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 ways to share knowledge, create … Read more

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 activities, including individual stories and … Read more

This research digest draws together the current research on the relationship between cultural heritage, environments and place. The relationship between the environment and heritage has a long history and incorporates a broad range of disciplines from conservation and social geography to climate science. Given this broad church, this digest has focused on two specific areas … Read more

A collection of articles, reports and resources providing some helpful examples of what the Evaluation Principles can look like in practice.

This guide offers practical tips on designing impactful research collaborations that put people first and allow new thinking to flourish.

This resource makes recommendations for funders and universities who want to support cross-sector research partnerships. The learning is drawn from the Centre for Cultural Value’s exploratory research funding programme Collaborate.  Research collaborations that combine the knowledge and expertise of cultural practitioners and academics can produce valuable learning to inform and improve policy and practice.  Yet, … Read more

What is the relationship between culture and placemaking? This digest brings together research that examines how and why arts and culture play a part in placemaking and what that means for organisations, practitioners, policymakers and funders.

How may the value and impact of engaging with culture evolve across someone’s lifetime? Are our cultural tastes set in childhood? Or is there scope for our behaviours to change? If so, what can affect these shifts?  These questions are worth exploring for many reasons. For instance, cultural organisations might want to investigate who’s engaging … Read more

What do we know about artists’ social and economic status? And why should this matter to the cultural sector and our wider society?  In the Centre’s research digest exploring the role of the artist in society, we highlight how artists are in a rare position to illuminate and reframe the challenges facing humanity for other … Read more

It is common for findings from research and evaluation to be shared in reports and articles. But what other creative methods could we use? And how can we reach new audiences? In this guide, Dr Martin Glynn showcases his innovative approach to “data storytelling”, drawing on his experiences as a researcher, dramatist and educator. By … Read more