy and Health to examine the better understandings of mental health benefits of a participative Art and music therapy treatments health and anxiety through arts- community singing program for demand qualified therapists who older people (Clift et al. n.d.). The based communications methods can work in hospital, community study involved 265 participants working at the intersection of arts and health centre contexts, or in a randomised control trial in and science. in private clinical practice. These which selected participants were The role of the arts in mental therapies involve the professional able to join a singing group. After health has also been evaluated use of creative experiences and 12 weeks of participation in a as part of pilot strategies to the relationships that develop quality of life (QoL) questionnaire, improve the measurement of through them with the aim to the study found measures of arts and social impact more promote health. Arts and music health were consistently higher therapies have been found to be generally. In 2007 an investigation among those in singing groups effective in treatment of a range into the relationship between than those not allocated to a of psychological and emotional arts, mental health and social singing group. In addition, it conditions, including agitation inclusion was commissioned by found: in dementia care, but studies the UK Department of Health and have been methodologically • Three months after the undertaken by researchers from insufficient. singing groups stopped the Anglia Ruskin/UCLan (Secker et singing participants continued al. 2007). Targeting allied health A 2013 study found six weeks of to be higher on measures of professionals, the investigation music therapy reduced agitation health; incorporated some 22 arts disruptiveness and prevents projects across the UK and 88 medication increases in people • Participants in the singing participants. with dementia. People with groups reported social, dementia have impairments emotional and physical health This study used a ‘theory of that influence perception, benefits from taking part; change’ approach for case attention, memory and social studies of the arts projects, using • The study concluded singing engagement, and interactions that a systematic and cumulative groups for older people are involve music could be ways of study of the links between their likely to be cost-effective as a compensating for, or bypassing, activities, outcomes and contexts” health promotion strategy. those impairments and thus (Anglia Ruskin/UCLan 2007b, p. lead to decreases in agitation. 3). Ultimately the study identified Music increases engagement and eight clear, but interrelated iii. Arts and mental health engagement duration, specifically processes triggered by arts and in ‘one-on-one socializing’ (Ridder In Australia, the National Mental mental health projects, from et al. 2013). Health Commission has estimated which individuals associated the cost of mental ill-health in immediate benefits from taking A study by Clift and Hancox Australia each year at around part. The importance of these (2010) and reported by the Arts four per cent of GDP, or about processes was observed to vary Council of England in 2014 set $4000 for every tax payer, across projects “depending on the out to investigate the causal costing the nation more than project’s context, the participants mechanisms linking singing with $60 billion (NMHC 2016). Mental they aimed to reach and their wellbeing (Arts Council England health services are increasingly particular approach”. 2014: 5). The study included turning to prevention and early a large cross-national survey The processes important to interventions to reduce the need of choral singers drawn from participants in all projects were: for more complex and costly choirs in Australia, England and getting motivated; focusing; intervention. Within the UK, Germany. Findings suggested and connecting with others. mental ill health accounts for six ‘generative mechanisms’ by Processes identified as very more than 20 percent of the total which singing may impact on important in some projects were: disease burden (APPGAHW 2017: wellbeing and health: positive self-expression; connecting with 51). affect; focused attention; deep abilities and having time out; breathing; social support; The role of the arts in promoting and two processes, rebuilding

20 KEY DOMAINS OF SOCIAL IMPACT identities and expanding horizons, projects (see chapter 2) focused 1.3 Community were found to be important for largely on indicators of inclusion some participants in all projects within the program and resilience and (Anglia Ruskin/UCLan 2007b, p. organisations. Of ten key factors 62). contributing to the evaluation’s liveability social impacts indicators, eight were related to aspects of the The Australian environment iv. Arts and disability program (how welcoming it is is highly vulnerable to natural and how participants are able to Social inclusion has become a key disasters, including floods, belong within it, the values of the concern of the arts and disability drought, and bushfires and so organisation and individuals, the field, a trend that is particularly finding ways of using the arts to artistic quality of the program and well developed in disability arts support communities deal with the networks that are opened up). in the UK, where the rights of the such events is critical. There are Social impacts are largely focused many exciting examples, however, disabled are protected under the on individuals and were causally including the work of the Creative Equalities Act 2010. Unlimited is linked to the relations generated Recovery Network (https:// a multi-year initiative originally by inclusive organisations. Just creativerecovery.org.au/about/) set up as part of the London two of the eight factors related which is focused on arts-led Cultural Olympiad to create to ‘wider impacts’: relations with disaster recovery. This body aims high-quality, durable works, but community and broader societal to work with communities that which now functions as an arts recognition of people with have been affected by disaster commissioning program that disability that might flow result by developing projects that are “supports ambitious, creative from engagements. projects by outstanding disabled locally relevant and capable of artists and companies”. Equally There is a difference between this driving social change and building significant is the aim to “embed approach and that of Unlimited, local capacity and resilience. the work of disabled artists in the which begins with the aim of The Network seeks to achieve mainstream cultural sector and achieving inclusion on a societal its goals through collaborations improve access for artists and level through the production between “professional artists, audiences” (Unlimited website). of quality work for mainstream cultural workers, community Unlimited’s “social model of cultural venues. The differences members, arts and non-arts disability”, locates disability as are probably linked to the larger organisations, community-based a social construct, and seeks to scale of the UK project compared workers, humanitarian workers address disability as an issue of with the smaller Australian and those interested in the power social equality rather than an programs and that Unlimited is a of the arts to positively change individual issue, focusing on equal commissioning program. communities.” access, human rights and the Community resilience is a responsibilities of organisations relatively recent concept that and businesses to “identify and is now having a considerable implement constructive changes influence in policy areas, including to remove barriers and increase arts funding. Resilience is access.” popular with policy makers for its In Australia, the focus has often emphasis on self-reliance and a been on organisational and access collective willingness (or ‘grit’) to practices within arts organisations tackle problems and challenges. and the arts field as a means of In Australia, there has been a focus on resilience in the case of generating a ‘ripple effect’ in wider (mainly) regional communities communities. As the evaluator facing up to disasters or economic of NSW’s Arts and Disability downturn. Current policy Partnership Projects put it: initiatives include the Strong It starts with an organisation and Resilient Communities that is welcoming, and it starts grants program funded by the with people in that organisation Commonwealth’s Department or in the project, those people of Social Services, and Regional feeling that they belong, a sense Arts NSW Strong and Resilient of belonging that this is mine, Communities – Community this is ours. We have it together. Resilience Grants. Culture-led regeneration is now central to the practices of urban renewal and The evaluation of the funded placemaking, with arts and culture westernsydney.edu.au/ics 21 KEY DOMAINS OF SOCIAL IMPACT frequently championed for their communication between local people (Hall and Robertson 2001: contribution to the branding and governments and communities 13). identity of a city, and its capacity (Hall and Robertson 2001: 12). to attract both tourist spending and skilled workforces (Business Liveability and resilience Creative placemaking of Cities 2018; Landry et al. 1996; Measures of liveability, routinely Florida 2002). ‘Placemaking’ and ‘creative focused on qualities of place, Arts-led urban regeneration has placemaking’ are both are increasingly used to capture helped evidence the economic strategies for urban renewal the combined and various impacts of the arts for some and development that directly social, cultural, economic and time. Nevertheless, the value of incorporate participatory arts environmental attributes, and arts in urban contexts has always practices and techniques. The today perform as important exceeded a purely economic term ‘creative placemaking’ is indicators of societal and value analysis. Richard Florida’s generally understood as the use economic wellbeing. As Gilles- The Rise of the Creative Class of arts and culture by diverse Corti et al. have argued: (Florida 2002), for example, was partners to shape both the Healthy and liveable influential within urban policy physical and social character of a communities provide the basis domains in highlighting how the place in order to spur economic for social equity, harmony, presence of creative people and development, promote enduring economic resilience and creative industries supported social change and improve the environmental and social the revitalisation and ultimate physical environment (Markusen sustainability. (Gilles-Corti et al. gentrification of a city. Charles and Gadwa 2010). A National n.d.) Landry’s Creative City (2004), Endowment of the Arts White building on earlier research into Paper on the impacts of creative the role of the arts in urban placemaking identified the Greater recognition of the role regeneration (Landry et al. 1996) following benefits: of city design and planning on also positioned creativity as • Improve governance and broader societal outcomes and central to cities’ innovative and stewardship: Diverse partners measures has subsequently led entrepreneurial potential. who invest time, talent and/ to a greater focus on liveability within urban renewal efforts – The rise of this ‘creativity agenda’ or financial support will broadening away from measures within city policy took place at a strengthen the project and focused around more traditional time when urban regeneration take greater ownership in its economic outputs such as jobs, strategies looked to more maintenance and stewardship growth and tourism spending. participatory planning methods, long term; which saw local people as an asset • The combination of arts, Australian-based initiatives such through which renewal could be culture, and diverse partners as the NHMRC Centre of Research achieved. can convert an under-utilized Excellence in Healthy, Liveable Communities are central to efforts The role of arts and culture place and make it something to improve the evidence base in promoting and cultivating useful, safe, beautiful and demonstrating links between a sense of place is complex vibrant; city design and planning and and multifaceted but is often • Whether the project is big broader health, social inclusion understood as being supported or small, low budget or very and wellbeing outcomes. In through the presence of iconic or expensive, successful creative this context, Creative Victoria notable cultural institutions and placemaking projects attract advocates the arts as one of the heritage environments, through people. People want to be essential ingredients of a liveable the use of participatory arts near other people. Places that city, supporting and enhancing projects in planning initiatives, or attract people also attract new a unique sense of place (Arts through public art installations business, housing, schools Victoria 2008). that interpret or respond to and other amenities. This histories and narratives of place becomes the catalyst for other (Stevenson 2017). Participatory improvements. (Markusen arts can play an important role in and Gadwa 2010) cultivating a sense of place and belonging. Participation may take a number of forms, including The aim of public art in this public involvement in the design context is to articulate and and production of artworks, or strengthen the bonds between the role of artists in facilitating people and place and, in so doing, more dialogical engagement and to strengthen the bonds between

22 KEY DOMAINS OF SOCIAL IMPACT

1.4 Social inclusion years. Nevertheless, social 1.5 Cultural identity inclusion remains relevant in social policy contexts, and in Social inclusion is a broad policy community service and other Cultural identity has been a conception that is focused non-government organisations persistent theme in thinking on the needs of populations (Gooding et al 2017). Social about the social impacts of art or communities facing social inclusion as a rhetoric has taken and cultural programs, but it exclusion and are grappling with on a wide range of meanings often seems more elusive than including arts practice contexts, the multidimensional factors the other domains because they particularly in Australia where that reduce their life-chances are fundamentally ‘cultural’ in they were often used in smaller- across social areas, including themselves. That is, identities scale community contexts. In employment, housing, health are reflexive, ongoing products NSW, the social and economic education and citizenship. of human self-understanding. inclusion of people with disability A spectrum of policy and Identities are at the same time is a major objective of the 2014 programmatic approaches social and relational, that is, NSW Disability Inclusion Act. designed to foster social inclusion formed in relation to others. Yet ranges from macro approaches For instance, the Australia identity formation is a key area of to address the linked causes Council’s Connecting Australians social impact precisely because of social exclusion (such as in report says that the Community identity underpin many kinds of urban regeneration programs), Arts and Cultural Development social relations, hierarchies and to smaller scale programs that (CACD) sector “is a leader in the structures. seek to enhance access, extend use of the arts to support social In Australia, multicultural relations social connections, and develop inclusion and cohesion, enabling have been a strong focus of social capacities for individuals diverse voices to be heard and arts policy seeking to enhance and groups. Smaller-scale social stories to be shared through social impacts. This emphasis inclusion creative strategies are creating art”. This conception on supporting a plurality of more common in Australia. As of inclusion emphasises human cultural identities has rarely discussed above, social inclusion connection and expression been translated into effective has become an important theme linking people. At the same analysis of its social impacts, in framing arts and cultural policy time, such strategies omit a and hence into evidence-based (Stevenson 2017). focus on ‘structural’ elements of exclusion. Community arts and policy knowledge. Perhaps the Social inclusion as a policy cultural development programs most useful accounts of social approach and ideal relies on a have embedded notions of social impacts of art in the identity prior analysis of the exclusion inclusion such as actively engaging sphere, and of ways of measuring of particular groups. Measures community members in decision- and evaluating them come of social inclusion in the UK making and the co-creation of art from activist arts and cultural include: improved educational with professional artists. organisations and NGOs with performance and participation; a commitment to working increased employment rates; collaboratively in dynamic cultural reduced levels of crime; better environments where plural (and more equal) standards cultural identities intertwine on of health enhanced personal a daily level. Identity here is seen development; improved social as an active process — ‘identity cohesion and reduced social work’ — in ongoing and often fluid isolation; and active citizenship. negotiations with others. Such measures of social goods This fluidity is illustrated in an principally aimed at addressing extensive study of three major aspects of disadvantage, albeit projects of the interventionist repackaged in a new language. arts company Big hART (Ngapartji, In Australia, social inclusion Lucky and Gold) considers the has not developed the major range of ways participatory arts governmental policy profile it programs, including impacts gained in the UK. The concept on participants in the identity developed some momentum domain, can enable change. Big following the election of the hART’s programs encourage Federal Labor government in people to imagine and play out 2007, which set up a Social other identities, emphasising that Inclusion Board, although the identities are not fixed roles, but concept has declined in recent are performed, emergent and can westernsydney.edu.au/ics 23 KEY DOMAINS OF SOCIAL IMPACT allow a remapping or reimagining expression and cultural activity of relationships to self, are richer, stronger and more able community or place. Well-crafted to deal with social challenges”. arts engagements can provide In contemporary multicultural the conditions for individual and Australia, a spectrum of modes of collective impacts in the domain identifying can be found including of identity through imaginative transnational migrant belonging, co-creation, creative problem- cosmopolitan belonging, ethnic solving, recognition by others in or religious community, cultural new roles, and the engagement of ambivalence, aspirational national strong affects can generate shifts, belonging, or self-reflexive for instance between generations multicultural belonging. These (Wright 2016). modalities of belonging will be different for Aboriginal people The influential studies of Landry negotiating Australia’s history (1993) and Matarasso (1996) use a of colonialism, assimilationism, notion of local image and identity socially disruptive policies (stolen to tie identity processes to locality generation), and the more recent and a relatively homogenous recognition of land rights. idea of community. Matarasso’s chapter entitled “local image In Australia, since 1987 the and identity” valorises the need Victorian Health Promotion for ‘being stable and integrated’ Foundation (VicHealth) has been particularly in relation to local using arts to enhance the health communities. Participatory art will and emotional wellbeing of the often celebrate “local cultures and state’s Aboriginal population. traditions” strengthening a sense The organisation uses a mix of of place and belonging. traditional and contemporary participatory creative activities, This focus on locality and small which are integral to Aboriginal scale “community identity” is heritage, as health promotional also found in Deirdre Williams’ tools to build mentally and pioneering report on the social physically healthier and happier impacts of community arts. She communities. The organisation uses the notion of ‘community supports arts projects which identity’ in her case study of promote self-esteem, pride, Yipirinya school in Alice Springs, reduce drug and alcohol a bi-cultural school with many of consumption, and promote the difficult issues of Indigenous economic engagement at the poverty and alienation. individual level. Participatory art processes in the school build confidence and self- esteem in the children. Williams describes the final performance of the program as a celebratory event engendering “deep feelings of pride and a sense of identity in the school” (Williams 1997: 10-11). In the Australian arts and cultural field, an emphasis on identity has often been linked to cultural difference generated by immigrant communities, and more recently by First Nations belonging. Creative Victoria’s report, The Arts Ripple Effect sees the recognition of cultural plurality as a source of social strength acknowledging that “Communities that are able to embrace diversity, creative

24 2. Evaluations of Create NSW initiatives

This report does not seek to NSW; this may include cultural, 2.1 Evaluated examine the totality of Create age, gender, sexuality diversity” – NSW’s arts programs concerned and “relevance to target audience/ programs and types of with achieving social impact. participants, geographic area or Indeed, all funded arts projects community” (Create NSW 2017). evaluation and programs will have some degree of concern with the social. Program and project evaluations But because there has been no are crucial to assessing the general requirement for funded achievements of arts, screen and artists and organisations to other cultural programs and for develop programs that include understanding the different ways social impact criteria, there is no in which they generate outcomes consistent data on social impact that clearly link with identified across all programs, although policy goals, including those program funding procedures do associated with the social. That require artists and organisations said, Create NSW does not have to supply some information complete data on the number of about any of the six priority projects that have been evaluated population groups they are likely for their social impacts in part to be working with. The priority because it is not uncommon for populations groups are: groups to carry out their own • people living and/or working evaluations for their own records in regional NSW; and to assist in the development of programming priorities. • people living and/or working in Western Sydney; There is also considerable information on social impacts • Aboriginal people; in project acquittals that is • people from culturally not readily accessible. This and linguistically diverse is an information gap and backgrounds; consideration should be given to • people with disability; addressing it, at least for future funded projects, particularly • young people. if social impact is to assume a higher priority.

Create NSW’s funding guidelines do not explicitly mention social impacts although applicants are asked to consider “public or community and/or social outcomes”. What these outcomes are expected to be is not defined. Applicants are also required to demonstrate inclusivity – “the inclusion and engagement of people reflecting the diversity of westernsydney.edu.au/ics 25 EVALUATIONS OF CREATE NSW INITIATIVES

PROGRAM OUTCOME MODELS

Identifies and links key results that are expected Logic Framework, Results Based principles; from a project: inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes Outcome Model and impacts.

EXPECTED RETURN AND COST EFFECTIVENESS

Measures Social Value of investments by Social Return on Investment (SROI) quantifying benefits and costs.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS

Sums up the best available research on an issue or Literature review question through synthesising result of a range of studies

PARTICIPATORY AND RELATIONSHIP-BASED METHODS

Solicits the perceptions of participants about impacts; identifies impacts and changes without Participants feedback and perception reports; Most the use of pre-set indicators; relying on field-level significant changes; Story-based Evaluation; stories for change and the systematic selection of the most significant of these stories.

INTEGRATIVE APPROACHES

Links performance measurement to strategy using methods such as formative and developmental evaluation, balance scorecards, strategy maps, Strategic learning, planning and evaluation; toolkits. Collective impact, community change and complex Brings together organisations across the sector systems. to solve social problems by building a common agenda and shared measures of success; Complex and nonlinear.

