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 Authority, evaluation is central to ... Read more

How do major cultural, sporting and community events impact their local economies?

What do we know about the impact of UK Cities and Capitals of Culture on the local and visitor economy? In this resource, we consider what we can learn from the evaluations of these cultural mega-events and examine the implications for policy and practice.

Introduction Evaluating a large-scale cultural project such as a City or Capital of Culture is not straightforward. There are a wide range of activities to evaluate, multiple stakeholders to involve and consult, and the evaluation is often expected to demonstrate numerous and often highly ambitious outcomes and impacts. Although cultural mega-events may be unusual in ... Read more

Introduction Since 1990, the UK has hosted two European Capitals of Culture and three UK Cities of Culture. The evaluation activity from these events contains valuable knowledge to help us explore who conducts evaluation, the principles that underpin it, and how this can inform future policy and practice. Evaluation teams for any large, city-wide event ... Read more

Background My essential reads are thought-provoking writings which aim to raise a range of issues about the complexity of the role of culture in place-based development strategies. My selection aims to offer readers a more nuanced understanding of culture-led regeneration, including how it impacts on the shaping of local identities, and of difficult questions in ... Read more

A large amount of evaluation material has been produced for the recent UK Capitals and Cities of Culture. This guide outlines the key reports, research articles and studies for those exploring this topic in more depth. For an analysis of the evaluations, including learning points and audio interviews, take a look at the following resources: ... Read more