Impact Update 16, November 2008

This newsletter reviews the content that has been added to the Impact Database since the end of November 2008. As always, many of the studies are recently published but we also include earlier research that is relevant to the themes of the database. Full bibliographical details of the references highlighted below can be obtained from the database.

We continue to encourage users and their networks to use the online facilities of the Database to submit their own research, which will then be considered for inclusion. Alternatively, please contact us at impact@ccpr.arts.gla.ac.uk. Research should relate to the main themes of the database (as listed in the 'Advanced Search' section) and should have stated aims/objectives, methodological approach and findings/conclusions.

Arts and Culture

Galloway (2008) has carried out a literature review for the Scottish Arts Council, concentrating on research evidence about the contribution of culture to the Scottish Government's strategic objectives. The review concentrates on six areas where evidence gaps were identified in an earlier study by Ruiz (2004), which forms the basis of the Impact Database (The evidence base for arts and culture policy. A brief review of selected recent literature).

Arts, Culture and the Economy

Appleseed and Audience Research & Analysis (2008) have assessed the contribution of the Waterfalls public art exhibition to New York's cultural life, the vitality of its waterfront and its economy, estimating the exhibition's direct and indirect economic impact at $69m (The New York City Waterfalls: the economic impact of a public art work).

Arts, culture & economic prosperity in Greater Philadelphia (2007) calculates the economic impact of Philadelphia's arts and cultural organisations. The study, carried out by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, shows that the cultural sector had in impact of $1.3 billion in direct expenditures, created 59,000 jobs, and generated $158.5 million in taxes. A similar study by Stronge (2004) has calculated that arts and cultural organisations in the Florida generated $877.8 million in income, created 28,302 jobs, and attracted an estimated 7 million out-of-state cultural visitors (Economic impact of Florida's Arts and Cultural industry).

A mapping study by Pembridge Partnership Ltd. (2004) has calculated the economic impact of the moving image sector in the North East of England, showing that the sector contributes £121m annually to the regional economy. However, it argues that the potential economic impact is bigger, considering the size of the region's workforce and population (The moving image sector in the North East of England: mapping, benchmarking and economic impact report).

Vrettos (2006) has carried out a comparative analysis of four studies on economic impact of arts and culture festivals in the UK and Spain. He found, among other things, that the studies hardly attempted to calculate any negative (social) impacts, and that none of the studies addressed the question whether impacts occurred because of the specific artistic nature of the festival (The economic value of arts & culture festivals. A comparison of four European economic impact studies).

The impacts of culture on the economic development of cities. A research into the cultural economies and policies of Amsterdam, Bolzano, Edinburgh, Eindhoven, Klaipeda, Manchester, Rotterdam, Tampere, The Hague and Vienna, by Van der Borg and Russo (2005), is a comparative, descriptive study of the effects of culture on the economic development trajectories of ten European cities. The studies main aim is to construct a methodological framework that can be used to assess the impacts of culture on the economic development of cities and to interpret and possibly steer culture-oriented urban development.

Arts, Culture and Education

Soden, Seagraves and Coutts (2008) have carried out an evaluation of a three-year pilot project in which the expressive arts were used as a vehicle for carrying school curriculum knowledge. The findings indicate that the arts-based lessons engaged the pupils, were effective in enhancing their understanding of academic and artistic content, and led to a range of benefits for pupils, including those with social, emotional and behavioural needs. This suggests that the expressive arts can be effective vehicles for carrying school curriculum knowledge and for achieving broader educational targets. However, no clear evidence was found that arts promote understanding of curriculum knowledge more effectively than other approaches derived from sound pedagogical research (Evaluation of the Arts Across the Curriculum Project. Final report).

Arts, Culture and Health

Goyal and Keightley (2008) have carried out a review of the evidence of effectiveness of drama therapy for adolescents with difficulties in social, emotional, cognitive, or physical functioning. They found that evidence supports the effectiveness of drama therapy in terms of improvements in psychological health, emotional intelligence, cognitive function and social integration, and that theatre skills training might also facilitate community integration in adolescents with acquired brain injuries if it is formally measured as such ('Expressive art for the social and community integration of adolescents with acquired brain injuries: a systematic review'. In: Research in Drama Education 13(3): 337-352).

'Aesthetic value of paintings affects pain threshold', by De Tommaso, Sardaro and Livrea (2008), assesses how the aesthetic content of a visual distractive stimulus modulates pain. The study's findings indicate that the aesthetic content of distracting stimuli such as paintings may alter the experience of pain (Consciousness and Cognition 17(4): 1152-1162).

In Liverpool 08 European Capital of Culture: Mental well-being impact assessment, West et al (2007) identify the potential impacts on the health and well-being of those directly and indirectly affected by the Liverpool Capital of Culture programme. The study identified a range of positive and negative impacts along 14 major themes, with recommendations made for each theme.

