Failspace (previously Cultural Participation: stories of success, histories of failure)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Sch of Performance & Cultural Industries
Abstract
This proposal builds on the findings from a two-year AHRC funded research project which was undertaken between 2019-2021. It examined how and why, despite a long-standing international discourse about participation, approaches to increase cultural participation have largely failed to address social inequality in the subsidised cultural sector. It further examined why meaningful policy change has not been more forthcoming in the face of such apparent failure.
What we found was the extent to which a culture of mistrust, blame and fear between artists, organisations, funders and the public has resulted in a policy environment that engenders overstated aims, accepts poor quality evaluations, encourages narratives of success and is devoid of meaningful critical reflection.
In our academic research outputs we argue that this absence of transparency and honesty limits the potential for "social learning" (May, 1992) which is necessary for greater understanding about the social construction of policy problems, something which is a precondition to any radical change in policy. We offer suggestions as to how failure might be better acknowledged, learnt from, and acted upon by policy makers, funders and art organisations and have developed frameworks and tools which are intended to be of practical use to those working within the cultural sector, in particular those involved in policymaking and grant distribution, but also to evaluators and managers of participatory programmes.
By employing participatory research approaches during our earlier research process and co-creating knowledge with our research participants, we have given policy makers and practitioners a real stake in our research. As a result there is a strong appetite from the cultural sector to test our research findings in practice. We have already had requests from a number of evaluation consultants, policy makers and arts networks to work with them to embed our recommendations in practice. Some of these are represented in letters of support attached to this application.
This proposal therefore seeks funding to support a number of initiatives to test and develop the recommendations, frameworks and tools designed out of our research in policy and practice. It will do this by working in collaboration with industry, including cultural practitioners, cultural policy makers and evaluators on a number of case studies of learning from failure. It will also build new audiences for the research through feasibility studies with health workers as well youth work and community services to test the applicability of our findings on other parts of the public sector.
Funding therefore would specifically be used to
- support at least 6 champions from different locations and/or different parts of the arts sector to extend the reach of our research by facilitating opportunities for their networks to discuss failures openly
- partner with a targeted group of funding organisation to embed our approach in policy
- partner with at least 2 organisations outside the cultural sector to test the transferability of our findings to new audiences
- deliver a media campaign to raise awareness of our research
- encourage more open conversations about failure to take place by arranging a 'Failspace' conference for cultural sector professionals
- create an online repository of 'Failstories' that will act as a longer term legacy of the work
What we found was the extent to which a culture of mistrust, blame and fear between artists, organisations, funders and the public has resulted in a policy environment that engenders overstated aims, accepts poor quality evaluations, encourages narratives of success and is devoid of meaningful critical reflection.
In our academic research outputs we argue that this absence of transparency and honesty limits the potential for "social learning" (May, 1992) which is necessary for greater understanding about the social construction of policy problems, something which is a precondition to any radical change in policy. We offer suggestions as to how failure might be better acknowledged, learnt from, and acted upon by policy makers, funders and art organisations and have developed frameworks and tools which are intended to be of practical use to those working within the cultural sector, in particular those involved in policymaking and grant distribution, but also to evaluators and managers of participatory programmes.
By employing participatory research approaches during our earlier research process and co-creating knowledge with our research participants, we have given policy makers and practitioners a real stake in our research. As a result there is a strong appetite from the cultural sector to test our research findings in practice. We have already had requests from a number of evaluation consultants, policy makers and arts networks to work with them to embed our recommendations in practice. Some of these are represented in letters of support attached to this application.
This proposal therefore seeks funding to support a number of initiatives to test and develop the recommendations, frameworks and tools designed out of our research in policy and practice. It will do this by working in collaboration with industry, including cultural practitioners, cultural policy makers and evaluators on a number of case studies of learning from failure. It will also build new audiences for the research through feasibility studies with health workers as well youth work and community services to test the applicability of our findings on other parts of the public sector.
