Category: Main

1. Robert Phiddian, Julian Meyrick, Tully Barnett, and Richard Maltby. Cultural Trends. “Counting Culture to Death.” 2017. Australia.

Founders of the research project “Laboratory Adelaide: the Value of Culture” argue that the emphasis on “quantifying impact” in cultural policy is not delivering on its promises and that its unintended consequences can prove to be destructive.

 

2. Nanos Research. Ontario Arts Council. “Impressions of the impact of the arts on quality of life and well-being in Ontario.” 2017. Ontario.

Nanos conducted an RDD dual frame (land- and cell-lines) telephone random survey of 1,004 residents of Ontario, 18 years of age or older, between March 2 and 8, 2017, as part of an omnibus survey.

 

3. Scott D. Jones. Education Commission of the States. “ESSA: Mapping opportunities for the arts.” 2017. United States.

This special report highlights the ways that states and districts can engage the arts in the ongoing work of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Designed to continue growing as ESSA implementation proceeds, this report currently contains chapters exploring the opportunities for arts education within the following topics: Accountability, Assessments, Stakeholder Engagement, State Plans, Tiers of Evidence, Title I and a Well-Rounded Education.

 

4. Sean Thomas-Breitfeld and Frances Kunreuther. Building Movement Project (BMP). “Race to Lead: Confronting the Nonprofit Racial Leadership Gap.” 2017. United States.

Building Movement Project’s leadership report highlights that the nonprofit sector is experiencing a racial leadership gap. The report finds that the nonprofit sector needs to address established practices and biases to diversify the leadership base.

 

5. Professor Dai Smith. Welsh Government. “Arts in Education: An independent report for the Welsh Government into Arts in Education in the Schools of Wales.” 2013. Wales.

This report by Professor Dai Smith, commissioned by The Welsh Government, evaluates the state of arts education in Wales and offers twelve recommendations for its improvement. The report generated a response from the Welsh Government and an action plan.

1. Emer Smyth. Arts Council of Ireland & The Economic and Social Research Institute. “Arts and Cultural Participation among Children and Young People.” 2016. Ireland.

The Arts Council of Ireland commissioned this research to improve our knowledge and understanding of children’s participation in cultural life and the arts in Ireland. When researchers analyzed the distribution of cultural engagement among different groups, they found higher rates of engagement among children from more advantaged social backgrounds, and with higher levels of educational attainment by the mothers.

 

2. Jill Sonke, Jennifer Lee, Judy Rollins, Ferol Carytsas, Susan Imus, Patricia Lambert, Tina Mullen, and Heather Spooner. Center for Arts in Medicine at the University of Florida. “Talking about Arts in Health.” 2016. United States.

This white paper from the Center for Arts in Medicine at the University of Florida addresses the language used to describe “arts and health” from a higher education perspective.

 

3. Zannie Giraud Voss and Glenn B. Voss. SMU National Center for Arts Research. “NCAR Arts Vibrancy Index: A Heat Map.” 2015. United States.

NCAR presents an interactive map depicting the level of artistic activity in different areas of the U.S. based on different “scores.” Scores include arts dollars, arts providers, government support, and other characteristics.

 

4. Miriam Steiner. Arts Professional. “Transforming Young Minds.” 2017. United Kingdom.

According to Miriam Steiner of Rhythmix, music-making sessions for young people with mental health issues have had a recognized impact, and commissioning an independent evaluation has enabled the knowledge and experiences gained to be shared.

 

5. Robin Pogrebin. The New York Times. “Arts Groups on Edge as New York City Re-evaluates Cultural Funding.” 2017. United States.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and his lieutenants are deep into a re-examination of New York City’s $178 million arts budget to try and give a higher profile to smaller institutions in disadvantaged neighborhoods.

1. Caroline Sharp and Adam Rabiasz. National Foundation for Education Research (UK). “Key Data on Music Education Hubs 2015”. 2016. United Kingdom.

