During the COVID-19 pandemic, festivals faced a major challenge: how could they create meaningful shared experiences when people could no longer gather? Moving online was often described as a practical response to restrictions. However, research with Scottish festivals suggests that something more significant was happening. Organisers and communities found new ...

This digest draws together research and practice on how to support the cultural vitality of places. Cultural vitality can be evaluated by locally specific indicators collected by local government, organisations and informal and community-led groups. These go beyond official statistics and visitor data to include qualitative and dynamic evidence of ...

As Lead Evaluation Officer for Culture at West Yorkshire Combined Authority, my role is concerned with how evaluation and cultural policymaking processes meet. This is an exciting space to work in, as it's where insight and learning connect directly with decision-making. Evaluation for accountability, evidence and learning For the Combined ...