The Social Impact of Participation in Culture and Sport Nesta submission to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee Inquiry Seva Phillips, Fund Manager, Arts Impact Fund June 2018

Summary

Nesta is a global innovation foundation. We back new ideas to tackle the big challenges of our time.

We use our knowledge, networks, funding and skills - working in partnership with others, including governments, businesses and charities. We are a UK charity but work all over the world, supported by a financial endowment.

To find out more visit www.nesta.org.uk

This submission, responds to the questions set by the committee by:

1. Providing case studies of social impact across the themes of the inquiry from the Arts Impact Fund portfolio.
2. Highlighting the importance of scaling up interventions.
3. Demonstrating the importance of rigorous evaluation.

This submission was written by Seva Phillips, Fund Manager, Arts Impact Fund on behalf of Nesta. If you have any questions please contact [email protected].

1. Which programmes best demonstrate the positive social impact that participating in culture can have?

Arts Impact Fund overview

1.1The £7 million Arts Impact Fund (AIF) (www.artsimpactfund.org) is a collaboration that brings together private, public and philanthropic investment and provides unsecured loan finance to arts organisations in England that can show social impact. The contributors to the Fund all share a commitment to supporting the arts and include: Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Nesta, with support from Arts Council England and funding from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

1.2AIF was established to test the theory that there is demand for unsecured repayable finance in the arts & cultural sector, as well as an ability to repay it. In providing this risk capital as social investors, AIF and its funders are interested in the social impact generated by its investees. Through our day-to-day work, we see that arts and culture organisations deliver tremendous social value, not only in producing and delivering great art, but also through the targeted interventions they deploy in often vulnerable, hard-to-reach communities across a broad range of outcome areas. However, these organisations often lack the skills and capacity to be able to fully account for the social benefit they create and contribute to. One of the goals of the Fund is to build their capabilities in monitoring, evaluating and communicating their impact. We do this as part of our investment analysis - by providing feedback on existing systems and processes, working with applicants to develop their theories of change, sharing best practice and signposting to other sources of support.

1.3Across its portfolio to date, AIF has provided finance to 18 organisations and in 2017 alone, over 330,000 people have benefitted from some kind of community intervention run by our investees. Altogether, the artistic output of AIF's portfolio had an audience reach of over 650,000. In some instances, its investees provide benefit at both the individual and organisational level, and we estimate that over 100 corporate bodies have received some kind of support.

1.4As an investor across a range of art forms, communities and activities, AIF faces a challenge in being able to meaningfully aggregate the social impact of its portfolio. For example, two theatres based in the same city and delivering outreach work with young people may have completely different outcomes: one may deliver creative writing workshops to primary school children to improve their literacy while another engages teenagers in comedy workshops that build confidence. Nonetheless, AIF endeavours to go beyond providing high level output data (e.g. audience figures, numbers of individual beneficiaries supported, numbers of socially beneficial programmes delivered) and as more social impact reporting is produced in its portfolio, it will look at ways of grouping common outcomes areas such as physical health improvements, soft-skills, and qualification attainment in order to talk about the impact facilitated through investment in a more meaningful way. The Fund will also share best practice regarding monitoring & evaluation techniques, not only with its portfolio companies but the wider arts and culture sector.

1.5Within AIF we have focussed our response on four organisations that impact different areas of the committee's focus.

Health: South East Dance

1.6Brighton & Hove based South East Dance (www.southeastdance.org.uk) is one of 10 national dance development organisations that collectively provide an infrastructure for dance within England. It supports artists at all stages of their careers through skills, network and profile building activities and commissions new work. In addition to staging dance productions it also regularly works in partnership with local charities to deliver community engagement interventions, often to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of local residents.

1.7One such programme for South East Dance is Dance to Health, a nation-wide falls prevention for older people designed by the arts & health social enterprise Aesop. The project uses the two evidence-based, clinically approved, falls prevention programmes (FaME and Otago) incorporated into dance activities. In 2015/16, South East Dance delivered the programme to 40 individuals at risk from falls, and falls-related hospital admissions over a period of 6 months. Whilst falls-reduction data will be collected during the next roll-out phase of the programme, the pilot demonstrated that participants experienced an enhanced ability to control over their physical movements. Participants also felt a stronger sense of belonging and bonding with their dance group, minor reductions in loneliness and a slight improvement to their peace of mind.

1.8Dance to Health is now being rolled out in various locations across England and Wales, with regional health partners such as clinical commissioning groups, Royal British Legion care homes and local authorities. South East Dance, as well as a number of other dance agencies, continues to be involved with the programme, delivering 8 programmes across the south east.

1.9For more information on the work of South East Dance in Dance to Health, please contact: Rose Kigwana, Community and Participation Producer: [email protected]

Social mobility: Community Music

1.10Community Music (www.cmsounds.com) is a charity that aims to improve the opportunities available for young people through creative music making. Working predominantly in East London boroughs it uses music to engage children and young people from across the social spectrum, particularly those who are socially excluded or disengaged from education and positive community participation.

