We’re excited to release a new white paper summarizing our research for the Levitt Foundation: Setting the Stage for Community Change: Reflecting on Creative Placemaking Outcomes at Levitt Music Venues. The findings offer insights for the field of creative placemaking and provide a working illustration of what can and can’t be learned from different impact-measurement approaches.
This multi-year (2013–2016), mixed-method study was designed to explore whether Levitt music venues are bringing about change in their communities and the mechanisms by which they affect individual concertgoers and their social networks. The research seeks to further the dialogue on how to measure the outcomes and impact of creative placemaking interventions.
Sarah Lee, president of Slover Linett and lead author of the study, said she hopes the research will contribute to the field's ongoing conversation about measurement strategies and the role of primary audience and community research. "We looked at the arts experience itself—the free outdoor concerts at Levitt venues—and tried to understand the broader effects of that experience on the people and communities involved," said Lee.
The whole Slover Linett team and our colleagues at Levitt hope this study will provide a valuable reference point for a wide range of creative placemaking efforts, from music-based projects like Levitt to those involving other arts disciplines and diverse community contexts. We all look forward to hearing your thoughts and comments and continuing the conversation.
Read the full report.
Read the Executive Summary.
Download information sheet.
Category: Performing arts