Table 3: Main kinds of impact evaluation in the arts field

2.2 Evaluation types coming out of the relevant well as the quality of analysis. academic and policy literatures In this context, therefore, it is is that it is undesirable to rely on and methodologies instructive to consider some a single measurement tool. At of the evaluations that have the same time, however, there is been conducted in the NSW arts Some of the main types of impact a perceived need to have robust portfolio in an attempt to capture evaluation in the arts and culture quantitative data that can provide social impacts by tracing the social field are summarised in Table 3. justifications for funding from relations within the context and government or other enterprises. sometimes beyond particular The diversity of approaches to How evaluative frameworks programs. social impact evaluations that balance these obvious tensions have been adopted in NSW is not between the need for data and The program evaluations surprising given that no general the obvious problem of finding discussed below are: benchmark analysis tool has been effective and nuanced methods • Beyond Empathy – Rites of put forward by funding bodies of collection and assessment, Passage; for arts and cultural programs. In affects the process and style of addition, the overall consensus engagement with the program as • Programs evaluated as case

26 EVALUATIONS OF CREATE NSW INITIATIVES

studies in the NSW Aboriginal 2.3 Key evaluations entire period for which the Arts and cultural strategy – Rites of Passage project was Evaluation Report 2011-2014. of NSW programs funded (2009-2013), focusing (Seven cases studies); on 62 young people who were concerned with social strongly involved with the • Programs evaluated for The project. Participants and other Social Impact of Creative impacts and their stakeholders (family, project Partnership in NSW. Arts and findings workers, service providers Disability Partnership Projects and friends) were involved in (ADPP). (12 programs). developing a ‘theory of change’, • Evaluation of Arts Engagement or the program logic developed for people with dementia Beyond Empathy: Rites of for each type of stakeholders. program at the Art Gallery of Passage Outcomes included perceptions NSW. of a person’s emotional wellbeing, Beyond Empathy is an arts self-esteem, prospects of gaining organisation that “uses the meaningful employment, arts to influence change and outlook for the future, increased enrich the lives of individuals social inclusion and meaningful and communities experiencing relationships. Based on interviews recurring hardship.” Beyond and surveys, these impacts can Empathy’s film project, Rites of be related to actions within the Passage was directed by Phillip program to produce a detailed Crawford and involved young description of changes at the people from the Illawarra suburbs level of individual participation, of Berkeley and Warrawong, two which can then be aggregated of the most disadvantaged areas to develop measures of value in NSW (Vinson and Rawsthorne created, it’s ‘social return’ using 2015). These young people took proxy values. up various roles such as acting, filming, scripting and props, Because SROI relies on primary and were then subsequently data, the evaluation is able to supported in various ways such as develop a detailed picture of the seeking employment, mentoring, degree to which each participant and referral to family services has experienced change (or not) in over a period of three years. This terms of the elements identified in film was independently evaluated the ‘theory of change’. Participants using a Social Returns on were divided into categories Investment (SROI) methodology that combined perceptions (Ravi and Albert 2013). about their social prospects and the level of engagement in the SROI bases its evaluation on the Rites of Passage program; the experience and perspectives of categories being high risk/high participants or stakeholders. engagement; high risk/medium Its aim is “to measure the engagement; medium-low risk/ ‘impact’ of activities, rather than high engagement, medium-low simply measuring the delivery risk/medium engagement; and of activities” and to enable low engagement. organisations to gain better understanding of processes that link program activities and Findings: impacts (2013: 7). SROI is defined The evaluation found that a as “stakeholder-driven evaluation strong return on investment blended with cost-benefit analysis resulted from the project. Using tailored to social purposes. It a proxy figure ofRites of Passage’s tells the story of how change social value calculated from is being created and places a measurements of the impacts, monetary value on that change it was calculated that $1.94 and compares it with the costs million was generated from an of inputs required to achieve it” investment of $632,823. (Social Ventures Australia 2012: 6). Based on self-report data on The evaluation covered the emotional wellbeing, self-esteem, westernsydney.edu.au/ics 27 EVALUATIONS OF CREATE NSW INITIATIVES

Image 4. CuriousWorks Urban Stories (2018). Courtesy of CuriousWorks

prospects of gaining meaningful impacts that feeds into the design and cultural projects through the employment, outlook for the of the program via its theory of Arts and Cultural Development future, increased social inclusion change. A potential weakness of program. and meaningful relationships, the evaluation is that it centred on The program was independently scores were calculated for each just one category of stakeholder, evaluated using 12 measures of these dimensions and a report the ‘core participants’ of the (in largely quantitative form) to made on each participant’s program, seen as its ‘primary assess three key questions: 1) ‘distance travelled’ in these and intended beneficiary’. the number of Aboriginal people areas. Participants with high However, the partial nature of the involved in the arts; 2) recognition engagement received more evaluation limits understanding of NSW Aboriginal arts and than half of the total value of the flow of value to families, culture; and 3) Aboriginal cultural for the group, even though community, and community engagements. To augment the they comprised only 5% of the support organisations. high-level measurement, seven participant numbers. The highest case studies were carried out to amount of benefit gained per “provide examples of the broader participant was the high risk/high and longer-term impacts and engagement group. Based on legacy of the strategy.” The seven these values, the largest benefit NSW Aboriginal Arts and case studies, which appear to to participants was in improved Culture Strategy 2011-14 (AACS) have been selected as best cases, emotional wellbeing, followed The Aboriginal Arts and Culture and were matched to the 4 key by improved outlook for the Strategy was developed by directions of the AACS program: future (39% and 20% increases Arts NSW to foster greater artists, visibility, community and respectively). The lowest increases opportunities to “participate in, jobs. Case studies were: in social value were in self-esteem share and strengthen their culture and social inclusion (5% and 6% through arts practice; and develop • NAISDA’s Garabara Ngurra increases). careers and businesses in the NSW Aboriginal Dance Camps; This evaluation method gives arts and cultural sector” (Lois • Moogahlin Performing Arts; a detailed picture of impacts, Randall Creative Consulting 2016: • Karla Dickens: NSW Aboriginal particularly for individuals. 10). The NSW Aboriginal Arts and Performing Arts Scholarship; There is also much more detail Culture Strategy allocated $3.8 in the program evaluation of million in funding to 129 initiatives • Blacktown Arts Centre: components contributing to in addition to $9.3 million that Blacktown Native Institute short-, medium- and long-term was allocated to Aboriginal arts program (later changed to

28 EVALUATIONS OF CREATE NSW INITIATIVES

Blacktown Native Institution. Aboriginal arts events (418%), The program aimed to: See Blacktown Arts Centre and audiences for funded • increase opportunities for case study, below); events (418%); people with disability to • Information and Culture • However, these increases participate in arts and cultural Exchange: True Story Cuz; were not matched by the activities; number of artists and • Carriageworks: Artistic • support the development art workers employed or Associate Indigenous of excellence in arts and participating in funded Leadership Program. disability projects and programs, which only programs; increased by 25% from the • strengthen professional The Logic framework was used 2010 baseline. networks in the arts and for the evaluation because it The evaluation used quantitative disability sectors and was seen as capable of bringing methods to measure the collaborative partnerships; together both quantitative and Aboriginal arts sector and also qualitative data and opening up developed seven case studies • support creative practice a “discussion of the relationships in an attempt to understand for people with disability between resources and activities possible ‘ripple effects’ of new and identify employment funded through analysis of funded programs in the sector. opportunities for people resources/inputs, activities, The report noted that “program with disability in the arts and outputs, outcomes and impact” acquittals and data collection cultural sector. (Arts NSW 2016: 14). The Logic need to be tailored to enable data model entails developing a about partnerships and measures mutually agreed idea of change for the result area of Community Between 2012 and 2014, a team (like the SROI’s ‘theory of change’) to be tracked and analysed in the from the Cosmopolitan Civil that is then supposedly built next stage of the Strategy and Societies Research Centre at into developing a new logic for compared to the 2010 baseline”. UTS evaluated 12 projects for a particular program (Social As noted, there was no conception their social impacts on artists Ventures 2012: 11). In simple of social impacts employed in and other participants with a terms, the evaluative process this evaluation. The evaluation’s disability, and organisations involves assessing baseline ‘Impacts and Legacy’ summary within the funded programs conditions, what is invested was largely focused on impacts and audiences attending public to make a change (such as within the Aboriginal arts field and programs (Green et al. 2015: iii). In the evaluation, social impact is resources), activities that are arts field generally. A relatively referred to as “the generation of generated (such as programs and small number of case studies increased (or decreased) social, services), outputs (measurable), were utilised to support the cultural and human capital within and outcomes (changes in the assertion of longer-term impacts the constituent communities in program measured against what (‘ripple effects’) extending beyond which an organisation operates. It you wanted to change) (Boston the duration of the funded is also used to encompass wider Youth Arts 2012: 24). project, arts organisations and social effects, i.e. those beyond core artists. However, the core immediate program objectives, part of the evaluation based on Findings: and the effects (intended or the Logic framework either was unintended) on the wider It is important to note that the not able to demonstrate this, or community” (2015: ii). AAP evaluation did not use the how they demonstrated it was not term ‘social impacts’ so these clear from the report document. The Logic model of evaluation must be teased out of the was taken as a starting point for discussion of ‘impacts and legacy’. this research but because the Impacts are largely restricted to researchers wanted to produce an account of causality, the the arts field. Evaluation of the Social evaluation utilised an active The key findings of the evaluation Impact of Arts and Disability citizenship model modified were that: Partnership Projects (ADPP) for arts and cultural field. This • The increase in funding from The Arts and Disability methodology was adapted from a 2010 baseline had multiplier Partnership was an initiative the Conceptual Model of Social effects. A 125% increase between Arts NSW and Ageing, Impact on Active Citizenship in funding had led to large Disability and Home Care (ADHC) framework (Edwards et al. 2015) increases in numbers of designed to promote a culture of which allowed for a detailed projects (963% increase), new inclusion in the arts and cultural examination of the ten key works (346%), numbers of sector for people with a disability. factors influencing impacts. westernsydney.edu.au/ics 29 EVALUATIONS OF CREATE NSW INITIATIVES

These were: program activity; where these impacts occur. The Art Gallery of NSW — welcoming; belonging; social extensiveness of ripple effects Engagement with People with values (program); social values that radiate from the program Dementia (individual); networks (program); into other areas such as family The evaluation of the gallery’s networks (individual); skills and and friend networks, disability Art and Dementia Access creativity; wider social impact services, arts professionals, program used an ethnographic (program); and wider social the broader arts community, approach that involved close impact (individual). immediate and extended observations of behaviour, audiences. The UTS evaluation of the Arts vocalisation, physical positioning, and Disability Partnership projects The richness of the evaluation and interactions, as well as developed a more relational is found when examining the a survey of family members, method (compared to the Logic analysis of detailed case studies of care providers and gallery staff approach) of measuring social individual projects, which draws (Kenning 2016: 8). The evaluation impacts “comparatively and on the voices of participant from was relatively small in scope, collectively”. A ‘radar profile’ was interviews, content from artworks but it was intensive involving 25 built up using scores derived from and program processes, and map attendees, professional care staff the ten factors on both individual out relationships and networks and volunteers, family members, and program levels. The analysis formed with other bodies. These and trained program facilitators is designed to pick up on differing case studies allow the exploration from AGNSW. The methods scale and intensities of impacts of of relations between a program’s utilised were selected because cultural participation, the ‘ripple scope and activities and impacts there is a need to develop effects’ which might go in different for individuals and organisations, understandings of ‘in the moment directions for different programs. enabling the development of pleasure’ and reverberations. Measurement of the area covered causal explanations for impacts Close-up observations provided by the radar is an indicator of the and the directions in which they insights into the experiences extensiveness of impacts. The flow. of people with dementia, for whom standard self-reporting analysis and the ‘radar diagrams’ The evaluation concluded that or survey methods etc might be that the evaluation produced, the basis of success was in the problematic. The evaluation is made comparison possible as establishment of trust, a sense of not a social impacts assessment well as highlighting differences belonging and welcoming which in that it does not attempt to between projects in terms of could ensure the sustainability measure wider impacts; rather social impacts on a range of of a program and subsequent its focus is tightly on enhancing groups: core participants; their engagements. A great deal of the experience of people with family and friends; disability time and attention was required dementia when engaged in a services; arts professionals to establish trust between all gallery visit. working with people of disability; program members, including the arts community more between each member of generally; the immediate viewing an ensemble about “the Findings: audience; extended audience e.g. nature and severity of others’ those who hear or read about the disability”. It was also concluded The findings of this study are program. that, for creative programs very detailed and intended to to be sustained, they need improve the effectiveness of to be strongly embedded in AGNSW programs for people Findings: organisations as part of the “core with dementia. They are centred The research broadly found that business”. on three areas: the achievement of normalcy, by considering the projects in the ADPP generally The importance of partnerships the varying abilities, neural (but also very differently) could across the ADPP was underlined; diversity, and social and cultural demonstrate positive impacts for the evaluators “networks backgrounds of participants; the in terms of ten factors (program and partnerships made the context of visits, such as aspects activity recognising the artistic projects – not only possible, of the gallery environment, potential of people with disability, but – successful.” This was including physical layout, noise, welcoming, belonging, social because existing methods and and crowding; and the social values – individual and program communication channels of scaffolding, in particular the level, networks – individual and disability organisations were support structures provided by program, skills and creativity, needed to bring people into the family and friends, institutions, wider social impact for both projects and to provide support. individuals and programs). and cooperation. A stated priority ‘Radar profile’ diagrams were is to ensure that participants are able to provide a visual sense able to express their opinions of the strengths of impacts and and the learning experience

30 EVALUATIONS OF CREATE NSW INITIATIVES associated with visual art requires 2.4 Summary of Strength of evaluations in close attention to the “subjective, terms of measuring social objective, cognitive or emotional evaluated programs impacts associations” made by audience Social impact analyses as members. It is recommended that a general social science ‘special moments’ in experiencing This section summarises and methodology attempt to measure art could be enhanced by synthesises the key evaluations maintaining silence for what relevant to social impacts in the the social changes that arise from normally would be thought of arts and culture in NSW reviewed a specific intervention in a social as a long period of time. Such above. situation. Vanclay’s definition of a fine-grained findings are suited social impact assessment sets out to helping attune those working the evaluative task: directly with people with dementia Scope and intent of evaluations Social Impact Assessment includes and those engaged in the design There was considerable range in the processes of analysing, of exhibitions and programs, the scope of the evaluations and monitoring and managing the as well as carers and people in the impacts they were able to intended and unintended social dementia support organisations. assess. The scope of evaluations consequences, both positive and is related to organisational negative, of planned interventions intentions, as well as available (policies, programs, plans, resources for evaluation projects) and any social change research. The two most ambitious processes invoked by those evaluations were clearly the interventions. Evaluations of this AACS and ADPP evaluations that kind seek to assess and measure attempted to measure the effects an event or process by attempting of an initiative across a state-wide to isolate the differential between arts sector program concerned “two moments of a specific with a priority group. context, before and after an intervention.” Smaller scale evaluations are nevertheless valuable for fine- However, this ambition is not grained understanding of the often fully achieved, partly impact of programs on particular because data from arts programs groups, as with the AGNSW by itself is unlikely to encompass dementia study. In fact, the value all the dimensions in which social of ambitious impact studies impacts are likely to take place. may be counter-productive for For many projects, it is difficult to many organisations. Ebrahim establish any meaningful baseline and Rangan argue that the close data, except by extensive profiling examination of shorter term and prior to projects or events. individual impacts may be more Organisations such as Beyond useful for smaller organisations, Empathy undertake extensive rather than attempting to assess community profiling as a long-term impacts or “lasting prerequisite before commencing changes in the lives of people projects. and their societies.” Rather, In some of the evaluations we funders and policy-makers and have considered – Aboriginal Arts others attempting to understand and Cultural Strategy, Beyond the impacts of a sector should Empathy, Rites of Passage – develop a capacity to be able baseline data was compared to integrate multiple levels of with post-program data to assess analysis (programs, organisations, the impacts of funded arts and societal impacts) as well as turning cultural projects. In the case of their attention to their own Rites of Passage, the evaluation impacts and social performance was able to generate clear and and its ongoing effects on its detailed evidence about the environment. impacts on young program participants, but not on impacts on other stakeholders in the project, resulting in a more limited analysis of wider impacts. westernsydney.edu.au/ics 31 It is a difficult — if not impossible Evaluated programs and projects — task to capture every ‘social took place at varying times; most change process’ and to establish are historical although some a causal link between the programs continue, sometimes intervention such as an arts in different forms. Legacy is program or project, and each an important concept raised impact. The UTS Disability by Create NSW in response to Partnership (ADPP) evaluation questions about the dilemma was considered the strongest of mostly having evaluations of when considering its scope, completed projects. Legacy is attention to detail, coverage of of course deeply tied to social aspects of impact (ten factors), impacts and their sustainability. the examination of relationships Case studies and interviews will and causal relations. The model explore the question of the legacy developed for the evaluation, of past programs in interviews: adapted from the Model of Social what was learned, how did Impact for Active Citizenship, learnings and other aspects of the which aimed to measure impacts project inform present projects, at individual and organisational what resources, knowledge, ways level with close engagement with of working and personnel were participant programs. carried into the organisation and into the communities they work The AGNSW dementia program with. was an example of a study that did not attempt to measure the impacts of a program by comparing baseline data with post-program measurement. Instead, it attempted through ethnographic observation and other qualitative means, to closely understand the impacts of a visit to the gallery and the experience of arts education for the target group.

Comparability of evaluations The diversity of approaches still leaves the policy problem of how to measure and compare impacts on a broader than program level, for instance in a region or across NSW. Synthesis of knowledge is made more difficult where there are quite different one- off evaluations of projects or programs. But there has been a groundswell of interest in shared measurement of impacts, as evidenced by the evaluations of ADPP and Beyond Empathy. One option for players in a sector, or for partners in multi-sectoral activities, is to share some common measurements on a single platform that would enable comparison and articulation of different impacts resulting from differing approaches within a sector.

32 3. Case studies for social impacts

3.1 Case study creative programs; the nature cultural development model, of their social agenda; and the seeks use performance selection ways in which they and their to reinterpret the story of programs engage with their target homelessness. The company communities. In selecting the has been praised for its The case studies have been case studies, we were mindful ‘unique role across both the grouped according to four social of factors including location and arts and community sectors impact domains, which have diversity, which not only shape through its work with an been selected as a framework for creative practice but influence Ensemble of artists who have differentiating the dimensions the nature and experience of enced homelessness or social of social impact and to provide social life and engagement. The marginalisation’ (Australia a nuanced mechanism for case studies proposed, whilst Council 2014). Milk Crate has categorising the work Create obviously not comprehensive, been selected because of its NSW does to foster social benefit are sufficiently varied to provide strong focus on the needs of through its programs. We detailed insights into a range of the homeless and its aim to understand that the work and programs and organisations as give this socially marginalised impact of the selected programs well as an understanding of the group a voice; it is also may extend beyond a single broader issues facing the social noteworthy that the group domain and that all the domains agenda of creative organisations has received Department are interdependent; however, for across New South Wales. of Family and Community analytical clarity and to ensure we Services funding for its work provide nuanced insights into the The case study research entailed with older people. Milk Crate nature of social impact achieved an in-depth interview with a key is of interest as an example through the arts, we have sought person (or persons) from each of of the use of the arts to foster to place organisations within a the selected organisations which social inclusion because of ‘primary’ domain that reflects augmented detailed desk and the ways in which it works their main emphasis. documentary research. with participants (including having an agreement with The four social impact domains each person to ensure a are: safe environment), its strong • Arts and Social Inclusion Art and Social Inclusion partnerships with other community bodies to provide • Arts, Health and Wellbeing The following two cultural a support network, and its • Arts and Community organisations were selected as ongoing evaluation of its Resilience case studies for this domain impacts. Milk Crate Theatre because of their sustained runs a suite of programs • Arts and Cultural Identities. commitment to having socially including workshops, creative inclusive goals as core values of developments, performances, their practice, and for the strength school initiatives, film, and We selected 2-3 arts/cultural of their program methodologies community outreach. organisations per domain, giving with respect to enhancing social a total of nine case studies. These • Beyond Empathy is an arts benefit. organisations were selected on organisation that ‘uses the the basis of: their potential to • Milk Crate Theatre is a arts to influence change provide rich insights into the performing arts company and enrich the lives of ways in which a range of social based in Sydney that, individuals and communities benefits can be achieved through operating on a community experiencing recurring westernsydney.edu.au/ics 33 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

hardship’, including Aboriginal • Studio A is a supported sensory disabilities. This case people, young people and artist’s studio located in study will be of considerable people with a disability. It is Sydney that was established value to the project because also very much focused on to provide people with an there is a gap regarding the people living in places that ‘intellectual disability with social agenda of large cultural are considered disadvantaged professional development and institutions with state-wide and so has a strong concern collaborative opportunities so reach, such as AGNSW. with the regions. Beyond they can achieve their artistic Empathy has a robust model and economic aspirations’. of working to achieve positive Its aim is to help establish community outcomes professional pathways for Art and Community Resilience through medium and artists and, to this end, it long-term programs, often provides working studio The case studies investigate repeating programs to build spaces, hosts exhibitions, how arts and cultural programs rapport with individuals and and has outlets for the sale support and empower communities. It has a detailed of work. Studio A receives local communities through program methodology funding from both Create engagement and aesthetic designed to work on three NSW and the Department content. The following three programs stand out for their levels: build the confidence of Family and Community beneficial social impact in the and skills of individual Services. In its evaluation resilience domain. participants and facilitate as part of AADP, Studio access to support services; A scored well in terms of • Urban Theatre Projects works work with local support both individual and wider across many art forms, agencies; and build knowledge program impacts. Studio A’s forms of engagement, and and advocacy around social program has evolved over performance sites. Located needs at a community level. time; its social enterprise in Western Sydney, UTP The arts program is the ‘glue’ model enables revenue to be maintains a strong connection that enables better social reinvested in its programs in with place and aims to connections for participants. order to extend their social redefine notions of diversity Beyond Empathy’s Rites of and artistic outcomes, while and inclusive communities. Passage film program was sales of work directly benefit Its current projects exemplify evaluated using a Social the individual artists. Studio a diverse and non-normative Return on Investment A has been selected because approach to community framework, and although this of its recognised status in the resilience. For instance, Right evaluation mostly considered Australian arts and disability Here, Right Now is a place- impacts on individual; we are field. based festival in Blacktown interested in how it evaluates • Art Gallery of NSW Arts and working with local writers, impact at the support agency Dementia Program was musicians and visual artists and community levels. Beyond chosen because it is a regular to explore ‘contemporary Empathy is included as it has access program of tours and feminism, cultural diversity, perhaps the strongest model educational programs for wonder, and intimacy in for working with arts in the people with dementia and suburbia’, while Blak Box social inclusion domain. their carers at a major gallery. employs oral histories of the The program was the subject Barangaroo site before 1788, of an independent evaluation sound pieces and architectural that built on the access space to foster ‘deep listening’ model pioneered by New as a means of building respect Art, Health and Wellbeing York’s Museum of Modern and community strength. UTP The domain of Arts, Health and Art, and on other studies regularly works with all four of Wellbeing addresses a broad in the dementia field. The Create NSW’s priority groups (CALD people, Aboriginal range of social benefit including evaluation’s close observation people, young people, artists improving health and mental of the gallery experience for with a disability). While UTP health outcomes, enhancing arts people with dementia has mentions its social impact, its participation for people with informed AGNSW’s access program does not appear to specific health and wellbeing and educational programs. have been evaluated. issues such as disabilities, ageing The Gallery also has a variety or dementia, and the role of arts of access programs for the • Arts OutWest is one of the 14 in rehabilitation. The following deaf and partially deaf and for regional arts organisations two programs were selected as school students with physical, in NSW. Its mission is to case studies. intellectual, behavioural and ‘promote, facilitate, educate