This report provides quantitative insights measuring the effectiveness of Music Education Hubs (MEHs) in 2015, employing five key performance indicators such as musical instrument lessons, ensemble performance, and organization partnerships.

2. Creative Industries Federation. “Brexit Report: The impact of leaving the EU on the UK’s arts, creative industries, and cultural education – and what should be done”. 2016. United Kingdom.

This report assesses the impact of the “Brexit” referendum, for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, on the arts and culture sector. Additionally, this analysis proposes responsive solutions to stabilize and improve upon existing challenges.

3. Saskatchewan Partnership for Arts Research. “Understanding the Arts Ecology of Saskatchewan from the Artist’s Perspective: An Overview of Results from the Artist Survey of 2014”. 2015. Canada.

This report is the first comprehensive survey of artists across all arts disciplines in Saskatchewan, initially conducted in April 2014 with a subsequent survey of the public in May, dedicated to understanding the working conditions of artists.

4. Zannie Voss, et al. The League of American Orchestras. “Orchestra Facts: 2006-2014”. 2016. United States.

This report is the first in a longitudinal series focusing on the finances and operations of American orchestras; the current installment details the period from 2006-2014, covering the field’s challenges throughout the recession and recovery.

5. James Bau Graves, et al. Americans for the Arts. “African in Maine. Case Study: Center for Cultural Exchange”. 2005. United States.

This case study focuses on the “African in Maine” program’s work to develop appropriate cultural programming for refugee communities of color in Maine, emphasizing contention surrounding ideas such as dialogue, identity, representation, and democracy.

1. UNESCO. “Culture: Urban Future. Global Report on Culture for Sustainable Urban Development”. 2016. International.

This report makes recommendations linking the implementation of the UNESCO Culture Conventions with the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, employing insights from scholars, NGO partners, and urban thinkers.

2. ECORYS. Department of Culture, Media, and Sport (UK). “Local economic impacts from cultural sector investments”. 2014. United Kingdom.

This literature review examines 40 different culture-sector economic impact studies in both the UK and abroad (2004-2014), assessing the commonality and variability in the methodologies of these studies, and describing their frequent lack of rigor.

3. Arts Council England. “Equality, Diversity, and the Creative Case: A Data Report, 2015-2016”. 2016. United Kingdom.

This is Arts Council England’s second annual report on diversity within their National Portfolio Organizations (NPOs), concluding that while diversity metrics have improved since the first assessment, privileged participants are still over-represented.

4. Jeffrey Chapline and Julene K. Johnson. NEA Office of Research & Analysis. “The National Endowment for the Arts Guide to Community-Engaged Research in the Arts and Health”. 2016. United States.

This guide describes best practices for collaboration between researchers, organizations, and artists investigating the arts’ impact on healing and health outcomes, as well as assesses the efficacy of applying this knowledge to arts therapy programs.

5. Kelly Hill and Hill Strategies Research, Inc. British Columbia Alliance for Arts + Culture. “British Columbia arts, culture, and heritage organizations in 2015”. 2016. Canada.

This report analyzes the financial, operational, governance, and program capacity of 206 arts organizations in British Columbia, Canada, and compares this field’s situation with the metrics of other neighboring provinces.

1. Matthew Stromberg. California Arts Council. “Nonprofit Media Coverage of the Arts in California: Challenges and Opportunities”. 2016. United States.

This report summarizes activities from the California Arts and Public Media Summit (June 23, 2016), convened to evaluate the flaws in the California Arts Council’s “Arts on the Air” pilot program which was suspended due to stakeholder criticism.

2. Olsberg SPI and Nordicity. British Film Institute. “Economic Contribution of the UK’s Film, High-End TV, Video Game, and Animation Programming Sectors”. 2015. United Kingdom.

This report examines the economic impact of the United Kingdom’s “screen sectors” comprising film, high-end TV, video games, and animation, while advocating for tax relief justified by a claim of multi-fold return on investment.

