I’ve not read this report yet, so am not advocating it, but I share it in the hope it may provoke some interest.
Researchers believe they have hit on a robust way of quantifying how much people’s lives are improved by arts and culture. They hope their techniques will help arts organisations to better demonstrate their value and policymakers to make better decisions, leading to a more efficient use of resources in the sector. In a new report, researchers from the Cultural Value Project outline how a monetary value can be attributed to the work of cultural institutions. “We no longer need rely on just implicit judgements on the social value of culture,” said researcher Hasan Bakhshi. “Our study shows that, despite the many challenges, economic valuation techniques that are commonly used in areas like environmental policy, like willingness to pay and subjective wellbeing, can be applied successfully to cultural institutions.”
The report considers the ‘contingent’ and ‘wellbeing’ valuation methods – both of which are endorsed by HM Treasury’s Green Book on cost-benefit analysis – as well as a hybrid approach. The researchers concluded that the contingent and hybrid methods worked well, but that the wellbeing approach does not yield meaningful results in the test circumstances. While they admit there are “valid questions” about whether monetary values should be applied to cultural activities, doing so, they say, will increase the chances of culture being considered by policymakers when making economic decisions. Click on the Golden Egg for more. (Source: Arts Professional)
Finbar 247 was let loose in University Hospital Galway to mark Mental Health Week with positive messages. Click on the image below for more.
Kitty Knowles reports on the work of Lucy Burscough as part of Manchester Science Festival. Read her article in The Memo by clicking on the image below.
UnLtd, the charity for social entrepreneurs, has announced a new £100,000 fund to tackle the emerging challenges faced by local authorities, churches, mosques and charities as the UK agrees to take in 20,000 displaced people fleeing conflict. UnLtd is offering one to one support and up to £5,000 cash to UK based social entrepreneurs or refugees with asylum status or humanitarian protection status, who wish to establish a venture, or develop a new service at their existing venture, to meet the long-term needs of refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. This can include:
Organising and managing accommodation for those who need it
Whether in private homes or unused spaces
Collecting, restore and distribute clothing and furniture
Interpretation and English language learning opportunities
Organising meaningful voluntary experiences that can help integrate people; etc.
Read more at: https://unltd.org.uk/2015/09/16/social-entrepreneurs-wanted-to-help-refugees-build-new-lives-in-britain/
The City Health Care Partnership Foundation has announced that the next deadline for its small grant programme is the 1st December 2015. The programme provides grants or donations of up to £1,000 to local voluntary and community organisations, schools and/or other not-for-profit organisations to carry out activities, projects or one-off events that contribute towards the health and wellbeing of people throughout the UK. To be eligible, groups and organisations needs to have been in existence for at least one year, have an annual income of less than £30,000 and work for the benefit of the local community in which CHCP CIC operates. http://chcpfoundation.chcpcic.org.uk/pages/small-grants
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