The Cultural Policy Class from Drury University Arts Administration Program completed cultural impact assessments of perceived artistic, environmental, economic and social value of two projects of the ideaXfactory. In alignment with the university’s commitment to engaged learning and the personal teaching philosophy of providing hands-on practical experience for students, Drury University Director of Arts Administration Leah Hamilton assigned this collaborative project to her upper-level undergraduate students.

Using criteria based on the ixia public art think tank and OPENsource Evaluation Toolkit (Birmingham, UK), the class met with the ideaXfactory to identify prioritized values. Students were asked to select indicators to measure both quantitative and qualitative data and encouraged to be creative in their methods of interacting with participants and audience members to collect data. The purpose of the assessment is to gain an understanding and communicate the impact of the arts and to provide students with experience in assessing, evaluating, and articulating the value and impact of the arts in any given community.

Morning Song / Evening Song cultural impact assessment

Team Four Star selected Morning Song / Evening Song sound installation for their assessment. Community development, social activation, and aesthetic enjoyment ranked high on their value matrix. Their data collection process included personal surveys, photographic records, and website statistics analysis. Following are their presentation graphics:

Short-term my hope is that the data provided is useful information for the partnering organization’s leadership regarding what it currently offers for the community as well as needs that have yet to be fulfilled. Long-term my hope is to continue the student assessment project now that a certain baseline of information has been created. From these assessments, perhaps we can provide best practices in evaluating the cultural and economic impact of the arts in any given community.

Leah Hamilton (lhamilton@drury.edu), Director and Instructor, Arts Administration, Drury University
May 11, 2014

To see other project assessment, go to

The Beaux Arts Ball assessment