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Evaluation in Theory

 

This section explores theory and concepts that help deepen understanding of assessing the social impact of the arts.
 

The plethora of material that exists on the concepts and theory of evaluation is mindboggling! Here we offer selected resources that are particularly relevant because of their focus on evaulating social and civic impacts. Many reflect current knowledge from fields others than the arts: human services, dialogue/deliberation, community development, urban planning, philanthropy, as well as the evaulation field.
 

You'll find:

  • Resources from the Arts & Civic Engagement Impact Initiative
  • Feautured items from IMPACT Arts' Guide to Tools & Resources
  • Other essays, articles, papers, and publications
  • Featured websites

  

A Developmental Evaluation Primer

By Jamie A. A. Gamble

This short book defines developmental evaluation and addresses some myths. Offering an alternative approach to linear logic of traditional methods, developmental evaluation supports the process of innovation within an organization and its activities. The book outlines developmental evaluation's uses in innovation and developing project ideas and defends the approach's credibility. It is an appropriate resource for organizations that work in an innovative manner and thus seems tailored to arts organizations.

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Action Evaluation

	
By Jay Rothman 
	
        
	
This 5-page article on Action Evaluation from the Beyond Intractability website provides a knowledge base and tools regarding social conflict resolution and community reconciliation. This article assists participants, funders, and facilitators in reaching consensus about what they seek to accomplish (people's goals), why (their values and beliefs), and how (suggested account strategies). The article addresses the process in three stages: establishing the baseline, formative monitoring, and summative evaluation.


	
		






 




 
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Art and Culture in Communities: A Framework for Measurement

	
By Maria Rosario Jackson, Joaquin Harranz
	
        
	
Based on several years of field research in communities around the U.S., this six-page brief presents an insightful framework for better capturing and measuring arts, culture, and creative expression at the neighborhood level.


	
		






 




 
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Arts and Civic Engagement: Briefing Paper for Working Group of the Arts and Civic Engagement Impact Initiative

	
By Chris Dwyer
	
        
	
Written for Animating Democracy's Arts and Civic Engagement Impact Initiative Working Group, this 14- page paper presents a conceptual framework (or logic model) for arts-based engagement. It offers a discussion of the components of the framework, and a list of questions to guide research explorations.


	
		






 




 
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Arts and Culture Indicators Project

	
By Maria Rosario Jackson, Florence Kabwasa-Green
	
        
	
The site offers an overview of Urban Institute's Arts and Culture Indicators Project, defines cultural vitality, briefly addresses cultural vitality indicators, offers case study examples, and gives abstracts and links to high-quality relevant research studies. The site is a beautiful resource for arts and civic engagement practitioners and policymakers. Graphically strong with top notch research, it is a model for the field.


	
		






 




 
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Arts and Social Exclusion: A Review Prepared for the Arts Council of England

	
By Helen Jermyn
	
        
	
This 43-page report is a literature review commissioned by the Arts Council of England to support its two-year social inclusion research program. It examines the impact of arts in addressing social exclusion with the purpose of informing the design of the research and placing it in a policy context. The first section attempts to define social exclusion, offers ideas and obstacles to measuring it, and relates it to the arts.


	
		






 




 
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Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community

	
By Robert D. Putnam
	
        
	
This 544-page book by sociology professor Robert D. Putnam makes the case that the social capital of American citizens is declining because of increasingly diminished connections with their communities. He supports this claim with extensive interviews and research, much of which is arranged in charts and graphics.


	
		






 




 
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California Endowment 

		
        
	
The California Endowment believes that evaluation represents an important opportunity to assess achievements, generate knowledge and cultivate learning. It works to support grantees, evaluators and others interested in learning more about culturally competent health evaluation. Its website has a wealth of resources, reports, and articles useful to both funders and practitioners. Of particular relevance are items related to storytelling approaches to program evaluation, multicultural concerns in evaluation, and understanding impact of advocacy efforts.


	
		






 




 
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Civic Engagement and the Arts: Issues of Conceptualization and Measurement

	
By Mark J. Stern, Susan Seifert
	
        
	
Written for Animating Democracy's Arts and Civic Engagement Impact Initiative, this 69-page paper speaks directly to arts and civic engagement work, surveys current research, and makes recommendations for future practice.


	
		






 




 
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Civic Participation and the Promise of Democracy

	
By Craig McGarvey
	
    
    
	
Drawing from Craig McGarvey’s seven years of professional experience as Program Director in Civic Culture at The James Irvine Foundation, a California-wide philanthropy, Civic Participation and the Promise of Democracy explores civic engagement strategies (faith-based and community organizing, popular education, collective learning) through providing an overview of their use in California.


	
		






 




 
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