Dwyer, Christine M., Communicating Value: Re-framing Arts and Culture Data

www.rmcres.com USA:  RMC Research Corporation, 2008. (accessed May 2010)

How useful and how compelling is the “ body of evidence “ which the arts and culture sector has so busily been building over the past decade? Has this development been effective persuading non-arts sectors and governments to increase their support for arts and cultural activity within communities?

Communicating Value is a short, punchy report aimed specifically at the arts and culture industry’s drive to increase the integration of arts and cultural dimensions within urban planning and economic development in the USA.

Working in partnership with the American Planning Association, RMC Research Corporation developed arts and culture data typology (employment, economic impact, participation, assets and infrastructure) and synthesised findings relating the value of arts and cultural activity to planning and economic development objectives. Researcher Christine Dwyer then presented these data and findings to the target audience and employed the standard research tools of focus groups and interviews to measure their impact. Dwyer demonstrates that while those from outside of the sector often acknowledge the value of arts and culture, they are also often sceptical about the types of data they are provided with and about the arts and culture sectors’ interpretation and use of this data. 

Interestingly, Dwyer also found that planning and economic development professionals frequently base their views and understanding of the role of arts and culture on “highly contextualised examples and anecdotes” rather than on the type of generalisations that are suggested by quantitative research. 

The report is located within a market based paradigm, exhorting the arts and culture sector to “understand one’s audience” and pitch appropriately. At the same time it quotes planners who caution arts advocates to avoid “jumping on the economic bandwagon (and speaking) the language of those who want to reduce everything to dollars”.

While an examination focussing on the potential of arts based research methodologies in engaging with the concerns and interests of planning and economic development is beyond the scope of this report, there are a number of implicit findings here which suggest there is some potential for a further fascinating study into the place of more imaginative forms of inquiry and communication in building a stronger bridge between the worlds of art and planning. 

Rosalie Hastwell

May 2010