Funding therefore would specifically be used to
- support at least 6 champions from different locations and/or different parts of the arts sector to extend the reach of our research by facilitating opportunities for their networks to discuss failures openly
- partner with a targeted group of funding organisation to embed our approach in policy
- partner with at least 2 organisations outside the cultural sector to test the transferability of our findings to new audiences
- deliver a media campaign to raise awareness of our research
- encourage more open conversations about failure to take place by arranging a 'Failspace' conference for cultural sector professionals
- create an online repository of 'Failstories' that will act as a longer term legacy of the work
Organisations
- University of Leeds (Lead Research Organisation)
- CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCIL (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Creative Scotland (Collaboration)
- The Arts Council for Wales (Collaboration)
- Art Fund (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- BRITISH SCIENCE ASSOCIATION (Collaboration)
- Local Trust (Collaboration)
- Creative Scotland (Project Partner)
- Local Trust (Project Partner)
- British Science Association (Project Partner)
- Blue Stone Collaborative (Project Partner)
Title | Failspace toolkit |
Description | A creative toolkit to help the sector engage with our framework - available in physical print form and online |
Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Impact | The toolkit has been downloaded approx 500 times and we have had feedback from a number of practitioners saying that it is helping them reflect on their practices in new and interesting ways |
URL | https://www.culturalvalue.org.uk/our-work/failspace/ |
Description | This funding was to deliver follow on activities to test and embed our framework on learning from failure across the cultural sector. By working with 8 champions and 6 funding partners we have discovered a real appetite to undertake this work in the cultural sector but also the difficult in doing so, without support. |
Exploitation Route | The partners and champions will continue to take this work forward in their own practice beyond the life of the funding |
Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
URL | https://www.culturalvalue.org.uk/our-work/failspace/ |
Description | Our framework has been adopted by policy makers and practitioners in the cultural sector as well as some from other fields. |
First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
Sector | Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Impact Types | Cultural,Policy & public services |
Description | Adviser to ECORYS on research for European Commission |
Geographic Reach | Europe |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Description | Invited to advise on DCMS What Works in accessibility to culture review |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Impact | The advise specifically informed a policy review being undertaken for DCMS |
Description | creation of national FailSpace champions |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
Title | Failspace page on Centre for Cultural Value website |
Description | Our toolkit and framework are now free to download via the Centre for Cultural Value website |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Downloaded and used by practitioners in the cultural sector |
URL | https://www.culturalvalue.org.uk/our-work/failspace/ |
Description | Art Fund Partnership |
Organisation | Art Fund |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Advise on how to embed our research framework in their application and evaluation processes |
Collaborator Contribution | Organised workshops for us to train grant recipients in use of our framework Redesigned application and evaluation processes Contributed to national conference |
Impact | Presentation at conference |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Arts Council Wales |
Organisation | The Arts Council for Wales |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Working with ACW to examine and embed the principles. Including workshops with leaders of the Creative Schools project (16th May 2022) Training over 100 creative agents who work in schools (Sept 2022) |
Collaborator Contribution | Organised workshops for us |
Impact | tbc David |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Local Trust partnership |
Organisation | Local Trust |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Provided advisory role and training support in use of our research framework |
Collaborator Contribution | Organised workshop for grant beneficiaries and meetings with evaluation team to explore how to embed our approach in their evaluation |
Impact | Learning case study Evaluation report |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Partnership with British Science Association |
Organisation | British Science Association |
Department | British Science Festival |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | This was a partnership to test our new framework within their funding application and evaluation process as part of our research aim to embed and normalise conversations about failures in policy making |
Collaborator Contribution | The partner provided their time in rewriting application and evaluation forms to embed our framework and organising workshop events for us to share the new approach with their grant recipients |
Impact | Revised application and evaluation forms |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Partnership with Creative Scotland |
Organisation | Creative Scotland |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Training and consultancy on how to embed our framework in their work |
Collaborator Contribution | Working with us to test and embed our framework in their programmes |
Impact | not yet |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | Partnership with Edinburgh City Council |
Organisation | City of Edinburgh Council |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Workshops and consultancy on how to embed our framework in their work |
Collaborator Contribution | Staff time to work with us on testing and embedding our framework |
Impact | not yet |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | A Framework for Failure |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | We were commissioned to write a 4th article related to our research for the leading trade magazine Arts Professional to share our framework developed with this grant |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/360/feature/framework-failure |
Description | Embedding principles with Culture Collective |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Working with the Culture Collective to embed the principles within their evaluations |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.culturecollective.scot/resource-tags/evaluation/ |
Description | Interview Counterpoint Magazine 'Failure Issue' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Interview for the Failure Issue of Counterpoint magazine |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.counterpointmag.co.uk/ |
Description | Podcast - Failures in Cultural Participation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Podcast with arts professional discussing the framework, failure and the launch of the book |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://petitpoi.net/leila-jancovich-david-stevenson-failures-in-cultural-participation/ |
Description | Workshop AHRC staff |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Disseminating the FailSpace framework to AHRC staff |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Workshop for A New Direction |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A workshop to embed our framework into the planning and evaluation processes of national cultural organisations |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Workshop for Artfund |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A workshop for organisations funded by Artfund to embed our framework into their evaluation methodology |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Workshop for Local Government Assocation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | A presentation and discussion for local authority arts officers to explore attitudes to failure and introduce our framework |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |