Creative and credible evaluation for arts, health and well-being: opportunities and challenges of co-production

Abstract

Background: This paper reports findings from a one-year UK knowledge exchange (KE) project completed in 2015. Stakeholders’ experiences of evaluation were explored in order to develop online resources to strengthen knowledge and capacity within the arts and health sector (www.creativeandcredible.co.uk).

Methods: The project used mixed methods, including a survey, interviews and focus groups, guided by a Stakeholder Reference Group comprised of 26 leading UK evaluators, researchers, artists, health professionals, commissioners and funders.

Results: The project identified opportunities for arts arising from current health and social care policy agendas. It also identified challenges including the lack of agreed evaluation frameworks and difficulties in evaluation practice.

Conclusions: Co-production between stakeholders is needed to strengthen evaluation practice and support the development of the arts and health sector. Effective co-production can be undermined by structural and cultural barriers as well as unequal stakeholder relationships. The paper discusses recent initiatives designed to support best practice.

Keywords:

• Evaluation
• methodologies
• public health
• commissioning
• co-production

Acknowledgements

It was a collaboration between UWE, Bristol, UK, where the lead author was based until 2014, and Willis Newson. We are grateful to the artists, health professionals, commissioners, funders, policy-makers, evaluators and researchers who contributed to our Stakeholder Reference Group and to the research participants who contributed to data collection. The views reported here are those of the authors.