3. Danielle Linzer and Mary Ellen Munley. Whitney Museum of American Art. “Room to Rise: The Lasting Impact of Intensive Teen Programs in Art Museums”. 2015. United States.

This study evaluates the impacts of American museum programs for teens, focusing on the activities of the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Walker Art Center, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, and The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.

4. Pierre-Olivier Saire, et al. Canada Council for the Arts. “Patterns of Attendance and Cultural Participation by Young People in the Canadian Theatre for Young Audiences and Children’s Festivals Sector”. 2016. Canada.

This exploratory study analyzes Canadian public participation in theater for young audiences, and children’s festivals, through a series of questions involving regional factors, audience age, teacher/school influence, and the impact of new technologies.

5. BOP Consulting and Graham Devlin Associates. Arts Council England. “Analysis of Theatre in England”. 2016. United Kingdom.

This report explores the current status of UK theatre production, performance, and audience experience by juxtaposing three different economic models that companies employ: subsidized, unfunded not-for-profit, and commercial (for profit).

1. Civic Systems Lab. Lambeth Council (UK). “Designed to Scale: Mass participation to build resilient neighbourhoods”. 2016. United Kingdom.

This report evaluates The Open Works initiative, an undertaking to determine whether aspects of local participatory culture can be scaled in a sustainable fashion, incorporating 1,000 individuals over 12 months and 20 different sub-projects.

2. Canadian Heritage Information Network, et al. Department of Canadian Heritage. “Government of Canada Survey of Heritage Institutions: 2015”. 2016. Canada.

This report aggregates financial and operating data on Canadian cultural institutions such as museums, art galleries, archives, historic sites, zoos, and botanical gardens, with the goal of assisting policy development and program evaluation.

3. Zannie Voss, et al. National Center for Arts Research. “NCAR Arts Vibrancy Index II: Hotbeds of America’s Art and Culture”. 2016. United States.

This is the second installment of SMU NCAR’s Arts Vibrancy Index Report, which employs indices from multiple data sets to assess and rank arts vibrancy in regional communities across the United States.

4. Hill Strategies Research. Ontario Museum Association. “Ontario’s Museums 2014 Profile”. 2016. Canada.

This report is an analysis of data encompassing 184 Ontario museums in every region of the province, examining the sector’s economic impact, relationship to the tourism industry, and overall health, while exploring ways to enhance public accountability.

5. Jamie Buttrick, et al. Consilium Research & Consultancy and Thinking Practice. “What It Does to You: Excellence in CPP”. 2016. United Kingdom.

This report examines ideas of artistic quality within Arts Council England’s Creative People and Places (CPP) program, finding that the CPP moves participant conversation away from the perceived skill of the art and toward the process of its creation.

1. Jackie Bailey, et al. Australia Council for the Arts. “Showcasing Creativity: Programming and Presenting First Nations Performing Arts“. 2016. Australia.

This report examines trends and practices in the Australian performing arts sector related to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and advocates for greater visibility and equity in the presentation of First Nations arts.

2. Bronwyn Mauldin. Grantmakers in the Arts Reader, Vol. 27, No. 2. “The Charitable Deduction: What Does ‘Tax Reform’ Mean for the Arts?“. 2016. United States.

This article speculates about the potential implications of United States federal tax reform on individual contributions to the American nonprofit arts and culture sector, accompanying the new presidential administration in 2017.

3. Harder+Company Community Research and Diane Espaldon. The James Irvine Foundation. “Experiments in Arts Engagement: Real-world examples and practical tips from the Exploring Engagement Fund”.  2016. United States.

This report examines the strategies utilized by the grantees of The James Irvine Foundation’s “Exploring Engagement Fund” to build sustainable relationships with communities of color and low-income individuals in California.

4. Nanos Research. Business for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council. “Culture for Competitiveness: How Vibrant Culture Attracts Top Talent”. 2016. Canada.

