In the cultural sector, the appetite for data outstrips the means to collect, distil or make effective use of it, reasons Mark Robinson as he looks at ACE’s issues with Illuminate.
I keep making people who work in Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisations wince.
Or get cross. Or laugh, but in a way that suggests repeated banging of the forehead against a hard surface. Usually this is in response to a simple “How’s it going?”. Or ‘How are you finding life as an NPO?” Lately, their pain always relates to one word: Illuminate. This is the new data collection platform, being devised by Big Four consulting firm PWC. (Present continuous deliberate.) It's a thorn in many sides right now.
Varying degrees of joy at ACE strategic decisions and implementation-behaviours are nothing new. It goes with the territory and sometimes inducing discomfort can be a useful thing. And sometimes people like a moan about funders as a relief from other challenges. But I’ve not heard such a negative response to a change in many years. (I’m not primarily interested in criticising ACE, though this does all seem unnecessary right now. If there’s a strong case for change I’ve yet to hear it.)... Keep reading on Substack.
I keep making people who work in Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisations wince.
Or get cross. Or laugh, but in a way that suggests repeated banging of the forehead against a hard surface. Usually this is in response to a simple “How’s it going?”. Or ‘How are you finding life as an NPO?” Lately, their pain always relates to one word: Illuminate. This is the new data collection platform, being devised by Big Four consulting firm PWC. (Present continuous deliberate.) It's a thorn in many sides right now.
Varying degrees of joy at ACE strategic decisions and implementation-behaviours are nothing new. It goes with the territory and sometimes inducing discomfort can be a useful thing. And sometimes people like a moan about funders as a relief from other challenges. But I’ve not heard such a negative response to a change in many years. (I’m not primarily interested in criticising ACE, though this does all seem unnecessary right now. If there’s a strong case for change I’ve yet to hear it.)... Keep reading on Substack.