Democracy in Arts Development 1

Too often in the arts, projects are undertaken without clear‐cut aims and ways of assessing whether these aims are accomplished. With regard to “Art for Social Change” projects, it is not difficult to identify activities that might be labelled “dishonest”, “ill‐conceived” or even “unethical”. It is argued here that it is possible, and necessary, to set clear aims, and also to devise effective assessment strategies. It is essential for artists to embrace evaluation in order to help them improve and better understand their work.

     

Common ground: cultural action as a route to community development

Cultural action has been used to promote community developmentfor at least thirty years in the UK, often with good results.During that period, the theories, values, and approaches ofprofessionals have varied and evolved, but there has been anoticeable shift in focus – particularly in cultural policy– from collective to individual outcomes, in line withthe growing individualization of policy since the 1980s. Yetthe potential of cultural action to bring people together andto build a foundation for lasting community development workremains important. This article considers the processes by whicharts-based community projects can lead to the development ofboth informal and formal collective organization, and theirpotential in empowerment. Central to this process, it is argued,is culture's focus on people's strengths and interests, ratherthan on externally defined problems. The paper draws on twocontrasting examples to demonstrate the continuing importanceof cultural action in very different social and economic situations:the author's research into voluntary arts development in ruralEngland and Wales, and his experience of community culturalprojects in south-east Europe.