34 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

and advocate for arts and and Placemaking Project have access to opportunities cultural development for around the Blacktown Native in the arts and to this end communities of the NSW Institution, a residential school CuriousWorks engages Central West’. Key priority for young Aboriginal and with councils, schools, areas are Aboriginal art, arts Maori children from 1823-29 community organisations and health, cultural tourism, that would give Blacktown its and business. Alongside and lifelong learning in the name. The BNI program was the ‘instrumental’ side of arts. Arts OutWest has a initiated in 2012 to ‘address CuriousWorks commitment strong record in the health the need for reconciliation, to creating impacts through and wellbeing domain to increase the visibility and training and employment, centring on its health and profile of the site and story, they have a prevailing interest arts program that includes and to progress discussions in developing new theatre, hospital- and community- about its future use’. A screen and digital media based programs such as the recent iteration of the BNI works that speak to the song-writing competition program Ngara – Ngurangwa cultural diversity of Western addressing mental health Byallara (Listen, hear, think – Sydney. Current projects issues. Sweet Dreams are The Place Speaks) celebrated that flow from this objective Made of This was a multi-arts the site’s importance both include Los Rosas, a telenovela program of music, dance, as a place of ceremony project that ‘showcases visual arts, story-telling and culture for the Darug themes of sisterhood, growing workshops and performance, people and as the location pains, and how the Latin and which linked artists and of the Blacktown Native Australian lifestyles clash and people with disability in Institution. Blacktown also converge in Western Sydney’. Lithgow, Bathurst and Orange. hosts major concentrations Sweet Dreams was evaluated of immigrant and refugee • Bangarra Dance Theatre is one as part of the ADPP evaluation people, with the City of of the great success stories study and was found to have Blacktown having the largest of Australian arts. One of provided immediate positive Filipino-, Indian-, Sri Lankan, Australia’s premier performing impacts for individuals at the Fijian-, Sudanese- and South arts bodies, Bangarra has time but had limited wider Sudanese-born populations in achieved acclaim nationally impact as participants were NSW. Blacktown Art Centre’s and internationally, known not able to maintain contact programs respond to the for the high standard of across the Central West. opportunities and challenges its contemporary dance This case study will make of this diversity in building theatre that draws on the it possible to consider the community resilience and rich repertoires of myth and achievements and challenges strong places in a rapidly movement of First Nations of supporting community changing social and spatial Australia. Less well known resilience in rural contexts. environment. is Bangarra’s long-term commitment to supporting • Blacktown Arts is a multi-arts positive social impacts for hub run by the Blacktown the Aboriginal communities City Council. Its program which sustain its work. includes exhibitions, Art and Cultural Identities These include Bangarra’s performances, site specific The following organisations will schools’ performance visual art and performance provide valuable insights into the program, workshops for and interdisciplinary works. ways in which cultural programs local communities, and the The core program includes an can work with communities to Return to Country initiative. artist development program nurture and celebrate cultural Of particular interest in the including residencies and identities. case study is Bangarra’s studios. The Blacktown Rekindling program that LGA has the highest ATSI • CuriousWorks is a western provides opportunities for population in NSW, and Sydney social enterprise dance residencies for young Blacktown Arts places that tells community-based Aboriginal and Torres Strait Aboriginal and Torres Strait stories about ‘Another Islanders. Rekindling aims to artists and communities ‘at Australia’ through media inspire pride, kinship and a the heart of our program to including film, theatre and sense of strength in young develop new work drawing the digital. This focus on First Nations people. on issues of local and global stories runs through all their significance’. Blacktown programs, which seeks to Table 4 provides a summary of Arts Centre hosted the give voice to communities the case study outcomes and significant Aboriginal Arts that might otherwise not social impacts by key domain. westernsydney.edu.au/ics 35 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

ARTS IMPACT IMPROVED OUTCOMES SOCIAL IMPACT DOMAIN

A high-quality artistic product assists the *enrich places and communities, process of empowering communities. support individual and collective The quality of artistic products is key All arts activities wellbeing, and act as an important to activating the social change that’s catalyst for learning and discovery required on an individual, family and community level.

Arts and Social Inclusion

Increases the participants: *social connection *emotional wellbeing *empowerment through discussion and acting out experiences *self-esteem *the acquisition of skills which can *employment prospects transfer into other areas of life Milk Crate Theatre *outlook for the future *satisfactions flow from undertaking the Beyond Empathy *social inclusion and meaningful challenges of an arts production. relationships. Involving people in high quality A high-quality artistic product assists the artistic work creates aspirations for process of empowering communities. participants. The quality of artistic products is key to activating the social change on an individual, family and community level.

Arts, Health and Wellbeing

Short and medium term: Supporting participant health and *social support wellbeing through: *peer support *supported arts practice *art education and management *economic return *building creative opportunities and *professional development Studio A income base *career pathways *enhanced self-esteem, social networks, future aspirations, and economic security. Increasing visibility of artists aims to: *widen perceptions about contributions long term – of people with intellectual disabilities *increased mainstream recognition and *reduce stigma opportunities for artists with intellectual disabilities. *extend diversity and inclusion.

Arts Impact Improved Outcomes Social impact Domain Short term: *enhanced quality of experience for *enhancing health and wellbeing people with dementia and other groups through cultural engagement Art Gallery of NSW, *extending inclusion for groups with Art and Dementia Medium and long term: barriers to cultural participation. *extending access to AGNSW collection; enhanced community engagement of groups with reduced access.

36 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

ARTS IMPACT IMPROVED OUTCOMES SOCIAL IMPACT DOMAIN

Arts and Community Resilience

Short term: Increased resilience *community engagement in the *cultural leadership (building cultural development of works, urban capacities) interactions and experiences *health and well-being (healing of Medium and long term: historical trauma) *building community and artistic UTP *cultural identity (re-establishing networks identity, public recognition and cultural Arts OutWest *building cultural capacities and expression) Blacktown Arts leadership * social inclusion (cultural recognition Centre *creative place-making and connectedness) *increased social integration.

Impacts are directly tied to artistic work Potential for impacts in nation-wide and the processes used to creatively issues, such as curbing domestic respond to relevant issues. violence.

Arts and Cultural Identities

Short term: *building skills among young people *bringing people together Anticipated: *articulating shared interests *strong impacts in resilience (capacity building, developing cultural skills) CuriousWorks *income and work experience for young creatives. *social inclusion (addressing lack of recognition of diverse cultural Medium and long term: narratives) *stories and representations grounded in community engagement *“nurturing a new generation of storytellers”.

Arts Impact Improved Outcomes Social impact Domain

No social impact assessment, however Short term: anticipated: *engagements with individuals, *strong engagement generated with communities and schools result in country and culture valuable cultural experiences. Bangarra Dance * enhancing commitment to schooling, Medium and long term or arts career aspirations *enhanced skills, career prospects, *identity and cultural resilience cultural leadership, widening recognition of Aboriginal culture. *contribution to wellbeing and social inclusion.

Table 4: Case study outcomes and social impacts, by key domain. westernsydney.edu.au/ics 37 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

3.2 The Case Studies Milk Crate Theatre

Image 5. Milk Crate Theatre Raise the Roof (2018). Photographer: Patrick Boland for Milk Crate Theatre.

IMPACT SUMMARY

Milk Crate Theatre (MCT) • Sydney-based theatre company working with people with experiences of homelessness and having complex needs • began in 2000 as an initiative of Darlinghurst Theatre Company; in 2011 MCT became an independent theatre company. Issue and social impact addressed • addresses the issue of homelessness and insecure housing • MCT focus on outcomes for participants • public activities such as performances and schools’ programs enhance social inclusion. What the evidence says about the best way to respond • Initial evidence from Black Dog Institute study supports MCT’s strength-based approach. Participants • participants have experience of homelessness. 44% in government housing, 36% in market accommodation, 19% in crisis housing, boarding houses or sleeping rough

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• 58% men and 42% women – proportion of women is increasing • average age 53 years • 31% speak a language other than English. • 91% of participants disclosed a disability or mental health concerns; 45% experience of trauma, 50% physical disability, and 28% neurological or learning disability. Activities • workshops, rehearsals, creative development and performances – all based on collaborative processes, without prewritten scripts • ‘scaffolding’ for participants with complex needs, including a group agreement to ensure respect in workshops and performances & social work support • Headway training program supports people who do not fit traditional pathways to theatre training. Pathways mentoring program provides mentoring support in developing a new performance work. Outputs • 183 participants took part in 104 workshops, 25 creative developments, and 15 performances (2017 annual report) Outcomes (short, medium and long term) • Inclusive, respectful and supportive space (being supported, feeling valued and heard, developing a sense of pride in self) • opportunity for creativity (taking creative risks, seeing possibilities for change) • new skills for self-expression • enjoyment (being productive, making new friends, seeing new opportunities). • outcomes occur across short, medium and long-term timeframes. While long-term participation produces strong outcomes for participants, benefits can be immediate from shorter engagements. Impacts • Measures focus on participants’ confidence, skills and social connections. In 2017, 93% of participants reported greater confidence and being better able to connect with peers, and 67% said they acquired new skills, either in performance or life-skills. • Initial findings of Black Dog Institute study: participant benefits include increased

Organisational background to present the perspectives and provocative and moving theatrical creative imaginings of people expressions for the public realm. Milk Crate Theatre is a unique who are often rendered invisible, Australian theatre company, There is now a broader range of and advocates for greater working with people who have people participating, reflecting understanding of the complex experienced homelessness and Milk Crate Theatre’s broader problems around homelessness, have complex needs. At the core engagement with complex needs it has been chosen as a case study of its work is the aim of ‘changing associated with not having had a in the domain of social inclusion. the story of homelessness’. Milk secure home. Figures show the Crate Theatre had its origins In 2012, Milk Crate Theatre complex support needs of MCT’s in 2000 with an initiative of was awarded the Macquarie participants. They don’t tell us Darlinghurst Theatre Company Foundation’s Social Innovation anything about the participants as in inner Sydney. This provided Award, for its forum theatre work people with energy and desires, a space for the development with communities which aimed creators and shapers of their of a strong ensemble of to “start a conversation about the worlds. actors, creating work driven by complex issues of homelessness personal experience of living as well as provide social outcomes with homelessness. From 2011, for the individuals creating and Achieving social impacts Milk Crate Theatre became an engaging with the process.” This Milk Crate Theatre’s core independent theatre company description points to Milk Crate’s programs are theatre workshops, in its own right. Because Milk dual impacts, enhancing the lives creative developments and Crate Theatre works resolutely of participants, and generating performances. westernsydney.edu.au/ics 39 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

In recent years, Milk Crate the support structure on the they focused primarily on the Theatre has further refined its outside and the creative space on issue of homelessness following practices to achieve a balance the inside. She explained: a “forum theatre” approach, of social and artistic outcomes. informed by the work of Augusto This is the “scaffolding”, the While it can be demonstrated Boal. Milk Crate Theatre’s social worker, the guidelines and that programs support social work now follows a strength- the group agreement. All of that integration and build individual based approach, and content is mitigation so then in the space confidence and self-worth, there there it’s safe. Also, the training is developed along the lines are considerable risks in working our artists do to understand of participants’ interests and with people with complex needs mental health support needs, to what they want to get out of the and vulnerabilities. Programs understand disability support process, leading to more open- require careful crafting to ensure needs, that’s another strength ended theatre. Nevertheless, adequate support and a safe that contributes to that space. Milk Crate still has a strong environment in which creative All of this happens before the focus on homelessness, taking work can take place. Some creativity even kicks in and that’s a more complicated view difficult confrontations during the essential. So, when the artist encompassing associated issues development for Milk Crate’s 2015 comes in, they can come in with such as mental health and the production This House is Mine led their ideas but it’s a collaborative effects of redevelopment. This to the development of stronger space. We don’t work with pre- provides learning impacts for group processes. Prior to this, existing scripts, choreograph a audiences; students at school Milk Crate did not have formal dance and teach it to people; showings of That’s the Spirit, about conflict resolution processes; their job as facilitators is to ask the experience of depression, Milk Crate, like other peer questions, to facilitate exercises, registered an increase of organisations often had rather tasks, set group work, and knowledge about homelessness, top-down practices in this area. so everybody in that space is housing issues and mental health. A group agreement was crafted creating material. Partnerships are essential in all with participants along with aspects of Milk Crate Theatre’s staff and board members. This These processes develop skills work. Partnerships strengthen agreement provides guidelines such as working collaboratively, support for participants, for for all parties to provide safe decision–making, imaginative instance through community opportunities and to ensure thinking, and risk taking within partners who provide venues for an atmosphere of respect in a safe environment. These are workshops and performances workshops and performances. germane to impacts for the where there are support The agreement and guidelines participants, understood as the workers such as social workers, are used in an ongoing way, core of Milk Crate’s outcomes. caseworkers and counsellors and each person signs in to Milk Crate Theatre’s programs onsite. Milk Crate links into support the agreement at each cater for different levels of networks of community services workshop. From this time a social participation. While workshops all agencies who support people worker was employed to provide result in a performance, over time experiencing homelessness or support to participants. These people often develop aspirations social disadvantage — welfare and measures support a framework to progress further in theatre. The housing organisations, disability of common understandings to Headway program provides a way agencies, or women’s resource enable trust and a safe space of transitioning from performing centres. Increasingly there are for creative participation. A to making, or from participating partnerships where Milk Crate clear delineation of roles to facilitating. These programs Theatre is sharing their expertise, reduces confusion and frees up assist people who would not fit for instance with Homelessness facilitators and participants to traditional pathways to studying. NSW, Domestic Violence Service concentrate on creative work. Partnering with TAFE, Milk Crate Management NSW. Then there There are clear processes for all, was able to offer certification are arts partnerships providing including a complaints process. All for the program. The Pathways creative linkages and different participants and facilitators learn program is providing five people audiences. From Milk Crate’s assertive communication, for who completed the Headway perspective, to understand social example, “when you spoke to me, training with a “structured, impacts, more attention needs I felt like I wasn’t being listened supported and tailored” mentor to be focused by government on to.” program with an artist, with how networks operate, rather the aim of developing a new During our interview, artistic than on single organisations. performance work. director Margot Politis was This applies within the arts field, doodling a trapezoid shape in a There has been something of for instance with small arts notepad while talking about these a shift in Milk Crate Theatre’s organisations interested in social processes. The shape delineates approach to content. Formerly, impacts, and across sectors where

40 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT arts might intersect with social The future welfare or housing. Milk Crate Theatre’s plans Milk Crate Theatre is a small include a major new work, organisation, just four staff. This Natural Order to be presented in presents challenges to extending 2019, and further development its operations and making of the Headway program. The them sustainable. Attempts to organisation is aware of its expand its reach geographically, strengths and is eager to extend for instance to western Sydney its capacity to generate social brought mixed results, although impacts. Milk Crate Theatre is Milk Crate has gradually extended often approached to partner from its base in inner Sydney with organisations wishing and the inner west, setting up to incorporate arts into their a hub in Parramatta in 2017. programs and is developing a Milk Crate attempted to initiate plan to extend workshops to a youth program in Willmot (in community service agencies on a Blacktown), but found that it fee-for-service basis. Milk Crate stretched resources, and that Theatre can also offer expertise in they had underestimated the time setting up the necessary supports needed to become recognised as to work in arts with people with part of the local scene, including complex needs to provide the established arts and community ‘social scaffolding’ that enables creative situations to take place. programs. Milk Crate Theatre is strongly committed to providing an evidence base for the impact of its programs. The welfare of participants is placed at the centre of ongoing evaluation grounded in a strengths-based approach. Ongoing evaluation surveys track participants’ confidence, social connection, skills development, and how the experience of workshops might help to sustain them and make changes in their lives. Measures of outcomes focus on building confidence, skills and social connections. The Black Dog Institute carried out extensive participant observation of the development and post-production of Milk Crate’s That’s the Spirit. Initial findings were that participants had benefitted significantly from the process including increased social connection, a sense of empowerment gained through discussion and acting out experiences, acquiring skills that are transferable into other areas of life, and gaining satisfaction from undertaking the challenges of the production. Milk Crate Theatre is reviewing its evaluation framework to include all programs within its Theory of Change approach. westernsydney.edu.au/ics 41 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

Beyond Empathy

Image 6. Beyond Empathy CCC Moree Project. Photographer Raphaela Rosella.

IMPACT SUMMARY

Beyond Empathy (BE) • community arts and cultural development organisation based in Armidale • uses the arts to influence change in the lives of individuals and communities experiencing recurring hardship. Issue and social impact being addressed • aims to “break cycles of disadvantage” through medium- and long-term programs in regional areas • key impact domain of their work is social inclusion: BE aims to combat effects of social exclusion by building social resources, skills, health and education. What the evidence says about the best way to respond • evaluation of Rites of Passage demonstrated a strong social return on investment based on data on emotional wellbeing, self-esteem, employment prospects, outlook for the future, increased social inclusion and meaningful relationships (see chapter 3). • “We have demonstrated that arts-led activity is a vehicle to building valuable life skills, transforming the self-perception of people with very low esteem and creating genuine community connectedness” (BE Annual report 2016-17). Participants • concentration on regional locations with high social disadvantage including Moree and Illawarra • key focus on young people, women, and Aboriginal people.

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Activities • programs tend to be long-term and build on earlier work in communities, involving training for artists and community workers, and allocating local people key roles. • major programs include Maven (Aboriginal artists professional development program), CCC Moree (part of the NSW Government’s OCHRE plan) with 6 active projects in 2017, and Sea of Bellies (connecting Aboriginal women to health and midwifery services). Outputs • training, local young people in most artistic roles, community engagement, partnership building, films, performances. • Maven in 2017 had 23 Aboriginal artists working on leadership roles in BE projects, with 10 emerging artists working outside following BE involvement (Annual report 2016-17). Outcomes (short, medium and long term) • short term – includes initial training and skills acquisition for young people • medium to long term – training for young people, employment on projects, extending networks, assuming responsibilities, longer term including enabling career paths and connecting communities. Social impacts • Work in areas of high social disadvantage focuses on social inclusion as well as on wellbeing and resilience. Rites of Passage evaluation found improvements in social inclusion were greatest for people with high program engagement. • Social Impacts at community level address multi-layered disadvantage through a combination of projects and building local partnerships (Annual report 2016-17).

