Resources that offer guidance on how to gather and use evidence
Arts Council UK (2016). Learn how to collect evidence. London: Arts Council UK.
This resource offers guidance for the cultural sector on collecting evidence to support planning and evaluation.
Government of Scotland, What Works Scotland.
This resource was created by the Scottish Government, Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to support local authorities to use evidence in decision-making processes and public service maintenance, development and reform. This initiative addresses the following areas:
- Learn what is and what isn’t working in localities
- Encourage collaborative learning between local governance, business, public sector and community partners
- Develop understanding of what effective policy intervention and services look like
- Promote the use of evidence in planning and service delivery
- Aid organisations in getting skills and knowledge they need in order to use and interpret evidence
- Create and generate case studies for sharing and sustainability.
- WWS Evidence Bank shares findings about economic and social issues, with a particular focus on community sustainability.
Resources that contribute to the evidence base for cultural development
Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (ACELG) (2015). Building Social Cohesion in our Communities.
This on-line resource provides an evidence base about social cohesion for local government, through current, validated research and local government case studies. It was developed for the Australian Human Rights Commission under the National Anti-Racism Strategy.
Mulligan, M., & Smith, P. (2010). Art, Governance and the Turn to Community: Putting Art at the Heart of Local Government: A report to Australia Council for the Arts on research on the Generations Project 2006 – 2009, Melbourne: Globalism Research Centre, RMIT University.
This report documents findings from the Generations project that explored links between engagement in community based arts activities and active civic engagement in councils across Australia in 2006; Charters Towers Regional Council (Queensland); City of Liverpool (New South Wales); Rural City of Wangaratta(Victoria); City of Greater Geelong (Victoria); and Latrobe City (Victoria).
Resources about community consultation
International Association for Public Participation (2016). Public Participation Spectrum, Wollongong: IAP.
Our Say is an independent organisation that helps organisations and government agencies involve their communities in big decisions, using online forums to engage people directly on issues which impact them.
VLGA (2007). Let’s Talk: A Consultation Framework. Melbourne: VLGA.
A guide for community consultation and engagement produced by the VLGA, a Victorian local government peak body.