Cultural institutions such as museums, theaters, and opera houses, are not just places for entertainment and culture: they also play a fundamental role in today’s society. In fact, cultural activities help promote social cohesion, innovation, and individual growth.
A recent study on the social impact of the Haydn Foundation of Trento & Bolzano shows that cultural institutions can actually be development drivers, combining artistic quality with deep commitment to their communities and the surrounding areas.
The questions
The aim of our study is to investigate the social value generated by the Haydn Foundation, focusing on three specific areas of interest:
- Outreach activities: how does the Foundation bring music to contexts with limited access to culture, engaging an ever-expanding audience?
- High-risk cultural activities: how do investments in groundbreaking artistic projects help inject new life in the music landscape and attract new audiences?
- Artistic staff: what effects does the Foundation have on its artistic staff in terms of professional growth and intergenerational interaction?
Fieldwork
In our research, we utilized a participatory assessment model with the direct involvement of Foundation executives and staff. This approach allowed us to pinpoint the institution’s strategic priorities and collect qualitative and quantitative data on the ripple effects of Foundation activities. As far as the areas we investigated, our study shines a light on the Haydn Foundation’s positive impact in three different spheres:
- Social Cohesion. The Foundation’s outreach activities help bridge the inequalities in access to culture and promote social inclusion.
- Innovation. The Foundation’s “high-risk cultural activities” fuel creativity and innovation on the local and national musical landscape.
- Individual Growth. The Foundation offers its artistic staff opportunities for professional growth and intergenerational interaction, creating a stimulating, inclusive environment.
Looking ahead
In our analysis, we adopted an approach that measures social impact by looking at the transformations that a given intervention or project brings about on a geographical area or an individual. We specifically examined three “transformative categories”
Cultural institutions play a social and political role that can’t be reduced simply to offering products and services, because these organizations represent systems that are integrated in and open to the wider economic and social context. To confirm this finding, using a broader sample, the participative approach we used in our evaluation can be replicated in other cultural institutions to gather new qualitative and quantitative data on the far-reaching impacts of their initiatives.
A pressing issue for cultural institutions is the evolution of the relevant regulatory framework. While there are no explicit legal obligations that apply, these organizations are under increasing pressure to meet certain standards; this also allows them to tell their stories, to include their socio-cultural influence. For cultural entities with an international scope this is particularly salient as they have to adopt systems to measure social impact that are recognized at a global level. Italy’s new Performing Arts Act, a work in progress, accentuates the social function of music, highlighting the growing importance of acknowledging the cultural and social contribution of music-related activities. Measuring the impact of a given organization on the host community and surrounding areas not only facilitates cultural institutions in meeting regulatory standards, but also enhances transparency and improves communication as far as their social value, reinforcing their role and their legitimacy in modern society.