Organisational background low esteem and crating genuine This holistic focus underpins community connectedness” Beyond Empathy’s philosophy Beyond Empathy is a community (Beyond Empathy 2016/2017). of change. While Beyond arts and cultural development Empathy charter is to work with organisation, based in Armidale Executive director Kim McConville young people, the reach of the that aims to influence change has a strong commitment to organisation is much broader. in the lives of individuals and working with First Nations Working with young people communities experiencing communities. She worked with in community, particularly in recurring hardship. Established the award-winning company Big Aboriginal communities, requires in 2004, the organisation works hART before establishing Beyond a community-based approach. predominantly with young people Empathy in 2004 with long-time Kim explains: “You have to look in NSW regional and remote colleague and creative partner at everybody. You can’t do all this Aboriginal communities. It uses Phillip Crawford. Phillip Crawford work with young people and then art genres such as film, digital is the creative director of Beyond send them home to the same sort and mixed media, theatre, music, Empathy and an internationally of circumstances to which they’ve dance and visual art to build recognised filmmaker. left.” relationships between young people, local support agencies This strong commitment and local communities. Its Achieving Social Impacts to community needs and mission is to “break cycles of Executive director Kim McConville community development that is disadvantage” through medium- describes Beyond Empathy as a so essential to Beyond Empathy and long-term programs in social change organisation and does not imply that the arts regional areas. This places arts is the tool by which that is are compromised. McConville Beyond Empathy among the done. This is not a static process, is very clear on this: “Who says more ambitious arts programs as community development disadvantaged people like shitty in Australia in terms of achieving requires constant learning art?” An ambitious artistic vision social impacts to tackle causes from people and situations. It is integral to the Beyond Empathy of social exclusion. ” We have is up to the project leaders to process, based on the belief that demonstrated that arts-led activity understand the needs, the skills a high-quality artistic product is a vehicle to building valuable and the capacity of the people assists the process of empowering life skills, transforming the self- participating in arts projects. This communities. Involving people in perception of people with very is where empathy is important. high quality artistic work creates westernsydney.edu.au/ics 43 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT aspirations for participants. The Protection’s two editors also began The future quality of artistic products is key with Rites of Passage. Several The biggest challenge for the to activating the social change participants started a media future is, not surprisingly, finding that’s required on an individual, business that has produced some the money to fund projects. family and community level. 20 videos (BE 2016-17). Beyond Empathy receives both Artists working in these Other legacies can be less government and philanthropic communities need to be broadly intentional. The NEXUS graffiti art funding. Most philanthropic skilled. Beyond Empathy project in three parks in Moree donors have been with the practitioners are willing to sit has boosted tourism and an arts organisation for ten years or back and learn from the people trail has just been developed. This longer with some of that funding that they’re serving. Together is changing the look and feel of on a very high level. This is a great they turn this experience into that community. Beyond Empathy benefit, but it comes with control something that is creative and films are traveling Australia and ownership over that money that participants can recognise and the world, which is also too. The landscape of giving is themselves in. At the same time significant. But more than those also changing. Philanthropists there needs to be measures to films traveling, it’s the capacity of are giving greater amounts of ensure safety for people who those young people who make funding to very select groups, may have vulnerabilities in the film to go and present it to with philanthropists teaming sharing their stories. Aboriginal other people. ‘When they realise up together to fund particular communities are very generous that they are not defined by their initiatives. This means that they and they’re so willing to share disadvantage, that’s the greatest do not have actual funding rounds anymore, making it harder to find their stories. McConville is of the legacy of all’. view that funding bodies should support for new initiatives. Beyond Empathy’s Rights of put far more interrogation and Beyond Empathy will however Passage film project based in rigour around how projects find a way to keep doing its work engagement with young people with an Aboriginal focus are in communities in need. And in the Shoalhaven region was funded. It is important to ensure there is no shortage of these. evaluated using the Social Return that Aboriginal people are not The Beyond Empathy process on Investment method in 2013. currency for community arts could be of great value to refugee The evaluation concentrated cultural development (CACD) communities or in working with organisations to secure funding. on the impact for 63 young ageing and old people. participants. The study found the There are now also many largest benefit to participants was Aboriginal artists leading and in improved emotional wellbeing, directing Beyond Empathy followed by improved outlook for projects. Many of the young the future (39% and 20% increases people who have gone through respectively), with smaller a leadership or intensive arts increases participant self-esteem program now go out and work in and social inclusion (5% and 6%) community as arts workers. This (See chapter 3). Beyond Empathy is probably one of the biggest collects data on all projects. They legacies of Beyond Empathy. also use an evaluation framework Maven, Beyond Empathy’s developed internally by the Aboriginal artists professional Cultural Development Network development program, has seen to measure a whole community 23 artists undertaking major development outcome using a artistic rules in BE projects, 8 mid- mix of community and artistic career artists taking on creative indicators. But evaluation is leadership roles within BE, with 10 expensive, even though the emerging artists finding creative advocacy effect of it can be quite work outside the program (BE profound. The overriding notion 2016-17). from evaluations and experience Beyond Empathy’s filmRites of on the ground is that Beyond Passage (2014) is still generating Empathy projects improve impacts for participants. 27 skills, improve connection and people connected to Rites of make people feel better about Passage (participants or families themselves. of participants) were involved as actors in Protection, which tells stories of children under 12.

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Studio A

Image 7. Studio A Artists at Sydney Contemporary (2018). Courtesy of Studio A.

IMPACT SUMMARY

Studio A • initiative of Studio Artes Northside to support artists with intellectual disabilities to have a long-term career in visual arts. Studio A now a subsidiary company of Studio Artes. Issue and social impact being addressed • “tackles the barriers that artists living with intellectual disability face in accessing conventional education, professional development pathways and opportunities needed to be successful and renowned visual artists” (Studio A website). • health and wellbeing outcomes addressed through widening recognition and achieving success for artists with intellectual disabilities. What the evidence says about the best way to respond • evaluation framework developed with Social Ventures Australia focuses on increasing income for artists and achieving recognition and success in art and design markets. Participants • 15 artists with a range of intellectual disabilities. westernsydney.edu.au/ics 45 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

Activities • core activity is artistic production in a supported studio environment • each artist pursues a distinctive path with an artist’s plan for each year, mentoring with senior artists, and management • social enterprise program ensures commissions from sales and creative services. Outputs • Art sales/leasing, workshops, exhibitions and events, collaborations, commissions. • development of strong brand and increased visibility of artists. Outcomes (short, medium and long term) • short and medium term – social support, peer support, art education and management, building creative opportunities and income base for Studio A artists; Studio A partnerships with business and institutions and increasing visibility of artists and Studio A brand. Personal outcomes include enhanced self-esteem, social networks, future aspirations, and economic security. • long term – increased mainstream recognition and opportunities for artists with intellectual disabilities. Social impacts • Supporting participant health and wellbeing through supported arts practice, economic return, professional development, and career pathways • Increasing visibility of SA artists aims to widen perceptions about contributions of people with intellectual disabilities, reducing stigma and extending diversity and inclusion (not supported by independent evaluation).

Organisational Background Studio A provides professional the supported studio: they development and a range of are person-centred, “providing Studio A was an initiative of Studio services. At the core is an ‘active enabling mechanisms for Artes Northside, who provide studio’ where the artists come to [members] to develop and creative programs for adults make art. This studio has around with disability. In response to the grow as individual artists with 15 artists, selected on the basis needs of a group of artists within a personal visual language and of their dedication and love of the more recreationally focused identifiable practice.” They are art, and their willingness to move Studio Artes art program, Studio generally staffed by artists and beyond their comfort zone, and to A began as a project to support oriented to the general art field: take their work to different places. artists with intellectual disability “a supported studio needs to be with a long-term commitment creating pathways for its artists to making art. Studio A later into the mainstream art world.” Achieving social impacts gained annual project funding The working environment in and finally establishing itself as Studio A is part of a movement the studio is clearly important. a subsidiary company of Studio of supported or active studios Studio A is equipped with quality Artes. Explaining the distinction that has developed over some materials and is organised around between Studio Artes and Studio 50 years. The Creative Growth the specific needs of the artists, A, CEO and Artistic Director Art centre opened in Oakland, who work both on individual work Gabrielle Mordy puts it, “Studio A California in 1973 with a and on collaborative projects is about making great art and it’s mission to support “artists with when they arise. Anyone entering for people who want to be artists, developmental, mental and the studio can immediately and who want to be employed as physical disabilities providing a perceive the feeling of the studio, artists.” professional studio environment its friendly environment (with for artistic development, gallery Studio A was chosen for its moments of hilarity) combined exhibition and representation impacts in the Health and with an underlying air of serious and a social atmosphere among Wellbeing domain. While Studio application and productivity. peers.” Almost as long-standing A’s expertise is in working with Each artist has an artistic plan for is Arts Project Australia in people with diverse intellectual each year, setting out projects Melbourne, founded in 1974 (See abilities, its strategy is to focus they want to pursue, required Stonehouse 2014; Arts Project on people’s distinctive abilities. support, and key goals they want Australia Annual Report 2013). Studio A’s core work is to make to achieve that year. Artists are art of excellence, or ‘great art’. Various principles characterise matched with professional artists

46 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT acting as mentors, collaborators of greater acceptance of people venture with a mix of income or advocates within the art world. with intellectual disabilities in the streams that seeks to enhance This provides connections and community. positive impacts through a strong peer endorsement, an important commercial model. Studio A is a Studio A has a well detailed social part of a vocational identity. Each not-for-profit company in which enterprise model; revenue from artist is given a business card extra income is reintegrated back program activities is reinvested that says ‘artist’. Gabriele Mordy into the business to create social into the program to further describes the feeling when they good. As Gabrielle Mordy explains, artistic and social benefits. hand over the card and say to Studio A works with a “full profit Contracts are made with all someone, “I am an artist”: “It’s a mentality” in a non-profit context. artists, who are each guaranteed weird, unquantifiable thing, to For instance, strong branding is a a 65 per cent commission from see that sense of pride and sense feature of Studio A, who worked the sale of creative services, of identity; that is something to develop a brand that would whether for creative workshops, most people want, that sense of counter assumptions about artists or selling or leasing their work; purpose and identity.” with intellectual disability and a specialised accounting system present them as professionally Providing pathways for artists has been developed to monitor and stylishly as possible. This involves opening up ways of correct payment. Bespoke supports Studio A in developing progressing in a difficult industry management is provided to its art products in design and that relies on both establishing ensure proper payment and gallery stores across Australia, reputations and negotiating ongoing opportunities. Each and hence to increase exposure complicated institutional and artist has a marketing plan which to its artists work. This model market networks. Artists are could include particular art and of impact is more explicitly tied individually supported to become platforms appropriate to their to the economic success and fluent in the ways of the art work, social media channels, sustainability of the organisation world, even though art world galleries, festivals, businesses and itself. conventions can be rigid. For so on. instance, the conventional gallery Studio A has an evaluation artist talk does not match the way framework developed with the The future many Studio A artists convey their help of Social Ventures Australia. artistic point of view. Studio A Growing Studio A is not a matter Impacts focus strongly on income thinks creatively about how artists of increasing the number of generation for artists, and the can meaningfully be engaged in artists, but of extending the achievement of recognition and public programs. For instance, breadth of audiences, and success in art and design markets graphic artist Greg Sindel asks with it the acceptance of the and exposure to audiences. Studio audience members questions and neurodiversity of artists. An A took the step of developing then offers to draw their comic active studio such as Studio A IT systems that provide the alter ego; Thom Roberts shares an provides the means for its artists data required for evaluation artistic obsession with crowns (of to realise a fully vocational life as in an ongoing manner. This is people’s heads) by doing readings an artist. Yet the active studio is supplemented with customer of people’s crowns. For Gabrielle an intensive model supporting a relationship management (CRM) Mordy, this is an example of community of artists with specific systems and ecommerce systems “finding ways for people to needs. Clearly there is a need for that monitor the relations with directly engage in a way that is more of them. clients and audiences, support showcasing their strengths and the deepening of sales, and Studio A is an advocate for active also their creative practice”. track what the company should studios and maintains contact Studio A artists engage in a wide be paying its artists. In this with its peers across the world. range of art and design contexts, sense, impact measurement is There are plans for an exhibition from working with prestigious embedded in the business stems with Arts Project Australia in firms such as Mud Australia used to run Studio A. This seems Melbourne, and also for an (designs on ceramics) and Corban a long way from the common international exhibition involving and Blair (designs featured on understandings of social impacts work from studios in New York, stationery and accessories), and in the arts sector in Australia, London and other cities. Studio A relationships with arts institutions produced in an environment hopes this will encourage people such as the National Arts School characterised by small publicly to see it as a model that works to and the Art Gallery of NSW, to funded arts organisations (the create great art. community engagements such as majority of our case studies) school programs and children’s primarily interested in public festivals. Studio A sees the wide value creation. However, Studio recognition of its artists as a A may represent an increasingly social impact with ripple effects common hybrid kind of social westernsydney.edu.au/ics 47 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

Art Gallery of NSW: Art and Dementia and other access programs

Image 8. Art Gallery of New South Wales, Arts engagement program for people living with dementia and their care partners (2018). Photographer Diana Panuccio.

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IMPACT SUMMARY

Art Gallery of NSW: Art and Dementia program and other access programs • Art Gallery of NSW is a major arts institution, serving all of NSW. • Art and Dementia program part of a suite of access programs supporting engagement with art for diverse audiences of differing abilities. Issue and social impact being addressed • Addresses health and wellbeing of people with dementia, which can impact cognitive function, memory, comprehension, language and judgement (Kenning 2016). What the evidence says about the best way to respond • research on dementia engagement finds that best practice supports a sense of normalcy, importance of context (physical environment, logistics of visits etc) and social scaffolding to enable positive experiences (Kenning 2016). Participants • people with dementia, family and carers • other access programs support children with various disabilities, deaf community, people with visual impairment, young artists with a disability. Activities • supported gallery, artist talks, creative workshops • training of volunteer staff, development of supporting materials including online resources Outputs • AGNSW visits, artist talks, creative workshops, development of supporting materials including online resources. Outcomes (short, medium and long term) • short term – enhanced quality of experience for people with dementia and other groups • medium and long term – extending access to AGNSW collection; enhanced community engagement of groups with reduced access. Social impacts • enhancing health and wellbeing through cultural engagement • extending inclusion for groups with barriers to cultural participation

Organisational context through engaging with art. For social impacts in the domain of Heather Whitely Robertson, Head Health and Welfare. The Art and of Learning and Participation, Dementia program is supported The Art Gallery of NSW (AGNSW) AGNSW has a responsibility to by some core funding for the was founded in 1871. It receives identify barriers to access for Access Programs Producer around one million visitors people, whether these are for role, and support from private annually. As a major arts reasons involving disability, benefactors. Specific project institution in NSW, it serves the geographic distance or financial funding including the Liveable state as a whole. barriers and provide “dedicated Communities Fund (Family streams of engagement to and Community Services) that This case study focuses on support the overcoming of those supported further research and AGNSW’s Art and Dementia barriers.” extensions of the program. program in the context of other access programs the gallery Due to its focus on supporting supports. The Art and Dementia people with dementia to have program fits into AGNSW’s policy an active engagement with art, of supporting lifelong learning, the Art and Dementia program enrichment and inclusivity was selected as a case study in westernsydney.edu.au/ics 49 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

Achieving social impacts arts institutions (NGA, MoMA) Further extensions to access through access programs and peak institutions such as involves introducing arts activity Dementia Australia (formerly and finding ways to extend the Alzheimer’s Australia) who helped program out of the NSW gallery Art and Dementia program develop training programs; and and into the community, for AGNSW’s Art and Dementia the research partnership with the instance in community centres, program is a creative ageing University of Technology Sydney residential care facilities or local program for individuals living with (UTS). galleries. Danielle Gullotta has developed tactile and material- dementia, allowing a facilitated In the development of the based resources that can also be art experience where people Art and Dementia program, taken out to external locations. are invited to imagine and think research, evaluation and the With the help of UTS, AGNSW creatively about art in a safe implementation of the project is developing a toolkit to share environment. The program began have been intertwined. An resources through their online because of community demand; evaluation by Gail Kenning of platform Art Sets. Extending access people were aware of programs UTS focused strongly on the beyond AGNSW also involves such as the Museum of Modern qualitative investigation of the Art’s pioneering Meet Me at MoMA training to support cultural museum experience for people organisations to develop their Program in New York. In 2010, with dementia and presented AGNSW ran a six-month pilot own programs and to share a detailed and sensitive learnings and strategies that have in partnership with Holdsworth understanding of the intimacy Community Centre. A core group been developed through AGNSW of this experience and how programs and research. of guides received specialised best to support it (see 2.3). The training in partnership with the evaluation makes subtle but National Gallery of Australia important points such as the need (NGA); subsequently AGNSW Other access programs for silence, the tactility of the developed its own training experience of paintings, and the The Art and Dementia program is program. Volunteer guides are ‘social scaffolding’ that needs to part of a suite of AGNSW access at the heart of the program; they underpin the gallery experience. programs. These include gallery are passionate about enabling a visitation programs including rewarding experience for people Research and evaluation have Starting with art for children with with dementia through attention been critical for the program’s physical, intellectual, behavioural to ways of looking and dialogue. refinement and extension. and sensory disabilities, Touch Close attention is paid to ‘in The next phase of the Art Tours enabling an experience the moment’ experience and and Dementia program is in of the gallery for that does not pleasure. The program is based development supported by a rely on vision, and Auslan tours on the principle of talking to the Liveable Communities grant for the deaf community. As an person first and respecting their and further research from example of extending community opinions. As Access Programs Gail Kenning. Refinements to engagement, AGNSW worked Producer Danielle Gullotta the program have included with the deaf community and explains: building the relationships with Accessible Arts to develop a Choice empowers people. key community organisations program where artists from We see people who are non- and testing out strategies with the deaf community are paid to verbal, who’ve lost the ability those organisations. Outcomes research and present to the deaf to have language, but we ask include the development of an community. AGNSW also has a them questions and people open program that anyone can community engagement team communicate through body access. Working with the mix of that seek to address barriers to language, through clapping, methodologies – “the looking, the participation in arts, of which through kissing the artwork, talking, and the material hands- the access program is part. One through dancing... on exploration of ideas” – led community program specifically to the development of effective targets and develops initiatives resources that can be used in in Western Sydney, working with Partnerships have been central the community. Most excitingly, cultural and creative partners to the Art and Dementia AGNSW is developing the in Western Sydney such as the program. These include: program to include people with Information Cultural Exchange in community partnerships with dementia in art making activities. Parramatta (ICE). One outcome organisations such as Holdsworth AGNSW can draw on artists they was the Manifestos project for Community Centre, who have have employed as educators to Sydney Modern, where young played a strong role in trialling facilitate hands-on processes people from Auburn and Granville and refining the program; that are more tactile and less created manifestos for the future professional partnerships with language-based. and how they wanted to see the

50 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT gallery representing for them. community engagement. There Another partnership program will be designated spaces for generating impacts in western artmaking and multipurpose uses Sydney is Front Up, which has that will make the gallery a much established a disability-focused more active space. For Danielle arts and cultural hub in Seven Gullotta this will allow space for Hills, funded by disability service disability-focused programs and provider, Ability Options. Front artist-led programs and greater Up Emerge is a 13-week program capacity for the showcasing of for artists with a disability, which collaborative work. This fits into a includes three days immersion vision of AGNSW as a civic space at AGNSW. Through the Emerge for everyone. program, people are given the opportunity to present their work at AGNSW or to present at the gallery’s artist talks. AGNSW has a strong commitment to develop programs that have positive social impact. Their access programs seek to reduce barriers to cultural participation. AGNSW is especially focused on impacts their programs can make on wellbeing. Danielle Gullotta remarked that emotional health and wellbeing were “the underlying impact we see across all our programs when they are evaluated.” For Heather Robertson, evaluation for social impacts is important to “ensure that benefits are being made, measuring those benefits and ensuring that the investments we are making have the most effective outcomes for individuals and the community at large.” As a major institution, AGNSW faces the challenge of extending impacts across the state. Recent efforts to extend programs beyond the gallery itself are encouraging. As a large institutional player, AGNSW has a role connecting smaller organisations through partnerships and maintaining engagement to further positive impacts.

The future As we have seen, AGNSW is expanding access programs, finding ways to share expertise and the benefits of its collection beyond the home gallery. AGNSW’s planned refurbishment, known as Sydney Modern will bring much greater capacity for westernsydney.edu.au/ics 51 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

Arts OutWest

Image 9. Arts OutWest Sweet Dreams (2013). Courtesy of Arts OutWest.

IMPACT SUMMARY

Arts OutWest (AO) • regional arts organisation covering the Central West of NSW, head office in Bathurst • core funding from Create NSW, 11 councils and Charles Sturt University. Issue and social impact being addressed • priority areas: health, Aboriginal arts, creative industries, and heritage and museums • these contribute to supporting resilience of the Central West. What the evidence says about the best way to respond • 1996 Review of Regional Arts Development recommended a decentralised model in NSW, able to respond to regional needs and priorities (Regional Arts NSW 2014) • evidence supports the importance of culture-led regeneration for rural community resilience (Findlay & Williams 2014) • Evaluation of AO’s disability program Sweet Dreams are made of this (Green et al 2015) found that longer term impacts were low because ensembles could not be maintained due to geography and lack of funding, suggesting that ongoing programs and ways of maintaining connection are vital in rural contexts.

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Participants • program participants include health service/hospital clients, Aboriginal communities and artists (particularly Wiradjuri), regional stakeholders in cultural partnerships. Activities • 2017 projects include Lachlan Health Service Culture and Arts Program (11 projects), Aboriginal arts (Wiradjuri Constellations, Jimmy Little Gathering, 8 exhibitions in 5 locations), Villages of the Heart project on settlements around Orange/Cabonne (heritage & cultural tourism) (2017 Annual Report) • supporting cultural activity, partnerships, advice and advocacy • linking people and providing information across Central West through online directory, radio, social media. Outputs • 109 artists received income through AO contracts or commissions • audience: Activities, events and exhibitions attracted 18000 attendees • communications: 2460 regional events promoted through online directory; marketing of 25 AO projects • advice or support for 114 individuals and 80 organisations (AO 2017 Annual Report). Outcomes (short, medium and long term) • short term – building skills through arts workshops; supporting regional cultural information • medium term – supporting cultural partnerships, advice and advocacy • long term – regional connectedness, building networks and infrastructure, institutional embedding of arts. Social Impacts • no study of wider social impacts of AO programs and facilitation • expected key impacts in health and wellbeing (particularly through Arts and Health program), and regional resilience (through enhancing connectedness, supporting a diversity of cultural expressions and building to cultural infrastructure).

