This project will address the challenge to effectively target regional arts funding to programs and activities that build capacity and have lasting impact for end-users. It delivers a framework for evaluating the arts, to argue for the arts to be included in a broader understanding of community and national well being and success. The research field sites have been chosen in consultation with our partners as communities whose capacity and challenges are reflected throughout much of regional Australia.
An Australia Research Council Linkage project, this work presents a rare opportunity to address the long-standin problem facing regional and remote communities in Australia of how to strategically communicate and effectively evaluate the social impact of the creative arts in their communities. The consequece of this ongoing issue is the lack of policy for regional arts funding that responds to community capacity and need.
The Centre for Social Impact defines it as “the net affect of an activity on a community and the well-being of individuals and families.” While social impact is an increasing field of research and investigation its application to the creative arts has not been significantly understood or examined from an end–user perspective. This research collaborates with two geographically opposed regional communities, central wetern Queensland and the northwest corridor of Tasmania, both of whom face considerable challenges while also having a vibrant and activated creative landscape.
The ARC Linkage Project will deliver the following outcomes:
- New high-impact arts consultation, delivery & evaluation frameworks for regional and remote communities.
- Delivering value to industry and sector by improving impact of existing investments and promoting strategic use of limited funding to improve outcomes for regional and rural Australia.
- Authentic research outcomes for advocacy to government and policy-makers for evidence-based change in government policy and investment in regional Australia.
- Building capacity for digital innovation in regional Australia through pilots of trans disciplinary ideation in digital R&D
- National and international partnerships with leading agencies and individual in digital innovation and regional arts
Outputs:
- A series of online tools for community consultation and evaluation openly available for all organisations that regularly work in regional arts;
- A digital evaluation framework that reflects the rapidly changing funding environment for the creative arts; and
- A national symposium to disseminate the findings of the research to key industry organisations.
Project Updates:
- Case Study (December 2022): Paper on Skin
- Case Study (October 2022): Artesian Originals
- Project Update (September 2022)
- PUBLICATION: Pivots, arts practice and potentialities: Creative engagement, community wellbeing and arts-led research during COVID-19 in Australia (March 2022)
- Project Update (March 2022)
- Case Study (December 2021): Dress the Central West
- Case Study (December 2021): Shorewell Presents
Project Lead:
Queensland University of Technology (Associate Professor Sandra Gattenhof; Dr Donna Hancox; Professor Helen Klaebe)
Partners:
- Red Ridge (Interior Queensland) Limited;
- Department Of Communications And The Arts;
- Burnie City Council;
- Regional Australia Institute Ltd;
- PAC Australia (Formerly Australian Performing Arts Centres Association Incorporated);
- Regional Arts Australia
- Central Western Queensland Remote Area Planning And Development Board