A 14-year longitudinal study by Konlaan, Bygren and Johansson (2000), has investigated the possible influence of attending various kinds of cultural events or visiting cultural institutions as a determinant of survival. The study found a higher mortality risk for those people who rarely visited the cinema, concerts, museums, or art exhibitions compared with those visiting them most often. No beneficial effects were found for attending the theatre, church service or sports event as a spectator or any effect of reading or music making ('Visiting the cinema, concerts, museums or art exhibitions as determinant of survival: a Swedish fourteen-year cohort follow-up'. In: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health 28(3): 174-178).

Arts, Culture and Regeneration

Hand in hand. Arts-based activities and regeneration, by Adamson, Fyfe and Byrne (2008) has looked at the impact of community arts on community regeneration practice in Objective One areas, with a specific focus on the South Wales Valleys. The study found considerable evidence of impact on personal and self development, especially regarding improved self-confidence, higher self-esteem and improved aspirations, while a range of 'therapeutic' outcomes was identified as well. In terms of the contribution to regeneration processes, arts-based activities were found to contribute directly to engagement and participation, social capital and networking, while the majority of respondents mentioned the ability to contribute to the critical community development stage of the regeneration process.

Miles (2005) reflects on the findings from the first three years of a ten-year longitudinal project which looks at the social, economic and cultural impact of cultural investment on NewcastleGateshead Quayside. He argues that the success of investment in iconic cultural projects depends above all upon people's sense of belonging in a place and the degree to which culture-led regeneration can engage with that sense of belonging, whilst balancing achievements of the past with ambitions for the future. (''Our Tyne': iconic regeneration and the revitalisation of identity in NewcastleGateshead', in Urban Studies 42(5/6): 913-926).

Arts, Culture and Society

In an exploratory study for Museums Galleries Scotland, Graham (2008) has looked at the extent of the social and economic impacts of museums and galleries on individuals and local communities in Scotland. Her findings show that Scottish museums and galleries provide significant impacts to the communities they serve, such as preserving and caring for buildings and collections, providing education, lifelong learning, employment and training, generating income, and as a venue for tourism, leisure, and community activities (Galleries Scotland: impacts on communities).

Burton and Griffin (2008) report on the findings of three case studies of regional museums, which aimed to understand how small museums contribute to social capital in their community. The findings suggest that the different nature of the museums' locations results in variation in social impacts. However, in all three cases bonding networks were more strongly evidenced than bridging networks. The findings also suggest that residents place more trust in museums when the location is more demographically homogenous ('More than a museum? Understanding how small museums contribute to social capital in regional communities'. In: Asia Pacific Journal of Arts & Cultural Management 5(1): 314-332).

Culture and urban revitalization: a harvest document, by Stern and Seifert (2007), provides an overview of the state-of-the-art literature on culture and urban revitalisation. The authors argue for an 'ecological' model of community culture, that recognises the interdependency of the social and economic benefits of the arts as a guide to research, policy and practice in the emerging field of culture-based revitalisation, as the foundation for thinking and acting on the future of the cultural sector.

Mulligan et al (2006), in a study for VicHealth, have examined ways in which community-based cultural activities and events can contribute to a health agenda. The findings from four different communities show that authentic art practices and community celebrations can have a wide range of diffuse and quite profound social outcomes, all of which can generate a deeper sense of place that contextualises a local sense of community. In all four communities, the most effective local events and activities took account of the specificities of place and of the importance of a sense of place for effective community arts practice. (Creating community. Celebrations, arts and wellbeing within and across local communities).

In 25 years of the Feisean. The participants' story: attitudinal research on the Feis movement in Scotland, Broad and France (2005) report on the findings from a survey carried out to assess how participation in a Feis or Feisean has influenced the lives and careers of participants, as well as their attitude to the Gaelic language. The findings show that the Feisean provide a positive enriching experience in a wide range of areas for the majority of respondents, although a small number of negative aspects was reported as well.

Cultural Tourism

A study by EKOS Consulting (2007) reports on the impact of cultural tourism in Cornwall, looking specifically at six events. The findings show that cultural events are a key driver in influencing people to visit Cornwall, and that cultural tourists on average spend twice as much on food, drink and shopping as 'mainstream' tourists, and half as much on accommodation. (Understanding the impact of cultural tourism in Cornwall)

Major Cultural Events

Hamilton et al (2008) have carried out an evaluation of the impact of Scotland's Year of Highland Culture 2007. They found that the year's events resulted in net employment of 326 FTE posts and an income of £6.6m, while generating 520,000 additional day visits and 43,000 additional overnight stays. The total visitor expenditure associated with these additional visitors was £6.1m. The large majority of residents felt that the events had an impact on the identity and prosperity of the Highlands and Islands, while benefits reported by promoters included increased involvement of young people in community life and a stronger sense of collective achievement and potential (Evaluation report: Scotland's Year of Highland Culture 2007).