Organisational background Aboriginal arts development; is happening in the arts and cultural tourism; and lifelong across the creative industries Arts OutWest is one of 14 learning in the arts. The artistic has an impact on the way these regional arts development focus is very broad, covering communities and the structure organisations in NSW working all the arts, creative industries of these communities operate. for communities in the Central and heritage and museums, She gives an example of a project West. It was established in 1974. acknowledging that different aimed at developing creative The organisation covers the local areas have different strengths. industry skills in the Aboriginal government areas of Bathurst, Arts OutWest prides itself in Arts development program. Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Forbes, having highly skilled long-term “The events organised to profile Lachlan, Lithgow, Oberon, Orange, staff with a strong understanding the participants’ arts, brings Parkes and Weddin. Its mission of what matters in the region. recognition to Aboriginal art is to promote, facilitate, educate and self-esteem to the artists, and advocate for arts and cultural and it also brings a lot of people development. Core support for Achieving Social Impacts together”. Arts OutWest comes from the NSW Government, the Australian The importance of a regional arts Arts and Health is an area where Government, local governments development organisation for Arts OutWest has a real strength. the social fabric of the region is and Charles Sturt University. Arts It is considered as a leader in the explained by Executive Officer field and has a specialist arts and OutWest has its headquarters on Tracey Callinan, “even though the health coordinator (interview the Bathurst campus of Charles social impacts are not explicitly with Elizabeth Rogers, Regional Sturt University and has a strong stated, it runs through everything Arts NSW). Some projects in partnership with the university. we do”. This is related to the the Health domain include: the The four priority areas of the nature of working in regional and Art Shed, a support program organisation are arts and health; rural communities. Whatever for artists with disability; Sweet westernsydney.edu.au/ics 53 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

Dreams Are Made of This (2012- business plan, how to go about old Grossi fish fossils discovered 13) a disability focused project insurance, or just outlining what in Canowindra, and a solo in Orange, Bathurst and Lithgow could be possible. Arts OutWest performance by Alison Plevey with music, visual arts and drama; first developed an online cultural from the Shearers Ballet project and the Dementia Art Group, an directory and database for the about life in the shearing sheds, interactive Art Program for people region in 2009. This allowed the focusing on women’s experience. living with dementia and their public to search local cultural Callinan is convinced that a carers. organisations, artists, venues and healthy arts and culture sector, events. Through a collaboration In these projects, Arts OutWest particularly in regional areas, with Regional Arts NSW, the works in partnership with impacts on the broad resilience database was adapted to fulfil other organisations, often at of communities. “It enables them state-wide database needs, various levels. A good example to feel differently about who they providing information about is the partnership with the local are and where they live. It enables artists, venues, grants and events hospitals. The Arts and Health them to know that they basically across the regional NSW (Jacques coordinator is based at a Bathurst can make things happen, that it & Callinan 2013). Hospital, while also having desk isn’t a cultural wasteland, that it’s space in Parkes and Forbes. This Through supporting everything a positive place to live.” creates opportunities at both happening in the arts as well as formal and informal levels. The running their own programs, connections with community Arts OutWest brings a real The future organisations also provide a vibrancy to the Central West. Arts OutWest will continue to strong network that supports The arts have quite a unique and support work that aims to achieve many new ideas and projects. distinct role in this environment. strong social impacts in the The existing connections prove Regional communities are often Central West. Tracey identifies valuable when opportunities arise, highly connected, which is a key are two challenges for the future. and organisations can instantly strength. But communities may The first is how this work will be work together to make things also have had long-term divisions. funded. And with that come a happen. It is also easier to achieve Arts can bring different sides in, whole lot of questions: what is outcomes together than on your helping to bring a community the legacy, how is it embedded, own. The different strengths that back together. is there significant change? These each organisation brings helps to Another key strength of the questions are related to the embed programs and to achieve region is the resilience of its justifications for why the funding long-term change. Callinan points communities. Arts can recognise is needed. But nothing can to the importance of recognising that resilience and celebrate happen without funding. and respecting each organisation it. When times are tough, that brings with them their The second challenge is proper having something that brings own objectives and reasons for evaluation of Arts OutWest’s the community together and collaboration to the partnership. programs and impacts. Sweet recognises the problems can Dreams are Made of This was Creating partnerships and help people through. Currently evaluated as part of the Arts and networks is at the core of Arts the Central West is quite badly Disability Partnership Evaluation OutWest. Tracey Callinan explains affected by the drought. Callinan published in 2015 (Green et al.). that a lot of the work she does describes that at times like this, There is an evaluation in process is trying to link people up. This arts projects are even more on the redevelopment at Lachlan can be artists talking to other important, because people need Health Service, in which Arts artists or big organisations to find the positives. While Arts OutWest played a major role. talking to other organisations. OutWest contributes to positive But as yet there is insufficient She argues that arts cannot social impacts in health and evidence on the social impacts work in isolation, they need wellbeing through its Arts and of Arts OutWest’s programs. to be connected across other Health program, the underlying The motivation is there, but the areas. That is why promoting impact domain is supporting resources for evaluation and and supporting the arts is such resilience across the region. impact assessment have been an important part of the work of A recent event that signifies lacking. Arts OutWest. Anything that is rural resilience in the Central happening across the region is West was Big Little Histories of included in the promotions and Canowindra (October 2018), an media program. The arts are also eclectic program presented by the promoted through helping people Corridor Project (in partnership who would like to make things with Arts OutWest). This included happen, ranging from advice on projections on wheat silos how to develop a strategic or depicting the 360-million-year-

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Blacktown Arts

Image 10. Karla Dickens, We are Young and Free (2015) steel structure, solar-powered lights. Installation view, Blacktown Native Institution Corroboree, 7 November 2015, Oakhurst, NSW. Co-commissioned by C3West on behalf of Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Blacktown Arts Centre on behalf of Blacktown City Council and UrbanGrowth NSW. Image courtesy and © the artist.

IMPACT SUMMARY

Blacktown Arts • initiative of the City of Blacktown; advised by Blacktown City’s Arts Reference Advisory Committee • Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre (BAC) opened in 2002. Issue and social impact being addressed • cultural development and leadership of diverse communities in Blacktown. What the evidence says about the best way to respond • research supports key principles of the Western Sydney Cultural Strategy: cultural diversity and respect for difference/ openness and trust/community wellbeing and inclusion/ connectedness and collaboration/ distinctiveness and local identity/ creativity and innovation (WESROC 2005) • BAC most successful in attracting audiences when “content is not culturally specific, but when product is based on a common theme to which members of diverse communities can contribute and relate” (Arts NSW 2007: 29). Who are the participants? • Blacktown City communities: strong representation of CaLD and Aboriginal communities.

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Activities • in-house curation of projects, community engagement and partnerships, multi-arts program including exhibitions and performances, arts education and schools’ programs. Outputs • Outputs of Blacktown Native Institution (BNI) project up to 2015 – arts workshops, exhibitions, site- specific arts events, 40 contemporary art works schools’ program (Lois Randall 2016) Outcomes (short, medium and long term) • Outcomes of Blacktown Native Institution project include: increased engagement with Aboriginal communities; increased awareness of heritage site and history; community healing; partnership between Blacktown City, Urban Growth and Museum of Contemporary Art; progress towards outcomes for BNI site (Lois Randall 2016). Social impacts • Social impacts of BNI in domains of resilience (cultural leadership, ‘activation’ of historical site), health and well-being (healing of historical trauma) and cultural identity (re-establishing identity, public recognition and cultural expression) • lack of research to verify broader social impacts of Blacktown Arts. Expected to be in domains of resilience (building cultural capacities and leadership) and social inclusion (through cultural recognition and connectedness).

Organisational context Achieving social impacts Institution project (BNI) is a key example to illustrate Blacktown Blacktown Arts is an initiative of Blacktown Arts programs are Arts strategies for achieving social the City of Blacktown in Western predominantly developed working impacts through engagement with Sydney. Blacktown City’s Arts with communities, and nearly an important cultural site. Reference Advisory Committee all are curated in-house. Most provides advice for the Blacktown work has long development times to enable extensive community Arts Centre and its programs. Blacktown Native Institution project A key aim of Blacktown Arts is engagement, generally with to “support the development of partners within the City of The Blacktown Native Institution contemporary art and culture Blacktown. project, a significant Aboriginal in Blacktown that is reflective of Two themes repeatedly emerged Arts and Placemaking Project Blacktown and its history and its in discussion with Blacktown is now in its sixth year. The communities.” Arts about the social impacts Blacktown Native Institution of their programs. The first was was a residential school for These communities are at capacity building; an important young Aboriginal and Maori the heart of Blacktown Arts’ aim of community-engaged children from 1823-29 that programs. Blacktown City is practice is to help develop pioneered assimilation and notable for its cultural diversity, cultural capacities and encourage ‘stolen generation’ policies. It was with the highest Aboriginal and cultural leadership. The second adjacent to the site of the first Torres Strait Islander population key element concerned ongoing land granted to Aboriginal people; in Sydney (ABS 2016) and major conversations and input from the Aboriginal settlement would concentrations of people of communities in the process of give Blacktown its name. But recent immigrant and refugee developing the work, in the work this history was not well known; backgrounds, including the itself and as a result of the work. the highly significant site of the largest Filipino, Indian, Sri Lankan, For Miguel Olmo, Blacktown Institute was a neglected patch Fijian, Sudanese and South Art’s Operations Coordinator, art of land beneath a motorway. Sudanese-born populations in programs should contribute to Andrea James, then Blacktown’s NSW (Multicultural NSW). The the possibility of having “difficult Indigenous Arts Officer, wanted to hub of Blacktown Arts’ activities conversations” that enable make this story public, resulting is the Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts different ways of approaching a in an exhibition at Blacktown Centre (BAC), a multi-arts facility problem or relationship. Cultural Arts Centre in 2013 of works hosting a range of exhibitions, dialogues aim to contribute to by Aboriginal and Torres Strait performances and special events. the resilience of Blacktown’s Islander artists. These works had communities and to the diversity largely been developed through and richness of cultural life in interaction with the Native Blacktown. The Blacktown Native Institution site. This was the

56 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT beginning of a new engagement Programs Coordinator, describes room. A similar inhabiting or with the Blacktown Native a moment when an event was ‘decolonisation’ of the art centre’s Institution site, consultation about rained out, “we really saw, like space occurred with the recent the site, and giving a voice to marshlands, with herons and Danaher exhibition, Blacktown Darug people and organisations. kangaroos, Darug people got Art’s first engagement with excited about working with the Afghani and Persian communities. The second phase of the BNI environment there.” This was part “It’s been a praying space, it’s project was supported by of a gradual shift in the feelings been a children’s space, it’s been funding from the Museum of of Darug people about the Native a dancing space” says Berry. For Contemporary Art (MCA) as Institution site, from being a place several months, the BAC was part of its C3West program. A of pain to one of “welcoming and transformed into a community partnership was formed between joy”, as Miguel Olmo puts it. art space, showcasing installation MCA, Blacktown City and Urban works, painting, and theatre The first phases of the Blacktown Growth, the state government works. Blacktown Arts’ strategy for Native Institution project were urban development agency that generating positive social impacts evaluated as part of the NSW part owns the site. Blacktown Arts includes enabling intimate cultural Aboriginal Arts and Cultural led the community engagement engagements such as these as Strategy Evaluation Report with the Darug community part of building cultural capacities (Randall 2016). The BNI was and Aboriginal communities of to engage within a diverse and used as a case study illustrating Blacktown. Artists worked on volatile urban landscape. the site, collaborating with the ways of increasing the visibility Darug and Aboriginal community of Aboriginal arts and culture; it also pointed to its important role to develop a vision for the future The future of the site. The focus of the in supporting local Aboriginal program was to “activate the cultural identities. The evaluation Urban Theatre Projects is site”, to understand the historical listed aspects of the BNI project’s currently engaged in a residency importance of the site and to legacy including: 40 innovative partnership with Blacktown lay the ground for future uses. art works; promoting interaction Arts called Right Here Right Now. These on-site events culminated with the Darug and Aboriginal This will result in a series of in a Corroboree and community community; developing site-specific performance works celebration in November 2015. partnerships; and progress around Blacktown’s bustling Artists have continued to towards expressed community Main Street. These projects are work with communities on the goals of healing, interpretation, documenting ways of life that site, most recently in Ngara – education and revegetation on will shortly disappear, as this older shopping area is slated for Ngurangwa Byallara (Listen, hear, the site. redevelopment. Blacktown is a think – The Place Speaks). rapidly developing city whose The BNI program aimed Other projects physical as well as cultural to “address the need for landscape is always changing. Stitching the sea is a long-term reconciliation, to increase the Blacktown Art’s programs try collaboration with Pacific Islander visibility and profile of the site to anticipate changes and communities in partnership and story, and to progress engage communities with with Australian Museum. Pacific discussions about its future use” complex questions about artists and communities were (Randall 2016: 55).The project change, sometimes involving able to engage closely with the entailed art work and dialogue communities directly with museum’s extensive collection. on different levels: recognition of planning and governance This exchange has generated the site and history through art processes, as in the Blacktown new artworks, demonstrating works; brokering conversations Native Institution project. Art the links between traditional and with the Darug community and interventions provide different contemporary practices. The general community in Blacktown; ways to articulate issues. While current Stitching the sea show these perspectives rarely affect developing a sense of ownership exhibition is part of the Australian policy making, it may be more of the site; and engagement with Museum’s Oceania Rising program possible in local government. community and government focusing on climate change. The An extension of Blacktown Arts’ about uses and potentials of the space at BAC is turned into a engagement processes might site. resource centre where people involve “brokering a language can immerse themselves in the Discussion with local Darug that our colleagues on council works and explore other materials people was crucial to the process. can understand about what on climate change including a It was also important to work communities need.” through trauma associated with digital interface. A group of Cook the Native Institution raised by Islander women are curating part the project. Paschal Berry, BAC’s of the space resembling a lounge westernsydney.edu.au/ics 57 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

CuriousWorks

Image 11. CuriousWorks Let Me Know When You Get Home (2016-current). Courtesy of CuriousWorks.

IMPACT SUMMARY

CuriousWorks (CW) • community based arts and media organisation founded in 2006 in Western Sydney. Issue and social impact being addressed • aims “to increase the social, cultural and economic capital for individuals, communities and society as a whole by building the next generations’ skills and leadership capacity” (CW website) What the evidence says about the best way to respond • arts and media work made through co-creation with communities generate impacts such as control of representations, commitment to social change and justice, although these impacts have not yet been translated into social impact analysis (Spurgeon 2015; Rennie et al. 2017). Participants • CuriousWorks engage principally with young people in western Sydney of CaLD, Aboriginal or working- class background, and their communities. Activities • community-based skills workshops, artists in community seed commissions, schools projects • Curious Creator workshops to develop skills and new projects, mentorships • creative development towards performances & screen projects, national & international creative partnerships • social enterprise program generating fee-for-service work and experience. Outputs • arts and media works including performance, screen and digital output

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• social enterprise program employed 14 professional artists and 11 curious creators with $150,000 income ($74K for young creators). Outcomes (short, medium and long term) • short term – building skills among young people, bringing people together and articulating shared interests, income and work experience for young creatives • medium and long term – stories and representations grounded in community engagement, “nurturing a new generation of storytellers”. Social impacts • Impact assessment largely through internal evaluation; difficulty in assessing longer term social impacts • key impact domain is art and identity because of core focus on grassroots storytelling • strong impacts in resilience (capacity building, developing cultural skills) and social inclusion (addressing lack of recognition of diverse cultural narratives).

Organisational background a group of young creators, and 3) Refill is an arts and education CuriousWorks social enterprise. In program collaborating with Miller CuriousWorks is an arts the words of CEO Vanessa Hyde: Technology High School. The organisation that began in program is built on the interests Western Sydney in 2006. We start with establishing a of students, who may have been CuriousWorks has developed local network in the community, struggling in school, to help them its own model of community building relationships, re-engage with their education engagement, building arts partnerships with the community through an exploratory process. expertise through “long term and with different organisations A partnership with Casula grassroots programs, intensive within that community, creating Powerhouse has enabled Refill capacity building, genuine grassroots arts making or participants to exhibit work in economic and employment projects within that community. exhibitions and take part in the outcomes, artistic excellence From there we also build WOW (Way Out West) Festival for and fostering local cultural and economic capital through young people. Beyond Refuge is a artistic leadership”. CuriousWorks education and professional three-year program engaging local engages principally with young development and enterprise, and artists from refugee backgrounds, people in western Sydney of CaLD, form strategies in order to carry asylum seeker backgrounds, to First Nations or working-class out those three tiers of work. undertake group works or group background. exhibition works that talk to While CuriousWorks’ programs The first stage involves research experiences of migration or their are strong on creative capacity partnerships, ensuring there are refugee journey or resettlement in building, the pervasive emphasis diverse community networks Australia. on stories generated from local on the ground, which “helps The second level of CuriousWorks’ cultural experience through all its to reduce social isolation and practice is the Curious Creative programs was the reason for this improves the relationships and Program, the mid-level emerging case study being associated with interactions between those artist group. There are currently social impacts in arts and identity. diverse groups, so it’s creating a 20-25 young participants — diverse kind of community within known as Curious Creators a community to work with.” — from a range of different Achieving social impacts Working with a network of backgrounds who have emerged CuriousWorks have generated community partners, grassroots from the community programs. their own community arts and projects are developed with young Curious Creators workshop cultural development model people to allow a spectrum of ideas and techniques to to achieve social impacts at practice to develop their cultural develop productions. Within the differing levels. Creative processes expertise. Community-based Creators program are various generally are long-term, based skills workshops aim to develop subgroupings and events: these on collaboration with specific skills among young creators. include a weekly writers’ group communities, and aim to develop For instance, Buruwanwa is a that provides a safe place to technical skills and career multi-arts workshop program bring together and develop pathways for participants. In this involving Aboriginal and working- ideas, and an annual Story Circle approach there are three levels class young people, Elders, that explores the potential of within a cycle: 1) ‘grassroots’ work artists and community leaders at emerging ideas for projects with communities 2) developing Bidwill, Mt Druitt and St Mary’s. in the coming year. Curious westernsydney.edu.au/ics 59 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

Women is a program supporting artists on those works.” Because as being grounded in enhancing leadership roles for young female of CuriousWorks’ track record in communication. Then with the artists. Quarterly professional community engagement, fee-for- development of young creatives workshops support technical service jobs may also generate through Curious Creator program knowledge, experimentation and social impacts, for instance a the core impact of the work is professional protocol. “Makers workshop engagement for a understood in terms of cultural space” workshops concerned social housing organization in leadership and “having a lot of with technical developments Penrith that will result in audio those artists then going back particularly in new media are stories and film and photographic into their own communities and run as public events throughout stories presenting a more positive running projects within their western Sydney. representation of tenants in communities.” community housing, particularly While senior artists in the Social impacts are understood elderly tenants. organisation have usually as being embedded in different taken on the direction of major As is apparent from above, parts of a cycle starting with creative projects, recently networks and partnerships are the building of local networks, Curious Creators have directed vital for CuriousWorks; each identifying cultural leaders an ambitious project themselves. project relies on a dense web though those local networks Las Rosas is a web series about of partnerships, formal and and activities, and building two sisters negotiating their informal community partnerships, the capacity of those cultural Quinceañera, the coming of links with local services, arts leaders, which feed back into age ritual at 15. The project partnerships, local councils, all communities. CuriousWorks also “showcases themes of sisterhood, forming a social ecology cutting equates impacts with different growing pains, and how the Latin across different domains. kinds of ‘capital’: increasing social and Australian lifestyles clash and For instance, CuriousWorks capital by building local networks converge in Western Sydney… engagement in Bidwill links in and improving community marrying contemporary, coming- with many organisations including relationships between groups; of-age Australian drama with local organisations Bidwill United building cultural capital through Telenovela”. The project came and The Learning Ground, arts artistic production that represents out of a writers’ group in 2016 organisations Powerhouse communities that are often that had a series of stories, so as Youth Theatre and Moogahlin neglected in mainstream arts and a group they decided to create Performing Arts, and local media; and increasing economic a web series which interweaved government Blacktown Council capital through skills development the characters of each of six and Blacktown Arts. and employment opportunities writers. Las Rosas embodies For CuriousWorks, social for people who frequently face the sophistication, initiative and impacts are at the core of their socio-economic disadvantage. collaborative skills achieved in the cultural and artistic practices. Curious Creators program. CuriousWorks collects evidence This concern is embedded into of its impacts periodically in the CuriousWorks’ Social Enterprise developing strategies from the development of larger projects, is a fee-for-service program, beginning. “We go into a space and workshop series. Evaluation working with councils, schools, with the ideal of bringing together of this data is often used to businesses and community a diverse group of people that provide internal feedback about organisations. The work is mostly may not necessarily normally the quality of processes and in film production services and interact and through discussions is used in program debriefing running media workshops. The have an ability to identify the and retreats. It could also pick social enterprise program aims to key kind of issues or local up something like growing open up employment pathways, issues that that group is facing”, confidence of young artists as build work experience and create Vanessa Hyde says. Choosing a project develops. A major industry networks. In 2017 the right facilitators to match difficulty is in capturing longer- the Social Enterprise Program communities and languages is term impacts and impacts employed 14 professional crucial; facilitators bring with beyond specific programs artists and 11 Curious Creators them “a breadth of experience in may not be captured in these on more than 30 jobs valued multiple kind of communities and sorts of evaluation. However, at around $150,000. Of this, different ways of working with CuriousWorks is currently Curious Creators earned $74,000, different people and that kind of embarking on a rigorous mapping significant payment for young cross-cultural understanding.” of the Curious Creators program, artists in a difficult field (2017 This enables an array of strategies career pathways, skillsets and annual report). Vanessa Hyde and techniques that they use to aspirations, funded by the Vincent explains that “as this group of ground processes of engaging Fairfax Foundation. young emerging artists grow their with different people. Impacts at skills, they are now often the lead community level are conceived A key social impact domain of

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CuriousWorks is art and identity, due to the strong focus on stories emerging from communities, and the development of artistic capacities grounded in engagement with diverse communities. These stories also rely on CuriousWorks’ support for cultural leadership, skills and innovation in working creatively with communities.

