It’s normal to use data and evidence to measure the impact of interventions in healthcare policy, so isn’t it fair for government to measure arts interventions in the same way, asks Shelly Hsieh.
When it comes to evaluating medical interventions – whether a drug is safe, or if a certain kind of exercise encourages better health – evidence and data are par for the course. Yet when it comes to interventions in the arts, our expectations are almost the opposite; if anything, we are skeptical of attempts to measure impact. But arts interventions by the government use the same real-world dollars and cents as interventions in other areas. Shouldn’t we hold government spending to a high standard of effectiveness regardless of what those policies are trying to achieve?
When it comes to evaluating medical interventions – whether a drug is safe, or if a certain kind of exercise encourages better health – evidence and data are par for the course. Yet when it comes to interventions in the arts, our expectations are almost the opposite; if anything, we are skeptical of attempts to measure impact. But arts interventions by the government use the same real-world dollars and cents as interventions in other areas. Shouldn’t we hold government spending to a high standard of effectiveness regardless of what those policies are trying to achieve?
The UK government has been asking just this question. Drawing... Keep reading on Createquity