1.11A key outcome is to increase the number of young people from lower attaining education groups entering higher education, training, employment and further learning. To achieve this, Community Music delivers business and digital production skills training at all levels; outreach projects contacting hard to reach individuals; and, the provision of peer-mentoring from past beneficiaries of the charity. Some of these ex-students have gone on to have gone on to have highly influential roles in the music industry, becoming founders of record labels, songwriting and production acts for popular music as well as professional musicians.

1.12In 2017 alone, Community Music trained over 60 young people on their Foundation degree in Creative Music Production and Business, which aims to make Higher Education accessible for students facing barriers to learning such as lack of previous qualifications, financial hardship or poor mental health. 50% had no previous qualifications which prevented them from accessing higher education outside of Community Music. 55% had mental health issues which had made previous study difficult or impossible and 6% had previous criminal convictions. 85% of students continue their involvement in music after graduating.

1.13Also in 2017, Community Music's NEET (not in education, employment or training) course Off Beat worked with 165 young people not engaged in work, education or training. 86% went onto further learning after the course was finished, taking them out of the NEET category.

1.14In 2017, AIF provided a loan to contemporary performing arts venue Village Underground to open a new multi-arts hub for East London - the Hackney Arts Centre. Integral to this investment is the role that Community Music will play in delivering a programme of hands-on learning with industry-leading professionals at Hackney Arts Centre, underpinned by a partnership agreement between the charity and Village Underground. Through the partnership, Community Music will have access to dedicated training facilities as well as industry standard equipment and technical staff, using these resources to deliver its programmes to 250 young people, from mainly disadvantaged backgrounds aged 14-25, every year. AIF will be monitoring progress towards this target and impact achieved throughout its five-year repayment period.

1.15For more information on the work of Community Music, please contact: Maricia Klincke, Director: [email protected]

Education: Bow Arts Trust

1.16Bow Arts Trust (www.bowarts.org) is a provider of studio and live & work space to artists and an education charity marrying the need for sustainable income for artists with the needs of local schools in the surrounding area of Tower Hamlets and across 16 other London Boroughs. Bow Artists develop bespoke solutions/interventions according to schools' specific needs, ranging from support teaching for schools, installation work, group activities and Arts Award support. Interventions vary across a spectrum of intensity from a half-day workshop to an artist on-site for 4 days a week throughout the school year.

1.17For example, in the autumn 2016 and spring 2017 terms, artist Sara Heywood worked with 100 Year 8 students at Raine's Foundation School in Tower Hamlets to create an ambitious, contemporary art installation for the school's main entrance. The piece draws on the school's 300-year history as well as the distinctive visual language of Pop Art. Supported by volunteers from a corporate partner, Sara led sessions with Year 8 classes to generate imagery and ideas for the artwork, in which students developed skills in drawing, collage and composition. The young people looked to the work of artists Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Michael Craig-Martin for their use of colour, line and composition. Students were surveyed on their experience of the project, 100% of which reported learning something new about the topic and enjoying the experience. Students also gained gained confidence and improved their presentation and teamwork skills.

1.18In another project in 2016 at the Central Foundation School in Bow, artist Ceri Davies worked with a small group of Year 11 GCSE and AS students on two painting masterclasses. The workshops focused on refining students' painting techniques. Through a series of experimental activities in colour mixing, quick drawing, working collaboratively and large scale, and combining materials, students became bolder and more confident in their own abilities as artists, and more comfortable to discuss their work. During the second day, students were able to combine and apply their learning to work on sustained, individual pieces.

1.19Altogether, in 2016/17, Bow Arts Trust worked with 84 schools, helping 9,000 children and young people create original artwork. 120 of these beneficiaries gained Arts Award qualifications.

1.20For more information on the work of Bow Arts Trust, please contact: [email protected]

Community engagement and diversity: Soho Theatre

1.21Soho Theatre (www.sohotheatre.com) is London's most vibrant venue for new theatre, comedy and cabaret. Alongside a thriving programme reaching over 250,000 people a year at its Dean Street venue and on tour and a growing Digital distribution arm, it provides development opportunities for diverse new artists, and creates opportunities for young people to take part in theatre.

1.22Specifically on community engagement and work with young people, Soho Theatre has a thriving Young Company and works with young people in schools and colleges in Waltham Forest. This reaches 250 participants each year through courses and workshops around writing and performance within theatre, comedy and cabaret. Over 25% of participants come from black and ethnic minority backgrounds. In 2016/17 Soho Theatre created 6,000 opportunities for young people to take part at school or college with 70% of those taking part from BAME backgrounds.

