Data, Diversity and Inequality in the Creative Industries
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sheffield
Department Name: Sheffield Methods Institute
Abstract
The project will support fellowships that aim to support:
- some of the UK's most talented researchers and nurture future leaders
- the broader skills development of high-calibre recent doctoral graduates in the art and humanities, particularly in relation to working with partners to support the wider impact of research.
- projects broadly aligned with the core themes, challenges and opportunities that are highlighted in the Industrial Strategy Green paper
- research which is cross-disciplinary and innovation-orientated
- the best international talent
- some of the UK's most talented researchers and nurture future leaders
- the broader skills development of high-calibre recent doctoral graduates in the art and humanities, particularly in relation to working with partners to support the wider impact of research.
- projects broadly aligned with the core themes, challenges and opportunities that are highlighted in the Industrial Strategy Green paper
- research which is cross-disciplinary and innovation-orientated
- the best international talent
Planned Impact
see Case for Support
Publications
Steedman R
(2020)
Complex ecologies of trust in data practices and data-driven systems
in Information, Communication & Society
Kennedy H
(2020)
Approaching public perceptions of datafication through the lens of inequality: a case study in public service media
in Information, Communication & Society
| Description | The research funded on this grant has explored questions of data, diversity and inequality in the creative industries. Through four different projects with partners in the creative economy, we have explored attitudes towards the collection and analysis of data, in the workforce and in audiences, using a range of qualitative and quantitative methods. Updated 2020: key findings have now been published in https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1369118X.2020.1736122 and https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.867756!/file/MetricsWorkingPaper.pdf |
| Exploitation Route | For the work with the BBC, please also see the ResearchFish entry for the "What constitutes 'good' data in the creative economy?" - the research, coauthored with a colleague at the BBC, has informed the institutional approach to signing in for services. For the work with the Arts Council, metrics for the measurement of social mobility in arts organisations have been introduced as a direct consequence of this project. Please see https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/developing-creativity-and-culture/diversity, under "Digging into socio-economic diversity" |
| Sectors | Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Description | These are most pronounced in the case of the work with Arts Council England where specific measures of social mobility have been introduced into the annual survey as a direct consequence of the research, and in the work with the BBC where research has informed the ways in which services require sign-in. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
| Sector | Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Policy & public services |
| Description | HK Select Committee |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/science-and-technology-c... |
| Description | Living with data: knowledge, experiences and perceptions of data practices |
| Amount | £286,543 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Nuffield Foundation |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2019 |
| End | 12/2021 |
| Description | Public Trust in Data Driven Systems and AI Futures |
| Amount | £12,500 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2019 |
| End | 10/2019 |
| Description | Social inequalities in the creative economy over time and place: connecting workforce, programming and consumption |
| Amount | £182,818 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AH/S004394/1 |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2019 |
| End | 12/2020 |
| Description | Understanding and challenging inequality in culture |
| Amount | £195,267 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AH/S004483/1 |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2019 |
| End | 01/2021 |
| Description | What Constitutes 'Good Data' in the Creative Economy? Case studies in media and cultural industries |
| Amount | £200,006 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AH/S012109/1 |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2019 |
| End | 06/2019 |
| Description | Lorna DC Labs |
| Organisation | ESL Europe |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Undertaking data analysis using ESL data, through DC Labs (University of York) |
| Collaborator Contribution | Data shared for analysis |
| Impact | none |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Orian National Theatre |
| Organisation | Royal National Theatre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Orian Brook's fellowship was in collaboration with the RNT, undertaking analysis of data |
| Collaborator Contribution | The RNT provided data for analysis, as well as staff time |
| Impact | Ongoing |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Robin BBC |
| Organisation | British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | This consisted of working with the BBC on public attitudes to data practices. The research team (in this case Robin Steedman as fellow and Helen Kennedy as co-I) worked with the BBC to collect and analyse data on public attitudes. Please also see the followup RF submission on the project "What constitutes 'good' data in the creative economy?", linked to this project in the "Further funding" section. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The BBC facilitated access and dedicated Rhianne Jones' time, as well as providing funding to Robin Steedman after the end of the grant. |
| Impact | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1369118X.2020.1736122 |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Susan ACE |
| Organisation | Arts Council England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Working with Arts Council England in considering their data practices, around how they collect data on social class from people working in organisations they fund |
| Collaborator Contribution | Facilitating access to arts organisations, significant staff time. ACE also employed the Fellow for a period following the end of the grant |
| Impact | https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.867754!/file/MetricsPolicyBriefing.pdf https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.867756!/file/MetricsWorkingPaper.pdf |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | HK DWP talks |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Two talks at DWP: Algorithmic Bias, 28/02/2019 & Data-drive systems and inequalities, 28/03/2019. Both talks by Helen Kennedy based on the BBC strand of the project |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | HK Digital Futures |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Digital Futures? at Whitehall, BSA Presidential Event, 22 November 2018. Helen Kennedy gave a talk on data futures based on BBC project |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | SO ACE Webinar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This was a webinar for people working in the arts about the introduction of the measures for measuring social mobility as part of Susan Oman's fellowship. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1RncRZbh5E |