Posted 29th August 2019
Social Value UK are happy to be supporting The Audience Agency in their evaluation for Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture. Social Value UK’s Dr. Adam Richards will be operating as a specialist advisor during the evaluation.
The Audience Agency will be leading on the evaluation for Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture programme alongside partners Nordicity and Golant Media Ventures in collaboration with Galway 2020 and the National University of Ireland, Galway.
The Audience Agency is an international leader in its approaches to the collection and collation of data using mixed methodologies. This evaluation project will draw on that track record and build on it using wider expertise, placing the evaluation process and findings at the heart of Galway 2020. The multi-layered and collaborative approach aims to have impact across sectors and with city, regional and national policy makers.
The European Capital of Culture brings an unparalleled opportunity to transform how residents and visitors experience Galway and The Audience Agency is well placed to support this process, ensuring that evaluation is part of the foundation of that legacy, with an emphasis on deep but future-focused learning.
The evaluation work will be undertaken by a partnership of specialists who regularly collaborate, drawn together by The Audience Agency.
Specialist partners:
- The Audience Agency: an established agency dedicated to excellence in cultural sector research and in engagement policy and practice;
- Nordicity: a leading international consulting firm with expansive experience in the economic impact of the creative industries;
- Golant Media Ventures: the enterprise arm of The Audience Agency Group, GMV is an innovation agency working with leaders across the creative, digital, third and public sectors on strategy, change and resilience; and
- Advisory Panel: an international group of specialists in evaluation and development of place-based initiatives to critique and shape the evaluation.
Each member of the advisory panel has an area of expertise including evaluation of UK Cities of Culture and European Capitals of Culture, cultural democracy and evaluating social impact. All have an expansive understanding of policy and practice across Europe and into far-reaching international networks.
Specialist advisers:
- Dr Franco Bianchini, Professor of Cultural Policy and Planning and Director of the Culture, Place and Policy Institute at the University of Hull, UK
- Dr Steven Hadley, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Culture, Place and Policy Institute, University of Hull, UK and Associate of The Audience Agency
- Niels Righolt, Director of CKI Denmark, an organisation promoting and enabling cultural democracy that works extensively on a variety of European initiatives
- Dr Kruno Kardov, Assistant Professor, Zagreb University, Rijeka 2020 ECOC lead evaluator
- Dr Adam Richards, Social Value UK
Penny Mills, Chief Consulting Officer, The Audience Agency says:
We are very excited to be working with Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture. We will bring our own expertise and that of our partners and advisors to tell the story of this European Capital of Culture from different perspectives and to establish its legacy for the benefit of residents, communities, visitors, the cultural sector and local businesses.