Social Impact Evaluation in the Arts

What if we had better ways to calculate the social impact that the arts contribute to local communities?  

Photo: Brooklyn Marok

In 2024, Arts Ottawa embarked on a collaborative research project with Third Angle, funded by the Ottawa Community Foundation. This project explored the value and feasibility of a regional Arts Impact Calculator: a tool that helps Ottawa arts organizations measure and communicate their social and economic impact.

Together, Arts Ottawa and Stephanie Nadeau from Third Angle identified gaps and opportunities to strengthen local capacity and better communicate the social impact of the creative sectors. Stephanie and Third Angle then synthesized the findings into the Impact Calculator Feasibility Study.

VIEW THE IMPACT CALCULATOR FEASIBILITY STUDY HERE

Why Social Impact Evaluation?

We know the arts contribute to vibrant, healthy community and a thriving local economy. According to the Ontario Arts Council, Eastern Ontario’s Arts and Culture sector generates $2.7 billion in GDP. Yet still, current tools for measuring social impact lack consistency and accessibility across the sector.

Why Measure Impact?

Show the value of arts to partners and the community.
Attract investment and build support.
Advocate for funding and policy change.

Through this Action lab, Arts Ottawa aims to address how we can use and build upon the Impact Calculator to capture the individual and collective impact of arts activities in Ottawa.

Action Lab Goals and Outcomes

The Action Lab will strengthen conversations, shape practical outcomes, and build approaches that benefit the entire arts community.

We aim to:

Develop skills to process, articulate, and report qualitative and quantitative data  
Build confidence in tracking and implementing impact indicators  
Address roadblocks like HR capacity or skill gaps in evaluation  
Leverage impact-evaluation skills for fundraising and advocacy  
Engage with national and regional networks, aligning work with other impact-indexes, like the United Nation’s 16 Sustainable Development Goals

How to get involved

A call for participation will launch Oct 14^th 2025. This Action Lab will be formed by three core contributing groups:

Social Impact Prototype Testers

Applicants to the Action Lab establish baseline knowledge and goals that align with their work or artistic/cultural practice. Through this process, Testers identify common goals and barriers, engage in reciprocal learning, and track progress under the guidance of Lab Advisors. Testers conclude their work by producing practical strategies and frameworks that can be implemented and shared

Social Impact Advisors

Advisors contribute expertise, findings, and resources from their work in research, evaluation, or practical tools.

Current expertise contributions from: Robin Sokoloski (Mass Culture), Natasha Qureshi (SYMPL Solutions), and the Toronto Arts Council.

Listeners

Listeners are systemic decision-makers who are invited to observe the Action Lab. They participate periodically to review emerging results, offering feedback on measurable outcomes. They can provide insight on how the findings align with broader systems, and advocate for the tool and its findings in real time.  

To apply to this Action Lab, please complete the Arts Impact Persona Quiz. Using the five mindsets from the Impact Calculator, the quiz helps identify your unique approach to measuring impact and shows how your persona aligns with the Lab’s focus.

For support on getting involved, contact Alex Maltby at alex@artsottawa.ca

Action Lab Timeline

October 14: Call for participants launch at Ottawa Art Gallery  

November - December: Application assessments and notifications 

December: Social Impact Get.Together. learning and networking event

January 2026: Action Lab begin 

Ongoing: Workshops; webinars; learning and networking interventions 

November 2026: Final gathering to present results and outcomes 

LEARN MORE ABOUT ARTS OTTAWA'S ACTION LABS