Mapping the Visual Arts in Scotland: Survey of Individuals Working in the Visual Arts Sector in Scotland, Undertaken by the Scottish Contemporary Art Network (SCAN) on behalf of Creative Scotland, A Report of Key Findings, Prepared by Rachel Blanche, December 2015

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Insights for employers, commissioners and funders in facilitating quality impacts through participatory arts

This briefing paper was commissioned by Artworks/Paul Hamlyn Foundation following draft circulation of the report Developing a Foundation for Quality Guidance for arts organisations and artists in Scotland working in participatory settings: a report commissioned by Creative Scotland, as Artworks deemed the key message important and wished to disseminate them and embed then in the legacy of the PHF Artworks project.Evidences quality cannot be attributed solely to the artist and activity undertaken, as decisions by a wide range of stakeholders, at different project stages, influence delivery. Robust, constructive communication between partners is key to creating the conditions needed for quality work.http://www.artworksalliance.org.uk/awa-resource/artworks-insights-in-facilitating-qualitydiv_MCaPApub4763pu

Developing a Foundation for Quality Guidance for arts organisations and artists in Scotland working in participatory settings: a report commissioned by Creative Scotland

This study has been commissioned to provide a foundation for a quality framework for the participatory arts in Scotland, rationalising, synthesising and condensing learning from the body of knowledge extant in the fields of arts, culture and education (and emerging from the Artworks programme), which can inform the development of a guidance toolkit at a later stage. There is currently no commonly used reference point for quality in participatory settings, to aid staff within Creative Scotland and the sector for funding this work or planning organisational developments. Once this is developed it will feed into a new framework and guidance on Quality for the arts in Scotland, based on solid foundations of knowledge and best practice. Creative Scotland's focus on quality in participatory arts settings represents a significant development. Participatory arts are becoming more prevalent and subject to greater demand (Kay 2012), which is evidenced by recent reporting by the Institute for Research in the Social Science (IRISS) that social care employers are reliant on commissioning artists to deliver activities with people who use services (Pattoni 2013). A number of investigations have found gaps in recognition and support for participatory arts and a lack of a framework for strengthening practice and capturing outcomes (Schwarz 2014, Lowe 2011, Siedel et al 2010, Lord et al 2012). Creative Scotland is in a unique position to facilitate developments in this sector in the interests of managing quality in its funded activities. Through its development of a new quality framework for participatory arts, Creative Scotland can lead the way in a new, informed understanding of quality and how best to foster it.http://artworks.cymru/developing-a-foundation-for-quality-guidance-rachel-blanchediv_MCaPApub4762pu

Working as a Traditional Musician in Scotland: Summary of main findings

Blanche, Rachel - ORCID 0000-0001-7067-5108 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7067-5108Full report available at: https://eresearch.qmu.ac.uk/handle/20.500.12289/9947This study was commissioned by the Traditional Music Forum to generate a snapshot of the economic conditions experienced by people currently working in the sector in Scotland. A key driver for this research is to understand the effects of increasing digitalisation on the livelihoods and careers of Traditional Musicians in Scotland, and to estabish the extent to which Traditional Music can generate a living wage for its practitioners.Produced with funding from Creative Scotland.https://tracscotland.org/resources/working-as-a-traditional-musician-in-scotland-summary-of-main-findings/pubpu

Working as a Traditional Musician in Scotland: Full report

Blanche, Rachel - ORCID 0000-0001-7067-5108 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7067-5108Summary of main findings available at: https://eresearch.qmu.ac.uk/handle/20.500.12289/9948This study was commissioned by the Traditional Music Forum to generate a snapshot of the economic conditions experienced by people currently working in the sector in Scotland. A key driver for this research is to understand the effects of increasing digitalisation on the livelihoods and careers of Traditional Musicians in Scotland, and to estabish the extent to which Traditional Music can generate a living wage for its practitioners.Produced with funding from Creative Scotland.https://tracscotland.org/resources/working-as-a-traditional-musician-in-scotland-full-report/https://tracscotland.org/resources/working-as-a-traditional-musician-in-scotland-summary-of-main-findings/pubpu

Towards a shared responsibility for quality in the participatory arts: Key insights into conditions underpinning quality