This report analyzes a random survey of 500 skilled workers and 508 businesses in Ontario to ascertain the ways in which arts and culture is employed for talent recruitment and retention.

5. Juan Mateos-Garcia and Hasan Bakhshi. Creative England and NESTA. “The Geography of Creativity in the UK: Creative clusters, creative people, creative networks.” 2016. United Kingdom.

This report employs a framework of “creative clusters” to trace individual and institutional networks among participants in the United Kingdom’s cultural economy, as well as provides policy recommendations to further the growth of these networks.

1. Hasan Bakhshi and Stuart Cunningham. NESTA. “Cultural policy in the time of the creative industries“. 2016. United Kingdom.

This paper argues that a conflation of the cultural sector with the creative industries in the UK harms the ability for policymaking to serve the interests of either.

2. Kim Gibson and Liesbeth Goedhart. Western Australia Arts and Health Consortium. “Examination of the use of the arts to improve health and healing in Western Australian hospitals“. 2016. Australia.

This inaugural report from the newly-formed Western Australian Arts and Health Consortium explores the disjunct between the substantial hospital-based arts activities in Western Australia and a comparative dearth of evaluation and public policy strategy.

3. Jennifer Clary and Amy Terpstra. Social IMPACT Research Center. “The Value of the Nonprofit Arts and Culture Field in Illinois”.  2015. United States.

This report examines art and cultural activity in Illinois through the framework of Social Return on Investment (SROI), comparing socio-economic outcomes with the financial resources and human capital committed by both public and private entities.

4. Christina Davies, Matthew Knuiman, and Michael Rosenberg. BMC Public Health, Vol. 16, No. 15. “The art of being mentally healthy: A study to quantify the relationship between recreational arts engagement and mental well-being in the general population”. 2016. Australia.

This article examines a link between arts engagement and mental health, demonstrating enhanced cognitive well-being for those with two or more hours-per-week of arts activities.

5. Kate Haley Goldman, Steven Yalowitz, Erin Wilcox/Audience Viewpoints Consulting. The Art of Science Learning. “The Impact of Arts-Based Innovation Training on the Creative Thinking Skills, Collaborative Behaviors, and Innovation Outcomes of Adolescents and Adults.” 2016. United States.

This report demonstrates a strong causal relationship between arts-based learning and heightened creative problem-solving acumen in adolescents, as well as arts-based learning and emotionally intelligent behavior in adults.

1. Anne Torreggiani and Jonathan Goodacre. The Audience Agency. “Audience Finder: Outdoor Arts“. 2015. United Kingdom.

These reports assess Outdoor Arts activity as part of the Audience Finder initiative, a three-year program (2013-2016) designed to assist UK arts and cultural organizations in understanding their audiences.

2. Girija Kaimal, Kendra Ray, and Juan Muniz. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, Vol. 33, No. 2, 74-80. “Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Participants’ Responses Following Art Making“. 2016. USA.

This article describes a medical study in which researchers examined the relationship between the production of visual art and the brain cortisol levels of 39 adults.

3. Julia Bennett, Andrew License, Fiona Tuck/TBR. Crafts Council (UK). “Measuring the Craft Economy”.  2014. United Kingdom.

This report gauges the broad economic impact of craft within the United Kingdom from 2012-2013. It employs measures such as: the number of businesses operating, the number of employees per business, turnover, and Gross Value Added, among others.

4. Joshua Siepel et al. NESTA. “The Fusion Effect: The economic returns to combining arts and science skills”. 2016. United Kingdom.

This report examines potential synergy from a combination of arts and science competencies in the UK workforce, and assesses performance impacts that result from a “STEAM” approach.

5. William Cleveland and Intermedia Arts. Americans for the Arts. “Creative Citymaking: In Search of the New Village”. 2016. USA.

This report evaluates the planning, program activities, and outcomes of the 2013 ArtPlace America-funded grant project “Creative Citymaking,” a collaboration between the City of Minneapolis and Intermedia Arts.