The future The recent formation of sister company Co-Curious aims to bring “stories from another Australia” generated in diverse cultural communities to larger budget, more prominent screen and theatre platforms, not generally accessible to community-based art. Co-Curious will be led by CuriousWorks’ founding artistic director, S. Shakthidharan. As with CuriousWorks, writers and creators would be supported, in this case to produce work for industry level production. This move demonstrates the success of CuriousWorks’ approach and the ambition to have a greater impact on ‘mainstream’ national narratives. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for CuriousWorks, to fill the gap in artistic leadership that will result, and to allow younger voices to take the lead in directing CuriousWorks programs on the ground in western Sydney.

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Bangarra Dance Theatre

Image 12. Bangarra Dance Theatre Bangarra’s Youth Program Team, Mt Tabor, QLD (2018). Photographer Tiffany Parker.

IMPACT SUMMARY

Bangarra Dance Theatre • Established in 1989 • Australia’s leading Aboriginal &Torres Strait Islander performing arts organisation. Issue and social impact being addressed • key issue concerns cultural identities of Aboriginal communities and country • Impacts addressed in the Rekindling program include building career pathways for future cultural leaders, building recognition for Aboriginal cultural values and heritage. What the evidence says about the best way to respond • Considerable evidence suggests causal links between Aboriginal cultural participation and economic as well as health and wellbeing outcomes (see Biddle & Crawford 2017; Ware 2014). Who are the participants? • young people, mostly of Aboriginal background • people from communities engaged with Bangarra programs. Activities • programs with young Aboriginal people including Rekindling • nutrition and health programs such as partnership with OzHarvest • mentoring of future cultural leaders

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• workshops and performances with schools and with young people on Bangarra tours • return to country initiatives with communities who have inspired Bangarra works. Outputs • Rekindling – 55 workshops, 143 participants + 110 re-engaging from earlier participation, 850+ audiences for performances, 16 former participants study at national dance institutions • schools’ program: 254 participants from NSW Public Schools and Aboriginal Dance Ensemble participating in 2017 Schools Spectacular • 269 young regional workshop participants, during Bangarra tours (2017 annual report). Outcomes (short, medium and long term) • short term – engagements with individuals, communities and schools result in valuable cultural experiences • medium and long term – enhanced skills, career prospects, cultural leadership, widening recognition of Aboriginal culture. Social impacts • While there has not been social impact assessment, internal evidence on the Rekindling program suggests that the program generates strong engagement with country and culture, often enhancing commitment to schooling, or to career aspirations in dance. • Rekindling and other youth programs appear to have strong impacts in domains of identity and resilience, while contributing to wellbeing and social inclusion.

Organisational background visual form of storytelling […] its connections with community moving through the body” (Dow and with Country. Cultural Bangarra is Australia’s leading 2018). identity, storytelling and sharing Aboriginal and Torres Strait knowledge, and social impacts Islander performing arts Bangarra’s annual program are intertwined. According to organisation. Based on the includes a national tour Bangarra, “Our works exist Wiradjuri word ‘to make fire’, of a world-premiere work; because of these connections to Bangarra was first established complemented by a regional and our lands and our people.” in 1989 by staff and students international tour. Education of National Aboriginal and programs, workshops, special By interpreting Aboriginal Islander Skills Development performances and projects stories through the medium of Association (NAISDA), fusing complement the touring schedule, contemporary dance, Bangarra contemporary techniques with aiming to attract Bangarra’s has helped to create and enhance traditional Aboriginal dance. next generation of performers national and international Originally led by Carole Johnson, and storytellers. Since its recognition of Aboriginal cultural choreographer Stephen Page was inception, Bangarra has created heritage. It also supports career appointed artistic director in 1991, 36 productions and attracted advancement and opportunities collaborating with his brothers approximately 50,000 audience for young people through David Page, who led music members annually, across some outreach work in communities. composition, and Russell Page as 85 performances. principal dancer. Building connection with community Bangarra today is widely Areas of social impact and with Country acclaimed across Australia and around the world for the Bangarra is driven by a mission Bangarra places community quality of its dance repertoire, its “to create inspiring experiences relationships at the heart of the distinctive theatrical voice and that change society”. At the organisation. A ‘Cultural Creation unique soundscapes, music and heart of the organisation are Lifecycle’ is used to describe how design. Bangarra’s dancers each its relationships with Aboriginal stories are developed, working on have Aboriginal and/or Torres and Torres Strait Islander Country and through cultural and Strait Islander (ATSI) background communities. The repertoire community residencies, before being transformed into public and are drawn from various is created on Country, with performances. locations across the country. To stories gathered from respected Stephen Page, Bangarra’s community Elders. Bangarra ‘Return to Country’ initiatives repertoire represents a “theatrical, defines its social impacts through provide a platform to reconnect westernsydney.edu.au/ics 63 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT with communities that have and the centrality of Country Bangarra dance moves. A third inspired a work and enable us and of storytelling to Aboriginal gathering brings together stories to bring that work ‘home’. For communities. and movement, leading to a example, Terrain, created in 2012 community performance. There is no more powerful thing and inspired by the landscape than seeing the worth in your Rekindling has been delivered of Kati Thanda (Lake Eyre), was own people and your own story in 25 communities across five brought back on Country and created into a world-class dance states with almost 460 students the company was hosted in performance that is toured completing the program. While the nearby township of Marree internationally, every capital city. its Major Performing Arts (MPA) in 2016. This model has been And that your story’s important funding does not extend to this extended in recent years to enough to be invested in by outreach work, the Bangarra specifically target young people, Australia’s leading Indigenous Board chooses to devote the through the Rekindling program, performing arts company and majority of fundraising efforts to discussed below. [given] the level of respect that support the program, because Bangarra also engages in Bangarra brings back to the it is core to its purpose as an partnerships to support community that inspired it. (Kitty organisation (Bangarra Strategic nutrition and health programs. Walker, Director, Development) Plan 2019-21). The company partners with organisations like OzHarvest to bring fresh produce into Rekindling Stories of impact regional and remote areas, Launched In 2013, the Bangarra has many examples and to educate families and Rekindling program extends the of positive experiences and communities on health and collaborative process developed stories among those who have nutrition. for the main stage, to benefit participated in the program. young people. It is designed to Kitty Walker, Bangarra’s Director, bring them together with Elders Development explains: Creating career pathways for future in a community, to share and [After the Rekindling program] cultural leaders express their culture through we have conversations with contemporary dance. The Many of Bangarra’s dancers have communities and people will program aims to inspire pride, been recruited from some of say: “We haven't seen these kids kinship and a sense of strength Australia’s most disadvantaged attending school and suddenly in young Aboriginal and Torres communities (Bangarra Dance they're turning up every time Strait Islanders through a series of Theatre, 2018: 12). Bangarra you're in town and they're dance residencies with secondary not only supports the individual engaged and they're working on school-aged students. Rekindling careers of selected performers, a project together as a team and is led by Sidney Saltner, who but also provides positive they're respecting their elders became Youth Program Director examples of Aboriginal and Torres when they may never have even after 25 years as a performer. Strait Islander success in the spoken to them before. (Kitty wider community (30). Dancers Rekindling participants research Walker, Director, Development) are recruited annually through and gather stories with the Russell Page Graduate guidance from Elders within Program, and the David Page their communities. They then Another participant describes the Music Fellowship. Bangarra work with mentors to develop impacts of the program: also supports a Dancer Further skills that enable them produce Being a part of the Rekindling Education Program to support performances and community program changed the way I career development opportunities events. saw myself. People talk about a for mid-late-career dancers move The Rekindling team work with defining moment in their lives into a life beyond the stage. four communities per year, and for me so far this is it… For with each community involving me the dancing and movement between 10 and 30 young people. were profound, beautiful and Building recognition of Aboriginal The program is run over a six- freeing but the program was so cultural value and heritage month period, during which time much more than that… I came Bangarra’s national and three week-long gatherings are out of it a different person. international success has helped held. The first gathering involves Rekindling has allowed me to feel cement its reputation as what it a trip on country and aims to clearer, I am more confident in calls Australia’s ‘national cultural connect young people with my own voice.... I now dance with carrier’. This success has helped Elders and traditional stories. meaning – they’re not just steps to underscore the importance The second gathering is about but my story. (Rosa, Rekindling of Aboriginal cultural heritage, movement and learning the participant)

64 CASE STUDIES FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

Building evidence and supporting what they hope to achieve. These each production. This includes evaluation are voluntary surveys designed the Knowledge Ground digital to better understand participants’ platform, planned for release in Reports of Rekindling show the experiences and expectations 2019. As set out in its Strategic results of strong engagement: of the program. Dance teachers Plan: approximately 50 per cent of also produce an evaluation Rekindling participants return the This educative tool will allow report after the completion of a year after their performance to people to discover the many Rekindling program and employ bring a friend and reconnect with different elements behind each videographers to interview young the program. Given that many production in Bangarra’s 30 people and elders about their participants are in the latter years years of repertoire. Online experiences. of school, this is a high rate of audiences will be able to return to the program. Descriptions that emerge from learn more about where our this qualitative research often production’s stories come from, While not originally designed point to positive impacts on the traditional languages that to attract talent to Bangarra, participants’ sense of identity: support the story and music and the company are aware of 30- all the design elements including 40 participants who have gone [Kids] mainly talk about an costumes, lighting, sets and onto further training in dance increase in pride in self and props, choreography and music. through NAISDA or the Australian pride in their culture and there’s Company of Performing Arts a lot of comments around, you (ACPA). One of the members know, “I won't be shamed” and of the current ensemble was “I'm suddenly learning about part of an early Rekindling pilot my family or who I am, where I workshop, and more dancers are come from, my place” and that’s anticipated to join Bangarra in the definitely the key theme that coming years through the NAISDA runs from the kids. pathway. From an elders’ point of view, it’s They’ve taken part in a similar: it’s their pride in their Rekindling workshop and gone kids, in seeing them achieve and “Oh, my God. This is my calling”. work towards a common goal. And then there’s the kids who just love moving and “I want to Building a clear evidence base for be a dancer and I want to be in the social impacts of programs Bangarra” and they just have such as Rekindling remains that fire in their belly. a challenge, “something we always struggle with”. While the company is able to capture Bangarra has undertaken quantitative data relating to the audience research with Dark number of participants reached Emu audiences and donors. They by the program (number of have asked these audiences: young people; number of Elders “If you were to donate or if engaged; number of communities you do donate, what areas of involved; number of works the business would entice you created), it is harder to capture to give?” Given the option to more qualitative and deeper respond in terms of support for evidence of social impact. The the creation of new works, or to issue is exacerbated by the lack of work in remote communities with an external evaluator or partner kids, the overwhelming response who may be able to support was to support Bangarra’s independent evaluation of a education work in remote program’s social impact over time. communities. The company has started to implement surveys tailored for The future communities who participate in the Rekindling program. The company is investing in Before participants commence initiatives to expand awareness the program, they are asked of the nature of its work, and a set of questions about their the different outreach efforts expectations for the program and involved in the development of westernsydney.edu.au/ics 65 Conclusion

The role of arts and culture in social and collective wellbeing. has been adopted in widespread addressing key social challenges This has shifted the focus away reviews of evidence around arts is widely recognised. Through from instrumental ‘impacts’ on and health, such as the Creative different forms of artistic various domains of social and Health research report released in production and participation, arts economic life, to the different the UK in 2017. kinds of value embodied in, and and culture play an important For the arts sector, these generated by, arts and culture. role in meeting the challenges approaches provide a useful faced by our society – addressing In turn, new quantitative models, framework for better capturing the conditions borne of including the ‘social return on evidence in a quantifiable way. social exclusion, isolation and investment’ (SROI) model of They do, however, require disadvantage, an ageing society, evaluation, has provided a way for investment in evaluation to increasingly diverse communities, the social and cultural values of take place as part of the roll environmental change, as well arts practices to be captured in a out of a program, and not at its as rapid urban growth and quantifiable way. SROI approach conclusion. transformation. uses a cost-benefit analysis to If the social impacts of the arts capture, in financial terms, the are widely acknowledged, the new value created by a project as capacity to produce ‘hard data’ reported by stakeholders. Instead that evidences this impact has of impact, it addresses the values proved challenging for the sector. or benefits achieved by a project. The nature of artistic experience, There is also now widespread combining highly subjective and recognition that impact complex aesthetic, social and evaluation is challenging, no cognitive factors, is not easily matter the sector. That is, any captured through standardised evaluation study that seeks to impact evaluations. Likewise, demonstrate the impact of a many arts organisations are specific intervention or set of not funded to support impact interventions, such as those evaluations, particularly in taking place criminal justice or more constrained funding health policy settings, will face environments, and argue they limits. The arts sector is not alone need to focus on the core work of in this. artistic creation, production and performance. New approaches to social impact evaluation address more Yet, while the arts sector has closely the conditions in which struggled historically to evidence an intervention takes place, its social impact, cultural policy how outcomes were produced, makers have made progress in and what is significant about articulating the value of arts and the varying conditions in which culture to society. The concept of interventions take place. This cultural value has been developed approach is known as ‘Theory- a framework that incorporates Based Evaluations’, which different kinds of intrinsic, incorporate a ‘logic model’ and instrumental and institutional is sometimes simply described values that are central to our as ‘what works’. This approach

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70 Appendices

Appendix A: Project Consumption, Policy’ (2013- of Experts and an Honorary 2016), ‘Australian Cultural Fields: Professor at the University of Team National and Transnational Bath, UK. Dynamics’ (2014-2018), and ‘UNESCO and the Making of Global is Professor Deborah Stevenson Cultural Policy: Culture, Economy, Dr Sarah Barns is an experienced an internationally acknowledged Development’ (2018-2020). These researcher, curator and urban expert on arts and cultural recent ARC projects have focused strategist with close to two policy including the social on an examination of arts and decades’ experience working impact of the arts and the uses cultural practice and production across cultural and creative of culture in city imaging and in Greater Western Sydney, a industries. Having begun her urban redevelopment. Deborah national study of cultural taste career in 2000 as a policy has published widely on these and consumption in Australia, and adviser to the Department of topics including in excess of forty the cultural policy and creative Communications, IT and the refereed journal articles and book cities initiatives of UNESCO and Arts, Sarah was appointed chapters, and ten authored or their impact in different social Research Manager and Acting edited books. Her most recent and cultural contexts. Deborah Strategy Lead for the Australia books include: Cultural Policy has worked as an advisor Council for the Arts between Beyond the Economy: Work, Value, and consultant to all levels of 2003 and 2006. In this role and the Social (Edward Elgar, government in Australia, and Sarah led the development of forthcoming); Cities of Culture: most recently conducted a major national creative industries A Global Perspective (Routledge, study of the spaces of cultural strategy, represented Australia 2017); The City (Polity, 2013), and consumption and production at national and international Tourist Cultures: Identity, Place for the City of Sydney. Her many fora for arts advocacy, and and the Traveller (co-authored, advisory appointments include managed in-depth quantitative Sage, 2010). In addition, she Social Sustainability Advisor for and qualitative research projects is co-editor of the Research the redevelopment of the Darwin and partnerships dealing with Companion to Planning and Waterfront, adviser on Cultural artist incomes (with Professor Culture (Ashgate, 2013), Culture Planning to Hunter Regional David Throsby), digital disruption, and the City: Creativity, Tourism, Association of Councils, member and the social and economic Leisure (Routledge, 2013) and of the Newcastle City Council impact of the arts. Sarah the forthcoming Routledge Social Impact Consultative Panel, was later instrumental in the Urban Media and Communication and ministerial appointment to development of the $20m UTS Companion. Her work has been the reference group overseeing Creative Industries Innovation published in translation in China, the development of the NSW Arts Centre, where she was Strategy Serbia, Poland and Greece, and and Cultural Policy Framework. Manager between 2008 and 2011, under license in India and South leading the development of a Deborah is a member of the Asia. national research framework for editorial boards of leading mapping the economic impact Deborah’s research program international journals, including of the creative industries with has been supported by external the International Journal of the Department of Industry, funding from a range of public Cultural Policy, and advisory Innovation and Research. and private sources, and she boards such as for the Palgrave has been a chief investigator Macmillan series New Directions Since 2011 Sarah has been on eight prestigious Australian in Cultural Policy Research. She active in curatorial and creative Research Council grants, including is also a member of the European placemaking practice through ‘Recalibrating Culture: Production, Science Foundation College her studio Esem Projects, westernsydney.edu.au/ics 71 APPENDICES working with communities, of Environment and Heritage • Clements, J. (2016), ‘Opera heritage professionals and arts (2016-7); as a community arts project: practitioners around Australia and strategies for engagement and • Data Strategy for the New Zealand to co-create creative participation’, The International development of Sydney methodologies for heritage Journal of Social, Political, and Science Park, Western Sydney, interpretation and creative Community Agendas in the Arts, as an innovation precinct placemaking. This work has led vole 11, no 3, pp. 57-68. (2017, on behalf of CSIRO / to major commissions from the Data61); City of Sydney, Arts Centre of Christchurch, Bathurst Regional • Indicator Framework and Dr Cecelia Cmielewski is a Council, Liverpool City Council, Roadmap for the Department Research Officer at the Institute Newcastle City Council and of Planning and Environment for Culture and Society and was Australian National University, (DPE) Digital Dashboard awarded her doctorate from as well as collaborations with for the Greater Sydney that Institute in 2018. Her thesis major urban design consultancies Commission, delivered researches the relationship including Arup and Hassell. She on behalf of National ICT between the experiences and is a member of the Australian Australia (2016). practices of artists of non-English Smart Cities Association Built speaking backgrounds (NESB) Environment Taskforce, a and key arts policies through committee member of Landcom Jacqueline Clements has built a consideration of the roles Precincts and Place Community her career in the Netherlands as of creative and organisational of Practice and was previously the executive director of two leadership. Her research interests Board Member of the Dictionary heritage museums; a community address inclusion in the creative of Sydney (2013-5) and Network arts institute and a theatre sectors with a focus on the Insight Advisor. Sarah has production company. In these relationship between creative previously led strategic projects roles she has developed production and multicultural for a number of government and extensive experience in engaging policies. Cecelia is the research commercial organisations. Key governments, industries, assistant and contributing recent projects and deliverables communities and volunteers in researcher on the ARC project include: heritage and arts. Her 16 years of ‘UNESCO and the Making of Global Cultural Policy: Culture, • Scoping Study for Urban executive experience in leading Economy, Development’. She Growth NSW on the cultural organisations has guided is also researching the cultural development of a Connected her interest in understanding infrastructure conditions and City Data Hub (2017); the way in which culture works for different people and places. scenarios of Greater Metropolitan • Strategic Report on smart city Jacqueline draws upon her vast Sydney. opportunities for White Bay industry experience and brings Cecelia was project manager and Innovation Precinct for Urban this into her research. She focuses contributing researcher on the Growth NSW (2017); on culture-led strategies and ARC funded project ‘Recalibrating • Research report for City of socio-economic development Culture: Production, Consumption Parramatta on the history in urban contexts. Jacqueline Policy’, and was a principal of migration, from colonial is interested in how culture- investigator on the ARC funded settlement to the present day led strategies are impacted by Large Screens and Transnational (2017); geographic diversity and local Public Sphere. She held senior specificity both in the Netherlands roles at the Australia Council, • Research Report for the and in Australia. Recent projects the Federal Government’s arts Committee for Sydney include studies on creative funding and advisory agency #wethecity 3 Report on the strategies in the Blue Mountains between 1998 and 2011. She is rise of digital services for and Hobart as well as on cultural also a curator, including curating improved city governance initiatives overseas. Jacqueline meta_narratives for ISEA2015 (2017); is a PhD student at WSU. Her in the UAE. She holds a PhD • Strategy report for Arup research output is listed below. (Western Sydney University) an on Creative Activation and • Clements, J. (2018), MBA (University of Adelaide), Placemaking opportunities ‘[In Press] Community Bachelor of Design (University of associated with NW Metro by resources for small city South Australia) and a Bachelor of TfNSW (2017) Arts (Flinders University). creativity?: Rethinking • Scoping study on the use of creative economy narratives • Stevenson, D., Rowe, D., smart technologies for urban at the Blue Mountains Caust, J. and Cmielewski, C. heat mitigation in Western Music Festival’, Australian 2017, Recalibrating Culture: Sydney, on behalf of the Office Geographer. Production, Consumption,

