DCMS research report on quantifying social impact published

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has commissioned the London School of Economics (LSE) to publish a two-part research report, Quantifying the Social Impacts of Culture and Sport, which develops the evidence base on the social impact of engagement in both culture and sport. The research utilises the Understanding Society dataset, a unique academic study that captures information on socio-economic interests and the attitudes of 40,000 households across the UK. The report forms part of an initiative to demonstrate and quantify the benefit of culture and sport, so its value is comprehensively considered in the allocation of scare public resources.

The first-part, Quantifying the Social Impacts of Culture and Sport, presents an analysis of the association between sport participation and cultural engagement and a range of social impacts (health, education, employment and economic productivity and civic participation). The report considers the impact on social impacts associated with participation in arts and cultural activities, attending cultural events, participating in sports, and visiting museums, heritage sites and libraries. The analysis demonstrates that the social benefits of culture and sport are wide ranging, including those engaging with the arts as an audience member were 5.4% more likely to report good health, and that participants in arts are 14.1% more likely to report an intention to go on to further education.

The second-part, Quantifying and Valuing the Wellbeing Impacts of Culture and Sport, presents an analysis of the association between culture, sport and measures of subjective wellbeing. The study uses a relatively new method for non-market valuation to estimate monetary values for wellbeing impacts called the Wellbeing Valuation Approach. The study found that arts and sports engagement was found to be associated with higher well-being, valued at £1,084 per person per year. The value denotes the increase in income that would be required to result in the same wellbeing increase.

Source: Matthew Rabagliati, The Heritage Alliance

Report authors: LSESimetrica,

 

Published: April 25, 2014. Categories: News and Social Impact.

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