The ArtWorks programme has succeeded in generating deeper insights into the realities of participatory arts practice in the United Kingdom, in particular the conditions needed to achieve quality and the extent to which these are enabled. In parallel with ArtWorks research, in 2014 Creative Scotland commissioned a detailed analysis of the extant 'body of knowledge' concerning quality, which uncovered a number of generic concepts of quality held in the commercial world, which are of profound relevance to the participatory arts and the questions currently being explored by the sector. When such 'global' perspectives - about the inherent nature of quality, how to 'build it in' to a product and how to manage quality outputs - are considered alongside evidence and testimony from the sector captured by ArtWorks, several important learning points emerge: One, that quality does not reside just in the art or work undertaken with participants 'on the day' but stems from a holistic process consisting of several preceding phases including conception, design and planning, each of which contain quality components. Two: quality in the participatory arts is not solely determined by the artist and what they deliver 'in the room', but is directly affected by a range of key decision makers some of whom may be far removed from the project itself, but who nonetheless influence whether the experience of the participants is a quality one. Three: there are recognizable essential preconditions for quality that appear to be common across participatory arts practice. Many of these are outside the artist's direct control and are often missing from projects, undermining the chances of quality experiences for participants. The seminal theory of US researchers Seidel et al. constructing the interconnectedness of decision makers provides vital context for appreciating the roles and responsibilities of a wider group of stakeholders (including commissioners, employers and funders) in the achievement of quality experiences for participants. These observations lead to important recommendations for greater stakeholder engagement and responsibility; again gaining especial pertinence in light of evidence generated by ArtWorks. This article outlines each of these points in detail, reconstructing the logical development of key insights contained in the Creative Scotland report, which was researched and written by this author. The core components of an optimum quality system are proposed and represented as features of a holistic framework.div_MCaPA6pub4761pub02-Ma

Mapping the Visual Arts in Scotland: Survey of Organisations in the Visual Arts Sector in Scotland Undertaken by the Scottish Contemporary Art Network (SCAN) On behalf of Creative Scotland, A Report of Key Findings Prepared by Rachel Blanche December 2015

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A holistic approach for quality in participatory arts: Impacts on practice experienced by artists in Scotland, Wales and Portugal

Rachel Blanche - ORCID 0000-0001-7067-5108 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7067-5108A sector-facing report of survey and interview evidence gathered from 44 artists applying tools and approaches in Scotland, Wales and Portugal operationalising a quality approach recommended by the author. The report shares for artist practitioners, funders and policymakers examples of how artists use this approach and the perceived benefits for practice.https://www.qmu.ac.uk/research-and-knowledge-exchange/working-paper-series/pubpu

Enhancing and harmonising the strategic management of UNESCO’s Goodwill Ambassador Programme (Policy Brief 11)

This brief was produced for the UK government's National Commission to UNESCO while both authors were members of its Scotland Committee. Its recommendations were immediately presented as UK policy at UNESCO, used as the basis for a Resolution proposed by the UK delegation, was adopted by the UNESCO's Executive Board in April 2013 and was ratified in November 2013 as global UNESCO policy.UNESCO's Honorary and Goodwill Ambassador Programme (GWAP) has successfully deployed prominent individuals and celebrity advocates to help focus the world's attention on the ideals, goals and work of UNESCO. Moves to rationalise GWA activity across the UN since 2003 have led to a number of developments for UNESCO's GWAP. This policy brief offers observations on how the GWAP can move forward in the context of UNESCO's Partnership Strategy, highlighting key challenges that should be addressed for the long-term strategic benefit of the programme and making recommendations for good practice. Building on UNESCO's strategy, this paper recommends that further scrutiny and development of the programme be focused on GWA selection, work structure, terms of reference and programme evaluation.div_MCaPApub4767pu

National Evaluation of the Culture Collective programme Part one: ‘Unprecedented and revitalising’ - Emerging Impacts and Ways of Working: Reflections from the first year of the Culture Collective, Reporting from Queen Margaret University March 2023

David Stevenson - ORCID: 0000-0002-8977-1818 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8977-1818Anthony Schrag - ORCID: 0000-0001-8660-7572 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8660-7572The Culture Collective is a network of 26 participatory arts projects, shaped by local communities alongside artists and creative organisations, and funded by Scottish Government emergency COVID-19 funds through Creative Scotland. This report captures a snapshot of the programme a year into their work.https://www.creativescotland.com/resources-publications/research/archive/2023/national-evaluation-of-the-culture-collective-programmepubpu