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Policy. Western Sydney Artists (ANKAA) and black&write! University Research involved interviews and consultation with managers of • Papastergiadis, N., Cmielewski, the project, board members, and C., Gibson, R., McQuire, S., Indigenous participants. Phillip Yue, A., Cmielewski, L., Barikin, was also principle researcher for A. 2013, “Mega Screens the 2018 report Waves of People: for Mega Cities” in Theory Exploring the patterns of migration Culture & Society , SAGE. doi: that have shaped Parramatta 10.117/0263276413503691 through time commissioned in • Cmielewski, C. 2012, 2017 by the City of Parramatta. “Aquavescent Audio” in Additional relevant publications spaced: art out of place, IASKA include: • Cmielewski, C. 2011, “Remote • Ien Ang. Yudhisthir Raj Interventions”, in International Isar and Phillip Mar (2015) Symposium on Electronic Arts, “Cultural diplomacy: beyond ISEA2011 (ed). the national interest?”, International Journal of Cultural • Cmielewski, C. 2010, “The Arts Policy 21(4): 365-381. in a Multicultural Australia” in Diversity Matters Conference • Ien Ang, Yasmin Tambiah Proceedings Australian and Phillip Mar (2015) Smart Multicultural Foundation Engagement with Asia. Securing and the Commonwealth Australia’s Future. Project 3: Foundation. Asia Literacy and Beyond, ACOLA. • Phillip Mar and Ien Ang Dr Phillip Mar is an Adjunct (2015) Promoting Diversity Research Fellow of ICS with a of Expression in the Arts in background as a sociologist Australia, Australia Council for and cultural anthropologist. In the Arts, Sydney. recent years, he has worked as a research associate with the • Phillip Mar and Kay Anderson Institute for Culture and Society (2012) “Urban Curating: where he has been researching The “Interspaces” of Art and writing on arts practices Collaboration in Western in Western Sydney, Australian Sydney”, Space and Culture 15 cultural policy, cultural diversity, (4), pp. 330-343. and cultural diplomacy. He has • Michelle Kelly and Phillip also worked as a researcher and Mar (2011) “Engagements collaboration with artists and arts between Arts and Commerce”, projects: work with Robert Iolini in Elaine Lally, Ien Ang and includes the radio work, City In Kay Anderson (eds.), The Between, and arts/media work, The Art of Engagement: Culture, Hong Kong Agent, on the first ten Collaboration, Innovation, years since the 1997 handover. University of Western His work as a researcher with Australia Press, pp. 199-209. arts organization Big (H)art • Ien Ang and Phillip Mar (2011) contributed to socially engaged “Making Art Matter: Navigating work such Junk Theory and Sticky the Collaborative Turn”, in Bricks. Barbie Zelizer (ed.), Making the Phillip was the principal University Matter, Routledge, researcher for Promoting Diversity New York and London, pp. of Cultural Expression in the 113-121. Arts: Best Practice Case Studies (in partnership with Australia Council for the Arts and UNESCO). Two of the case studies were of the Association of Northern Kimberley and Arnhem Aboriginal westernsydney.edu.au/ics 73 APPENDICES

Appendix B: List of Interviews

Interviewee(s) Organisation

Heather Whitely Robertson and 1 Art Gallery of NSW Danielle Gullotta

2 Tracey Callinan Arts OutWest

3 Rachel Perry Australia Council

4 Kitty Walker Bangarra Dance Theatre

5 Kim McConville Beyond Empathy

Miguel Olmo, 6 Blacktown Arts Centre Paschal Berry

7 Vanessa Hyde CuriousWorks

8 John Kirkman Information and Cultural Exchange

9 Judith Bowtell and Margot Politis Milk Crate Theatre

10 Elizabeth Rogers Regional Arts NSW

11 Gabrielle Mordy Studio A

12 Rosie Dennis Urban Theatre Projects

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Appendix C: Interview evaluation, independent or internal - access to materials questions for report?) • What do you see as key learnings from this project/ Social impact analysis of program? NSW arts, screen and culture programs: Interview questions. • Was the social impact short term or long term, in your view? Interviews were semi-structured • Does this project or program around the following questions: continue today, or was it one- • Can you describe the core off? work of your organisation? • What population groups • What is the major artform (among NSW priority or practice area that you are populations) are important focused on? audiences for your work? • How central are social impacts • Do you see the potential to this work? How do you for social impact as critical understand the concept of to the future of your (or your social impact? Are social organisation’s) work — or is impacts a central or incidental this incidental? outcome? • How important do you think • Are there projects or social impact outcomes are to programs you have developed the work of Create NSW? that have had significant social • Other questions relevant impacts? (Mention specific to particular programs, and programs we are interested to impact domain (social in) inclusion, wellbeing, resilience, • Who funded this work? identity) • Who were the major beneficiaries of this work? • Can you describe some of the ways you were able to generate positive social impacts? (Prompts around strategies, process, agency of participants, length and intensity of participation, challenges etc.) • Were there important partnerships or networks that contributed to social impacts? • Key legacies of this project if it is completed (impacts – continuing, continuities in other programs, participant engagement, resources, work of personnel. methods learned) • How did you go about capturing evidence of impacts of the program — and did you see it as central to the wider evaluation/acquittal of the project? (Formal or informal westernsydney.edu.au/ics 75 APPENDICES

Appendix D: arts in terms of their impact on approaches have been tested. wider public policy goals, including Ultimately, as we discuss in the Understanding Social social, economic and educational final section of this chapter, goals, has not been without its despite progress in evaluation Impact challenges. These challenges measures, there continues to have been particularly acute since be an absence of consistent the 1990s, accelerating with the methodologies and approaches It has long been recognised that growing demand for evidence- to understanding and measuring arts and culture are vital to our based policy making in Western the social impact of the arts. While lives. The arts enrich cities and nations. evidence-based policy remains communities, support individual an important driver, the need to and collective wellbeing, and As the pressure to provide advance and implement effective act as an important catalyst for evidence has grown, there has evaluations of impact is expected learning and discovery. While been mounting criticism of the to persist for some years to come. such claims are rarely disputed, it underlying premise of how social remains the case that the value, impact is defined and measured. function and impact of the arts in Many arts advocates and cultural The emergence of the ‘social contemporary society is a topic policy specialists now argue that impact agenda’ as a focus for of some debate – as it has been the attempt to evaluate arts arts advocacy throughout history. Aristotle practices in terms of their social and Plato wrestled with this impacts or ‘instrumental’ benefits Since the 1990s in particular, topic: for Plato, the arts were a will always be flawed, because the arts have increasingly flawed imitation of the world – an the true effects of art cannot be become entwined with a range ‘imitation of an imitation’ – but to quantified or measured. That is, of policy agendas spanning his student Aristotle, the arts were as they say, ‘art is for art’s sake’. urban regeneration, social an expression of human creativity, inclusion and cultural identity Since the 1990s, cultural policy technique and dynamism. In his (Stevenson 2017). With forms researchers have evaluated Poetics, Aristotle famously claimed of social inequality becoming studies of the social impact of poetry to be “a more philosophical evident across communities, the arts and argued that many and higher thing than history: arts advocates championed the of them lack methodological for poetry tends to express the positive contribution the arts rigour and are empirically flawed. universal, history the particular”. could make to society beyond However, more recent studies the creation of artefacts and If ancient philosophers addressed have pointed out that many experiences traditionally available the nature of art in relation to of the methodological flaws in only to the elite and in ways ultimate questions of truth, arts impact research is in fact that differed from community beauty, perception and reason, consistent with most impact- arts as it had traditionally been more recent years have seen based evaluations undertaken understood (Hawkins 1993). Most the value of the arts debated in in other policy settings such as prominently, the Arts Council of more prosaic terms. The value health care, criminology and so England championed the role of the arts has been increasingly forth. As discussed below, new of the arts in supporting urban framed in terms of the different approaches to evaluation, which regeneration across UK cities, and dimensions of ‘capital’ it address ‘theories of change’ in new methods were introduced generates and reflects, whether a more context-specific way, to demonstrate the economic cultural capital, social capital or have recently been advanced value of the arts (Belfiore 2002: economic capital (Smith et al. and advocated as the most 96; Reeves 2002: 7). With such 2016: 4; Bourdieu 1986; Putnam appropriate models for arts-based advocacy, also came heightened 2000). Under pressure to meet interventions. interest in the use of the arts to performance targets from private In this section, we canvass support wider government policy and public funding bodies, arts the historical context for the agendas. The ‘social impact advocates and organisations emergence of a ‘social impact agenda’ subsequently emerged have turned their attention to agenda’ and flag key debates during the 1990s, partly as a documenting the role of the and the challenges to measuring corrective to what many regarded arts in supporting improved the social impacts of the arts. In as an over-emphasis on how social cohesion, contributing to the next section, we will review the arts were supporting urban urban regeneration, generating regeneration and economic more recent approaches to social employment and contributing to development with little thought to impact of the arts evaluation the economic growth (Stevenson the social and community benefits which have emerged in response 2004). of arts participation. to the ‘first wave’ of social But as we discuss below, the impact research, considering the An influential UK paper from attempt to frame the value of the different settings in which these this period by Charles Landry

76 APPENDICES and others (1993) defined the social impact of the arts in terms Social impact domain Example impacts of effects that “go beyond the artefacts and the enactment Change at an individual level, including of the event or performance Personal Development confidence, education skills, social itself, and have a continuing networks, etc. influence upon, and directly touch, people’s lives” (Landry et al. 1993). Commissioned by Connections between people the Arts Council of England, this Social Cohesion and groups; intercultural and paper also identified a number intergenerational, and fear of crime. of distinct domains of social impact: personal development, Addresses organisational capacity social cohesion, community Community Empowerment building, consultation and involvement empowerment and self- and Self-Determination in democratic processes, and support determination, local image and for community-led initiatives. identity, imagination and vision, and health and wellbeing. A sense of place and belonging, local Having set out a case for Local Image and Identity distinctiveness and the image of rethinking the arts as not simply groups or public bodies. a domain of the elite, but as an enabler of broader societal Concerns creativity, professional wellbeing, attention then turned Imagination and Vision practice, positive risk taking, and to documenting these impacts touches on expectations and symbols. in an evidence-based way. In the 1980s, arts advocates had successfully identified economic Relates to health benefits and multiplier effects generated by Health and Wellbeing education through the arts, as well as the arts or cultural industries, people’s enjoyment of life. and were able to point to the overall size of the arts sector Table 5: Matarasso's Six Domains of Social Impact through employment figures, thus providing an evidence base for claims that the arts made high quality creative outcomes. Six domains of social impact significant contributions to the economy (Reeves, 2002: 7). While Matarasso’s ground-breaking The six key domains of social there had long been claims, study Use or ornament: The impact discussed by Matarasso particularly among those working social impact of participating in have been summarised by Green with disadvantaged communities, the arts (1996) was one of the et al (2015: 12) as shown in Table that the arts can generate first attempts to deliver the 5. empirical evidence that the improved social outcomes, during Matarasso also put forward arts achieved social impact. the 1990s greater attention was Surveying over 60 different a specific methodology paid to the development of hard, studies and reporting the results for evaluating if and how quantitative indicators of impact, of a questionnaire distributed participation in arts activities rather than of ‘soft’ or qualitative to over 500 participants, produce social impacts. This claims (Bianchini 1993: 212; Matarasso and others were methodology involved measuring Belfiore 2002: 98). concerned that the contributions the social impact of an activity The need to produce evidence of the arts were being too- or organisation “in relation of social impact also reflected narrowly framed in terms of to its aims and those of its a wider shift towards evidence- economic outcomes, missing the stakeholders” through a method based policy, requiring rigour and broader social benefits of arts known as ‘social auditing’. This accountability in the evaluation investments, particularly the role method involved addressing of public and private spending. In of participatory arts. Matarasso’s an activity or organisation as a many countries, including the UK, study was organised to reflect the complex whole, placing emphasis Canada and Australia, where the distinct domains of social impact on the values and opinions of arts historically received public identified by Landry et al (2003). all the stakeholders of an arts subsidy, there was an increase in project, including funders, arts demands for arts organisations to organisations, and participants. demonstrate improved social and Matarasso argued that for studies economic outcomes as well as of social impact effectively to westernsydney.edu.au/ics 77 APPENDICES

Setting Planning Execution Assessment Reporting Indicators

Figure 1: Matarasso's framework for measuring social impact

capture the contributions of the in combating social exclusion” communities; arts to these domains, a shift in (Belfiore 2002: 93). • Increasing social capital; evaluation methods was required. Another influential report from The impact of arts funding should • Activating social change; this time was Williams (1997) not only be considered in terms How the Arts Measure Up, which • Developing human capital; of program ‘outputs’, such as focused on the Australian and artistic ‘products’, but should also context and considered the first address the long term effects of • Improving economic methodological analyses of social these outputs on participants performance. (Matarasso, 1996: 13). Along impact. Building on a previous with the social audit method, a Australia Council funded study, framework was put forward for conducted over two previous Work on social impacts at this evaluating and measuring impact years and released in 1995 as time was closely linked to growing across five key stages, including Creating Social Capital, Williams’ interest in the importance of planning, setting indicators, 1997 report sought to provide social capital, as advocated by execution, assessment, and evidence of the critical link thinkers such as Robert Putnam reporting. between community culture and in his book Bowling Alone (2000). social cohesion. Through survey Social capital according to Putnam of 89 projects, and interview with exists as a kind of ‘social glue’ or A framework for measuring some 109 participants as well form of community cohesion, social impact over time as an additional 123 community which in turn supports improved members, Williams found that levels of inclusivity across diverse Matarasso’s study of social impact community arts projects were groups. In her study, Williams proved highly-influential in policy powerful catalysts for community used this concept to emphasise circles, by providing evidence development and renewal, as the capacity for community arts that, if the right methodologies well as agents for substantial projects to not only improve and evaluative approaches were individual development. Williams collaboration among diverse adopted, the social impacts of (1995) reported the responses of groups, but to also enhance a the arts could be demonstrated. survey participants as follows: sense of community identity The result was a growing (1997: 10-11). The function of art expectation that arts funding • 96% recognised positive to society, Williams (1997: 33) be tied to the achievement of educational outcomes; argued, must be seen as “much social impact outcomes (Belfiore • 94% recognised positive more than the body of products 2002). In the UK, under the ‘New’ artistic outcomes; created by a few for public Labour Government of Prime entertainment or private art Minister Tony Blair, a formal • 90% recognised positive social collections”. commitment was made to outcomes; tackle social exclusion through While these studies proved • 72% recognised positive all government portfolios, influential in building a policy economic outcomes. which, in turn, informed the agenda focused around the funding agreement between social impacts of the arts, the the Department of Culture, work of Matarasso and Williams In line with Matarasso’s findings, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the also provoked a set of debates Williams identified key domains Arts Council of England (ACE), about how best to advocate and for positive impacts from requiring the ACE to “promote the evidence the social impacts of the community arts programs role of the Department’s sectors arts over time. Over the following including: in urban and rural regeneration, two decades a number of critical in pursuing sustainability and • Building and developing challenges have been identified

78 APPENDICES by cultural policy researchers, arts instrumental impacts needed informal evidence of positive practitioners, and policy makers to be quantified in an evidence- impacts of participation, with who have emphasised both based way. little data available to support the methodological and empirical hypotheses (AEGIS 2004: 10). Failure to identify the longer- weaknesses in social impact term impacts (as opposed Key methodological issues research. Key concerns and to outputs) of arts activities, highlighted include: debates are summarised below. including unforeseen or negative • the absence of clear impacts, are key criticisms made intentions with regard to the of the evidence-base for social social objectives of policies; Empirical and methodological impact of the arts (Belfiore and challenges Bennett, 2010; Belfiore, 2002; • the poor design of studies; Galloway, 2009: 127). This was • a focus on outputs rather one of Matarasso’s key concerns than longer term outcomes or The art of music is good, for and demonstrates that one of impact; the reason, among others, that the most persistent obstacles it produces pleasure; but what to reporting impacts has been • lack of consensus around proof is it possible to give that the lack of a consistent research definition of terms; pleasure is good? (John Stuart agenda focused on understanding Mill, Utilitarianism) • insufficient evaluation long term arts impacts. expertise in the arts field; and We lack convincing language As a 2009 report in the UK by the • insufficient attention to the and political arguments for Department of Communication, mechanisms which underpin how culture lies at the heart of Media and Sport acknowledged: a healthy society… Too often any impact and hence to politicians have been forced to The sector is hindered by its effective policy design for debate culture in terms only failure to clearly articulate the activation of these of its instrumental benefits to its value in a cohesive and mechanisms. other agendas – education, meaningful way, as well as by its the reduction of crime, neglect of the compelling need to improvements in wellbeing – establish a system for collecting Arts professionals and cultural explaining – or in some instances evidence around a set of agreed policy researchers have continued almost apologising for – our indicators that substantiate to highlight methodological and investment in culture only in value claims. (O’Brien 2010) empirical flaws relating to social terms of something else. In impact studies within the arts political and public discourse sector (Belfiore and Bennett, in this country we have avoided As discussed below, lack of a 2010: 122; Merli, 2002; Selwood, the more difficult approach consistent approach to evaluating 2002). For instance, examining of investigating, questioning arts impacts and outcomes Matarasso’s study in detail, Merli and celebrating what culture reflects disagreements about the (2002: 111) claims that “the data actually does in and of itself. best way to not only measure but collected by Matarasso cannot There is another story to tell on also define the value of arts and support conclusions about his culture and it’s up to politicians culture. own hypotheses. In other words, in my position to give a lead in his research has no internal changing the atmosphere, and validity.” changing the terms of debate. Key challenges One of the major areas of (Jowell 2004) contention is that many surveys The concept of the arts itself is produced by arts advocates lack Lack of evidence indefinable, and any attempt neutrality and objectivity. In to measure it cannot begin to A report commissioned by Matarasso’s case, the research represent its essential quality. the Australian Government’s was criticised as relying only on (Missel, quoted in Hewison Cultural Minister’s Council “enthusiastic” respondents and 2002: 85) Statistics Working Group on Social positive case studies as only 25% Impacts of Participation in the of invited participants responded Arts and Cultural Activities (AEGIS, (Merli 2002: 112). In other Since the rise of the social impact 2004) summarised a set of key words, “evidence is confused agenda in the 1990s, many arts methodological problems with with advocacy” (Holden 2005: advocates and leaders have raised the way social impact studies 16). If the objective of a social a series of concerns about the had been undertaken in the arts impact study is to demonstrate adoption of a more instrumental sector. The Report noted the positive impact, this leads to understanding of the value of tendency for studies of social a skew in emphasis towards the arts – particularly when impact to rely on anecdotal and reporting positive benefits to westernsydney.edu.au/ics 79 APPENDICES the exclusion of other impacts. lack longitudinal evidence to on instrumental impacts as That said, a 25% response rate is support the correlation between undermining what is most not necessarily low. The critical culture and its effects because valuable about the arts, the factors underpinning a robust cultural practice, the context in diverse forms of participation in survey method will include the which it takes place, and policy arts activities, and the subjective design of the survey, the nature goals are constantly shifting nature of arts-based experiences. of the analysis undertaken, and (2005: 16). And while reliable As Kate Oakley (2004) has argued, the purpose of the research. longitudinal evidence is rare, social impact research tends to Moreover, it is important to it is not necessarily always focus on the activities and outputs remember that the study to be encouraged because of cultural professionals, and undertaken by Matarasso was fixed, consistent systems of much less on the experience of not intended to be a detached data collection conflict with audiences and other beneficiaries academic analysis of the social the essential dynamism and (Holden 2005: 47). In other words, impact of the arts, but an exploration of cultural practice. the work of the formal arts sector examination what people who are is measured much more than The problem is further participating in the arts say about public responses to it and these compounded by the diversity of their involvement. evaluative approaches may, in practices that are encompassed turn, under-represent the impacts within a broad term like ‘the arts’ of the arts across society. with cultural measurement often The problem of causality lacking the capacity to deal with Another key challenge is the such complexity (MacDowall Sector capacity problem of causality. As John 2015). The arts encompass wildly Holden wrote in an influential divergent forms of creative A further issue compounding paper for the UK think-tank practice that span literature, social impact research is the Demos entitled Cultural Value theatre, visual arts, music and evaluation capacity of the arts as (2005: 16), the causal link between dance, along with myriad forms a whole (AEGIS, 2004; Galloway, culture and a beneficial social of emergent and cross-artform 2009). Arts advocates warn outcome is difficult to establish. practices that are vibrant today. against too much investment This difficulty is due to factors Experiences of these many going into ‘data gathering for such as temporal remoteness, art forms span personal and its own sake’ (Holden 2005), complexity of the interaction, the public forms of participation, diverting limited resources context in which it takes place, professional, commercial and away from funding the arts and the multiplicity of other amateur kinds of practice and practices themselves. Evaluation capacity and methods in the factors impacting on the result. production, and both formal and area of arts impact are generally informal modes of participation. As the 2005 AEGIS Report also considered to be underdeveloped. acknowledged, “there is increasing Early research into social impacts As Galloway (2009: 128) has recognition that it may be more was primarily concerned with observed, much of the literature effective in policy terms to directly community and participatory about the social impact of the address difficult issues [such as forms of arts practice, however arts consists of reviews, critique mental health, or employment] the broadening of the agenda to or commentary on conceptual or rather than indirect means via include the majority of publicly methodological issues rather than individuals in target groups or funded arts has introduced empirical work. whole communities in arts and further complexity about what we cultural programs” (2005: 13). As mean by ‘the arts’ and whether with many areas of government current approaches adequately Reframing the debate: beyond activity, it may be virtually capture the diverse nature of ‘instrumental’ values impossible to prove that, even if a arts practices and experiences In response to these many cultural intervention ‘works’, it is (Belfiore and Bennett, 2009: 20). challenges, progress has the most direct and cost-effective The thorny nature of this problem been made in developing way of achieving a particular was underscored by John Carey more arts-centric evaluation social or economic aim. in What Good Are the Arts?, whose frameworks in recent years. survey of the many different These have championed a forms and experiences of the arts more ‘culture centric’ approach The dynamic nature of the arts concluded that that “a work of to understanding, and in turn art is anything that anyone has For many critics, the poor measuring, the value of arts and considered a work of art” (2005: evidence base afflicting social culture to society. 29) impact studies is systemic not circumstantial. As Holden More recent studies have has argued, most studies also questioned the emphasis

