3
COLLABORATION
3.1
As described in Table 1, the evaluation team drew upon a wide range of quantitative and qualitative data sources to assess outcomes against the theme of collaboration. Strategic interviews and a research symposium (see Appendix 2 for detail on method) focused on the role of Creative Scotland and other strategic partners (including other funders) in facilitating greater collaboration in the way the Programme was conceived and delivered. Scottish survey returns from LOCOG’s UK-wide evaluation and from the UWS online survey were also utilised. Other available information, in the form of Creative Scotland Managed Fund applications and End of Project reports, were also used to inform the findings presented in this chapter. The objectives set out in Table 1 have been grouped in to key themes: - Nurturing collaborations - Legacy for the cultural sector; and - Stronger international cultural networks.
Nurturing collaborations 3.2
As discussed in Chapter 2, the strategic environment in which Creative Scotland worked during the London 2012 Games necessitated the proactive nurturing of collaborations. In part there was a strategic imperative with nearly two thirds (65%) of the total £14 million budget for the Programme originating from partnership funding (£9 million), from a range of governmental, non-governmental and cultural agencies.
3.3
Crucially, the Creative Programmer for Scotland, and Creative Scotland’s 2012-2014 team, integrated a diverse set of programmes, projects and organisational activity to create a coherent cultural programme. Relationships between strategic stakeholders were deepened as a result of the intense working relationships forged in the lead up to the Games, especially in the final year when the London 2012 Festival provided a focal point for activity. Specifically: - Creative Scotland’s relationship with LOCOG was strong, particularly as the London 2012 Festival Director and the Creative Programmer for Scotland worked closely on decisions about which Scottish projects were to be included in the London 2012 Festival programme. - Existing national-level relationships were strengthened by joint working and new ones formed. For example, EventScotland was an important partner funder of the Programme and they worked closely with Creative Scotland and the Edinburgh Festivals (through Festivals Edinburgh) to lever funding, secure greater national and international profile and maximise future impacts for 2014.
3.4
Alongside this national-level collaboration, there was a parallel ambition to ensure that collaborations took place within and between projects and that these would be sustainable where appropriate.
3.5
Before presenting findings on the extent of new partnership formation, it is necessary to outline some methodological limitations. The most important of these relates to the interpretation of ‘new’ partners within reporting. For example, some relationships formed during projects were described as connections as opposed to partnerships. Furthermore, some partnerships will come to a natural end because the Programme was a once in a lifetime, one-off celebration. For those continuing, it is also difficult to evaluate the success of partnerships only months after the end of the Programme. Finally, more attention needs to be paid to assess the deepening of existing partnerships rather than finding new ones, emphasising that the quality of relationships is what leads to more sustained collaborative work.
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