Meaningful Measurement is a summary of the key research in the area of measuring artistic vibrancy.  It looks at:

• performance measurement in the arts
• proposed models of performance measurement in the arts
• the notion of “public value” and the arts
• the intrinsic impacts of the arts
• assessing artistic vibrancy, including models and examples

“Public value” and the arts

The notion of “public value” of the arts refers to the way in which everyday people might value the arts.  The research into “public value” and ways to measure it may help practitioners looking for ways to assess an arts organisation’s community relevance, which is part of artistic vibrancy.

Intrinsic benefits of the arts

“Intrinsic benefits” of the arts include the spiritual, cognitive, emotional and social benefits of an arts experience for an individual.  They are an important part of the artistic vibrancy equation, as they can help to assess an audience’s engagement and stimulation.

Assessing artistic vibrancy

There is some research into how to assess specific elements of artistic vibrancy, including:

• Audience engagement and stimulation
• Community relevance
• Innovation and excellence

Several researchers have developed specific models and tools for assessing artistic quality in opera and audience response to dance, which may also be of use in other artforms.

Guides to performance measurement for arts organisations

A number of funding agencies and philanthropic foundations have released guides to assist arts organisations with performance measurement, including self-assessment.  Several examples are included in this paper.

Examples of measuring artistic vibrancy

A number of funding bodies and arts organisations have developed their own approaches to measuring artistic vibrancy.  These examples might be useful for those looking at developing their own system of meaningful measurement.