80 APPENDICES

benefit identified in the RAND Type of benefit Improvements in: report are those directly accrued by the public, in the form of social bonds created • Employment, tax revenues, spending Economic by engaging in shared artistic • Attraction of high-quality workforce and cultural experiences, practices that enhance and • Accademic performance celebrate community identity, Cognitive • Basic skills, such as reading and math skills including arts and cultural • Learning process activities that commemorate events or people significant • Attitudes toward school (attendance rate) to a nation or people’s Behavioural and • Self-discipline, self-efficiency experience. attitudinal • Pro-social behavios among at-risk youth • Mental and physical health among elderly This approach aimed to move Health (especially Alzheimer’s patients) beyond a traditional delineation • Reduced anziety in face of surgery, childbirth between ‘intrinsic vs instrumental’ value, instead advocating for • Social interaction, community identity a greater focus how levels of Social • Social capital participation and engagement in arts and cultural activities • Comunity capacity for collective action contributes to their wider value to society (2005: 70). Table 6: Examples of types of instrumental benefits (RAND 2005). The RAND Report also emphasised the importance Reasserting the intrinsic values of for empathy, or conceptual of sustained engagement and the arts reasoning. These, in turn, participation as critical to the can support desirable social An influential report by RAND achievement of long-term benefits outcomes, such as improved Corporation called Gifts of the (2005: 72). This pointed to the employment opportunities, Muse: Reframing the Debate about importance of early exposure and mental health. the Benefits of the Arts (McCarthy to arts and culture, as well as et al., 2005) argued that an undue • Improved public benefits. initiatives that promote increased focus on instrumental benefits Another kind of ‘intrinsic’ participation across a wide range failed to account for the fact that people’s participation in arts and culture is based primarily on their perceived intrinsic benefit. Instrumental benefits The authors argue that intrinsic benefits – things like pleasure, stimulation and meaning – must Development of be considered the starting point Improved test Improved self-efficacy, social capital from which to understand all scores learning skills, health Economic growth other benefits. In turn, they advocate the need for clear and compelling language around intrinsic value that can be used Private Private benefits with Public to improve both qualitative and benefits public spillover benefits quantitative measures. Suggested categories of intrinsic Expanded capacity for Creation of social Captivation value might include: empathy bonds

• Improved individual capacities Expression of Pleasure Cognitive growth or skills. Cumulative arts communal meaning experiences and participation can enhance one’s own Intrinsic benefits abilities at an individual level, such as improved powers of observation, or capacity Figure 2: Example framework for understanding benefits of the arts (RAND 2005) westernsydney.edu.au/ics 81 APPENDICES of social groups. To assist the implementation of Instrinsic value this approach, the RAND report developed a ‘Framework for Understanding the Benefits of the Arts’, as captured in Figure 2.

Cultural value Another attempt to reframe the value of the arts away from purely instrumental values was developed by Demos arts advocate John Holden in his report Capturing Cultural Value (2005). Holden established Instrumental value Institutional value the concept of ‘cultural value’ to encompass three distinctly important types of value inherent Figure 3: Holden (2005) ‘Cultural Value’ triangle to what he describes as ‘publicly- funded culture’: intrinsic, instrumental and institutional. to correct social deficits. When Western Australian Department too much emphasis is placed on of Culture and the Art (DCA) Adding to notions of intrinsic and ‘institutional’ value you can lose discussed further below, has instrumental values, Holden’s sight of the art. But put all three adopted the ‘Public Value concept of ‘institutional value’ together and you have a robust Measurement Framework’ (PVMF), was one that built on the idea mixed economy of value, a stable which utilises Holden’s three of ‘public value’ popularised in three-legged stool to validate measures of value to advance the 1990s (Moore, 1995). This culture. (Holden, 2009: 455). more granular and sophisticated recognised that those working in measures of intrinsic value. The public, and non-profit institutions, work of Bakhshi and Throsby generate forms of public (social) Key areas for greater investment, (2010) also adopted the concept value that is distinct from those Holden argued, include: of cultural value to capture the working in the private sector – innovation capacity of cultural • Investigating the intrinsic. There and that analytical frameworks institutions, and Australia’s CMC- should be more articulation of are needed to capture public SWG nominated cultural value issues of quality; value, much like the private sector as one of the three indicators for captures value through the share • Taking the public into account. measuring culture (MacDowall et market and other means. A public More effort should be put into al. (eds), 2015). Holden’s cultural institution can achieve such researching the consumption value concept is also now used by public goods as creating trust and of culture – in particular, the UK agencies such as the Heritage mutual respect among citizens, public’s views, responses and Lotteries Fund to evaluate its enhancing the public realm, and satisfaction. This will entail spending (O’Brien, 2010: 18). providing a context for sociability more contingent valuation Two noteworthy recent UK and the enjoyment of shared studies, more opinion seeking experiences. reports in this context are and more observational Understanding the Value of Holden asserted the ‘cultural research; Arts and Culture (Crossick and value triangle’ as a way to achieve • Feedback. When information Kaszynska, 2013) from the Arts greater balance in the framing of is gathered, the use to which and Humanities Research Council- arts and culture: it has been put should be funded Cultural Value Project, If too much emphasis is placed communicated to those who and Enriching Britain: Culture, on ‘intrinsic’ value” he writes have been required to provide Creativity and Growth (Neelands “art ends up as precious, it. et al. 2015) the final report of captured by an elite […]. When the Warwick Commission on the too much emphasis is placed Future of Cultural Value. The on ‘instrumental’ value, the Holden’s concept of cultural aims of the Cultural Value project artists and professionals are value has proved quite influential were twofold: first, to unpack alienated and find themselves in shaping ongoing research the concept of cultural value being used as a means to an end into the impact of the arts. The and particularly the binaries that

82 APPENDICES lie at the heart of much work in both public and private sectors to policy, and social inclusion. this space including amateur/ work together to ensure quality This research captures the value profession, public/private, and programs and equity of access. of culture according to nine key They utilise the concept of the intrinsic/instrumental; second, domains, as captured in Figure 4. the project sought to develop cultural ecosystem to emphasise methodologies and tools of that it is through the interlocking evaluation that were capable of of the social, the economic and evaluating the different elements the cultural that the greatest value of cultural value. This objective creation can be achieved. Culture-centric evaluation led to a program of seminars methods for measuring social In 2018, the NSW Government impact and the funding of 72 separate commissioned a report into the research initiatives. This project value of culture for the Sydney aimed to stimulate exploration metropolitan region (Business Despite the many criticisms of the individual and social value of Cities, 2018). Titled ‘Culture, levelled at social impact of engagement with the arts and Value, Place’ the research offers research within the arts sector, culture across sectors, and a an ‘outside in’ perspective that it remains the case that many of chapter of the ensuing report is looks at evidence, benchmarks the methodological challenges dedicated to health, ageing and and case studies of how culture involved in researching the social wellbeing. The report highlights and the arts are supporting impacts of the arts are not, in fact, the difficulty in measuring globalising metropolitan regions unique to the arts. As Galloway social impact and determining of the world. While much of this has noted in her review of the cultural value and points to the report addresses the relationship social impacts literature, similar need for sustained, longitudinal between arts and measures and debates about evaluation and analysis. The report from the determinants of economic value, social science research methods Warwick Commission, although including innovation precincts cross a number of public policy having a slightly different focus, and the size of the creative areas and disciplines, including nevertheless also points to the economy, the research project health impacts research (Judge, positive role of the arts and also examines the important links 2002; Galloway, 2009). She argues: culture in contemporary society. between culture and wider public It argues that there is a need for policy goals including health Key weaknesses, to do with environmental and structural constraints, evaluation capacity and quality, causal attribution and complexity, although much Education discussed in relation to arts and research, do not represent a Knowledge particular “failing” of research Image and Healh and into the arts. (2009: 127) Soft Power Wellbeing

The difficulties identified by critics of social impact studies, such as those raised by the AEGIS Report, Identity and Sustainability are quite common across a range The Value Belonging of public policy areas that have of Culture used traditional data-driven evaluation approaches. Despite these challenges, it remains the case that impact and performance Creativity evaluation remains a requirement Placemaking and of funding, not just in the arts, Innovation but across the public sector as a whole. Reflecting the demand for Tourism Economy evidence-based impacts of public spending, arts organisations and cultural agencies have adopted a number of measurement frameworks designed to capture Figure 4: The Value of Culture. Source Culture, Value and Place (Business of Cities 2018). the unique value of their work. westernsydney.edu.au/ics 83 APPENDICES

We discuss relevant examples in supported a range of evidence health’ (compared with 14% of turn below. reviews into the impact of those participating in sports engagement in arts and culture. activities). These figures were used to capture cost savings to Through this program, DCMS also a. Cost Benefit Analyses the National Health Service (NHS) commissioned a CBA analysis associated with fewer visits to It remains a requirement of UK of the value of culture. Drawing the GP – resulting in identified cultural funding, under guidance on the UK Understanding Society financial impacts of approximately set out by HM Treasury (HMT), survey, researchers from the forty pounds per person per that any policy decision should be London School of Economics annum (Fujiwara et al., 2014: 20). subject to a cost benefit analysis reported on links between social (CBA) to ensure that the potential and wellbeing impacts and cultural engagement, as well as costs of a policy are outweighed b. Theory-based evaluation by the potential benefits. CBA is sports participation. This research understood as ‘Analysis which investigated impacts on social As Galloway (2009: 142) writes: quantifies in monetary terms as outcomes associated with the “Definitive proof of causality is many of the costs and benefits of following: elusive. Yet there is surprisingly little acknowledgement of this in a proposal as feasible, including • Participation in arts and critiques of the social impact of items for which the market cultural activities; does not provide a satisfactory the arts.” Many different policy measure of economic value.’ • Attending arts and cultural sectors, particularly those needing (HMT 2003: 4, in O’Brien 2010). events; to demonstrate the impact of specific interventions, such as The Department of Culture Media • Participation in sports, team health policy or criminal justice, and Sport has subsequently sports and individual sports; completed numerous studies of have faced similar limitations to the value of cultural engagement • Visiting museums, heritage traditional forms of impact-based as part of its Culture and Sport sites and libraries. evaluation to that experienced by the arts sector. Evidence (CASE) Programme, This research found those recognising subjective wellbeing engaging with the arts as In this context the adoption of (SWB) as central to the value audience members were 5.4% ‘theory-based evaluation’ (TBE), of culture. This program has more likely to report ‘good sometimes also called ‘realist

Figure 5. The DCA PVMF Logic Model recognises different forms of value.

84 APPENDICES social research’ has become (PVMF) to better understand This stakeholder-driven approach more widespread. As a method and measure the public value it means that SROI analysis is time of evaluation, TBE stems from creates through its investments and resource intensive; however, a more ‘generative’ view of in the arts, and its role as a it does allow social impacts causation that captures dynamics development agency for the to be valued in ways that are of change through interactions sector. For DCA, “public value is comparative to economic impacts between context, mechanism and the cultural, social and economic which is often regarded as a way outcomes. This approach shifts benefits created by arts and of ensuring the cultural sector is away from simply reporting on culture for the Western Australian viewed seriously. Importantly, the ‘outcomes’ of an intervention, community.” The DCA’s PVMF there is a NSW Office of Social to looking more closely at how utilised Holden’s three measures Impact Investment and a social these outcomes were produced, of value (intrinsic, instrumental impact investment policy for and what is significant about the and institutional) and likewise the state was released in 2015 varying conditions in which the advanced attempts to create (Government of NSW 2015). interventions take place (Tilley, more granular and sophisticated SROI has been used extensively 2000). This more realist approach measures of intrinsic value. in arts-based evaluations of social to evaluation essentially asks: To operationalise the PVMF, DCA impact. As discussed in Chapter “What works, for whom, and in focused the first phase of work 3, SROI was used to evaluate the what circumstances?” (Galloway on understanding and developing impact of the Beyond Empathy 2009: 131; Tilley 2000: 4). ways to measure the intrinsic ‘Rites of Passage’ project. The TBE offers different conceptual value of the arts and cultural SROI analysis of Beyond Empathy analytical approaches to experiences – that is, the quality found that from a total investment evaluation which is underpinned and reach of the work created of $632,8231 over three years (July by a theory of change. This - as it is the intrinsic value that 2009-June 2013), approximately approach is sometimes described is considered to be the most $1.94 million in social value was as a ‘logic model’ because it challenging to quantify for both created for various material captures a sequence of events government and the sector. This stakeholder groups identified. that are expected to occur. It is work is being extended through Key contributors to this value not so much a specific method a digital evaluation platform for included: improvements in or technique, but a way of measuring ‘cultural impact’ called personal relationships, improved undertaking analysis within an ‘Culture Counts’ that seeks to emotional wellbeing (mental evaluation, particularly suited generate greater peer review of health); improved prospect to contexts in which there are artistic outcomes. of meaningful employment; multiple varying circumstances improved outlook for the future; increased self-esteem and at play. A ‘theory of change’ can increased social inclusion (BE be used to test — with evidence d Social return on investment: evaluation p4). — an assumed causal chain of measuring social value results with what is observed to The tools for conducting social have happened. impact analysis have improved The concept of ‘social value’ is and the importance of the arts There are a number of studies central to evaluations of the to the achievement of a range of that have adopted ‘theory impact of the arts focused on social, economic, and personal of change’ or TBE models to monetary value. outcomes is well established. evaluate the impact that arts and Social Return on Investment Nevertheless, problems of cultural activities have had on (SROI) uses cost-benefit analysis measurement, interpretation various social conditions. These to capture the creation of new and conceptualisation remain are discussed in more detail in value as reported by stakeholders and there is considerable Chapter 2, under specific social who advise on what should get potential to explore more fully impact domains, and the specific measured, and how it should the links between participation evaluation methods used for be measured and valued and engagement in the art and Create NSW programs, such as in any account of the social the benefits that flow from this Beyond Empathy. value generated by a project involvement. or intervention. SROI also articulates a theory of change by c. Public Value Measurement capturing how change is created Framework and producing evidence of that In Western Australia, the change. A monetary figure is then Department of Culture and the used as a proxy for the value Arts (DCA) has adopted a ‘Public of outcomes experienced by Value Measurement Framework’ stakeholders. westernsydney.edu.au/ics 85 APPENDICES

Appendix E: Methodology and Program

Stage & Duration Outputs

Commencement Project commencement Duration: Week One of project commencement

A summary and high-level overview of the social impact of selected programs supported through Create NSW and related agencies that contain relevant evaluation reports and data. Stage One A more general literature review that incorporates other Duration: 0-3 weeks from notable arts, screen and culture social impact initiatives in project commencement NSW and other jurisdictions, and incorporates best practice approaches to understanding and evaluating social impact. Confirmation of 6-8 case studies for final report.

Stage Two Documented interviews with relevant arts organisations and artists. Duration: 2 to 4 weeks from project commencement We have scoped 12 interviews to be undertaken, to be confirmed at project commencement.

Stage Three Completion of 6-8 case studies 3-5 weeks from project commencement

86 APPENDICES

Key Activities Assumptions

The project will commence with an initial meeting with Create NSW. The discussion will involve: • Confirmation of the project plan; • The project outcomes and delivery schedule are • Initial planning of case study locations; contingent on the provision • Confirmation of key resources and contacts required by ICS to undertake the of evaluation reports by project; Create NSW and access to identified interviewees in a • Confirmation of logistical requirements for communication and information timely manner. sharing; Fortnightly meetings with Create NSW will be held.

• Access to information on Stage One of the project will involve a review of existing literature relating to the Create NSW programs and evaluation of selected programs and synthesise this information into a concise initiatives with identified document. social impact. The literature review stage will also involve the synthesis of existing best practice • Access to existing policy approaches to social impact analyses of the arts. and research literature The assessment of notable social impact initiatives in NSW and other jurisdictions held by Create NSW on is anticipated to include both successful arts, screen and culture initiatives with local, state, national and high levels of social impact, and successful policy and funding models to support international case studies. and promote social impacts of these activities. • Access to Create NSW Fortnightly meetings with Create NSW will be held. staff on a regular basis (fortnightly meetings).

We will commence interviews with representatives of identified arts organisations and artists involved in programs and projects with high levels of social impact. Interviewees will be identified as part of the Stage One review of existing evaluations and analyses. We have factored in approximately 12 interviews of one-hour in duration. It is anticipated that interviews can commence in Week 3 of the project, contingent on availability of identified interviewees and ethics approval. • Access to Create NSW social impact evaluations. Interviews are to be conducted at Create NSW offices or, where appropriate, at ICS or a place nominated by the interviewee. In the event that a face to face • Availability of identified interview is not possible, phone interviews will be held. interviewees. Interviews will be recorded and transcribed by a professional transcription company. Note: university research procedures require ethics approval for interviews to be conducted as part of publishable research. We have pre-assessed the level of risk as low and therefore do not anticipate a delay resulting from this. Fortnightly meetings with Create NSW will be held.

Case studies will draw on outputs of Stages One and Two of the project. The specific case studies will be confirmed in Stage One to ensure an adequate mix across arts, screen and culture that is relevant to key NSW population priorities. Each case study will involve: • Access to identified • A detailed description and analysis of the project or program; interviewees • Identification of key groups who benefited from the project or program; • A mix of both qualitative and quantitative social impact outcomes; • Impactful and persuasive anecdotes and/or hard data; • Data analysis. Fortnightly meetings with Create NSW will be held. westernsydney.edu.au/ics 87 WESTERNSYDNEY.EDU.AU