1.23Soho Theatre has been working closely with the London Borough of Waltham Forest since 2012 with long term ambitions to open a venue in the borough. The organisation has built strong links with the local community through education work in schools and regular workshops with young people, from ages 11-18. Soho Theatre also delivers a Parks Festival, a long-term programme of activities in the borough including storytelling and walking tours, community choirs, theatre, family picnics in parks and a Lantern Festival. This work targets as wide a cross-section of the public as possible; taken as a whole, it aims to promote community discovery, cohesion and a greater sense of pride amongst residents. But the specific activities also have individual benefits such as improved health & well-being (academic studies have shown, for instance, that taking part in a choir leads to higher self-reported well-being), a reduced sense of isolation and the forging of new relationships.

1.24For more information on the work of Soho Theatre, please contact Sam Hansford, Business Development Manager: [email protected]

2. How can access to cultural professions be improved to enable greater diversity? How can Government build a pipeline of talent?

2.1If the interventions detailed in this response were to tell a single story, it is that it is never too late to become involved in arts and cultural activity, and that doing so produces benefits in many areas of life. This story is reflected AIF's wider portfolio and the fund has no shortage of case studies. Up and down the country, arts and cultural social enterprises are delivering inspiring, life-changing work at the grass-roots level.

2.2The most impactful activities start early and specifically target disadvantage and those groups that have not previously been exposed to the arts. Increasing the chances of this exposure is key, and doing so has demand and supply components.

2.3On the demand side, the pipeline of individuals willing to engage with cultural activity can be strengthened by raising awareness of existing opportunities. Whilst most arts organisations are already highly skilled at reaching out to underserved communities through their own efforts, they could be supported by policies and initiatives to better connect them to public and third sector bodies that have more specific links to particular communities, such as schools, housing associations and Clinical Commissioning Groups. The Cultural Commissioning Programme (2013-17), focusing on mental health and wellbeing is a good example with case studies across beneficiary groups and art forms. The government should explore the feasibility of replicating this initiative in areas of concern, particularly in education and crime reduction where improved intermediation between the beneficiary (e.g. school student, somebody in the justice system) and cultural organisation is likely to produce life-changing results.

2.4On the supply side, more capacity is needed. Capacity development has two principal dimensions - funding and skills.

2.5Arts and culture organisations need more and better forms of funding that gives them the flexibility to do what they know best in order to reach communities and improve diversity. In traditional terms, this means more unrestricted grants from central and local government in addition to the stalwart trusts and foundations that are well known for their support of the sector. More innovatively, new mechanisms such as social investment and other forms of repayable finance offer opportunities for more commercial approaches. Initiatives like AIF have shown that there is a viable and growing market for unsecured impact finance in the sector. The fund's partners are in the process of scaling up this initiative so that it can offer more capital to arts and culture organisations on appropriate and affordable terms.

2.6Both repayable finance and grants are important for this ecology. In the optimal allocation of scarce capital resources, those organisations that are capable of revenue generating trading activity that can produce a surplus should be encouraged to take on repayable finance, including social investment. However, there will always be those organisations for which there is no viable commercial market and for these grant funding is essential.

2.7In terms of skills, the experience of AIF has shown that its investees work best when they have a broad mix of experience and capabilities at board and managerial levels. Entrepreneurial mindsets are key as are skills in accounting, finance and information technologies. Efficiencies can be achieved in the business processes of many arts organisations by learning from the approaches taken from other industries. Government has a role here in expanding the horizons of individuals outside of the arts and encouraging them to become more involved, either in a mentoring, board or employment capacity. Within the arts and cultural sectors, more resources for training and personal development would ensure talent development and retention.

3. How can cultural venues boost access and social impact?

3.1Arts and culture organisations have a broad and often deep range of impact. One of the biggest challenges they face is monitoring, evaluating and communicating this impact to a plurality of stakeholders - from funders to government, from audiences to the general public. As with the issue of increasing diversity discussed above, skills and resources for better articulation of social impact are key.

3.2Through its social investment activity, AIF has been promoting best practice in social impact evaluation approaches amongst its portfolio companies and developing tools that can assist with impact management with the wider sector. The experience of the fund suggests that tools and approaches that 'speak the language' of the sector are important in changing mindsets.

3.3There is some concern in the sector that the focus on monitoring and evaluation undermines their inherent value of engaging with cultural activity, and to some extent this is valid since hard metrics cannot give a full account of artistic experience; such limitations should be recognised. However, progressive leadership teams understand that a solid grasp of how their activities contribute to their intended outcomes can help them become more effective, thereby growing their impact, and enabling clearer communication with stakeholders as to their social value.

3.4In terms of boosting access, the growing trends towards multi-arts, genre-blending and experiential activities have a powerful role breaking down the perceived hurdles of comprehension and challenging the notion for some people and communities that culture 'isn't for them'. For example, rapper and spoken-word artist Kate Tempest's Brand New Ancients show brought stories from classical mythologies to new audiences across the country, in both traditional venues such as the Royal Opera House and smaller, more community led venues like the Contact Theatre in Manchester. Similarly, hip-hop artist Akala's The Hip-Hop Shakespeare Company has been highly successful in bringing the bard's work to new, young and diverse audiences in schools and theatres.