4
CELEBRATION
4.1
As described in Table 1, the evaluation team drew upon a wide range of quantitative and qualitative data sources to generate evidence for impact around the theme of Celebration. 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 producing an inspiring programme that engaged with new contexts, sites and settings for artistic practice. 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 into key themes: - Inspiring programme, with the best of UK and UK and international culture - New contexts, sites and settings - Culture at the heart of the Games
Inspiring programme, with the best of UK and international culture 4.2
Creative Scotland’s framework document, Scotland’s London 2012-Glasgow 2014 Cultural Plan foregrounded the importance of ‘developing and presenting an inspiring programme of exemplary activity that provides meaningful cultural experiences for Scotland’s communities’. Assessing broad ambitions, such as ‘inspiring’, ‘exemplary’ and ‘meaningful cultural experiences’ is methodologically challenging without clear agreement on what these terms mean and how it would be clear if they had been achieved. This challenge strikes at the heart of measuring cultural value and direction is provided in Chapter 7 on how these ambitions can be brought within a robust monitoring and evaluation framework for the the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Cultural Programme.
4.3
One proxy for assessing whether the Programme developed and presented an inspiring programme of exemplary activity is to consider the quality of the artistic production showcased. On one level, inclusion in the London 2012 Festival is an indicator of artistic excellence as the Festival Director, on her arrival at LOCOG in 2010 was tasked with producing a finale to the Cultural Olympiad in the form of a curated festival to give extra profile to the rest of the programme. The Festival aimed to maximise media visibility and provide a platform for artistic excellence to flourish. Twenty-two projects from the Programme (including Edinburgh Festivals activity) were included in the London 2012 Festival, providing recognition of artistic quality.
4.4
Other valid indicators of the quality of artistic production are the profile and status of the artists and organisations involved in delivering projects. Creative Scotland considered projects in relation to their alignment with the organisation’s strategic objectives when undertaking the Managed Fund process for project approval. Several projects were considered to primarily address quality of artistic production (e.g. Barrowlands Project, Edinburgh Art Festival, Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, Edinburgh Writer’s Conference, Edinburgh International Festival’s Ingliston Season, The Swimmer and Tall Tales from the Riverbank). Other projects, though primarily addressing other Creative Scotland strategic objectives, also emphasised quality artistic production and were included in the London 2012 Festival (e.g. the RNSO’s Out and About in Shetland, Peace Camp and Sun Rings at the Riverside).
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