The Economic Impact of Culture in Market Towns
Exploring the economic impact of culture in market towns
The East Midlands Cultural Observatory hosted a one day seminar on the measurement of the economic impact of cultural events and fixed assets (such as festivals and museums) in market towns on 29 April.
More than 60 people attended the event, at which, the team of researchers disseminated a method for estimating the economic impact of culture in market towns, as well as addressing common data collection concerns and introducing a method for benchmarking the performance of market towns.
The afternoon session was based around practical training in the use of the Cultural Observatory’s new economic impact toolkit, which is designed to support non-researchers in the measurement and analysis of the economic impact of cultural events and fixed assets in market towns. The toolkit is a result of research carried out by the Cultural Observatory in conjunction with Nottingham University Business School.
You can download the presentations given by guest speakers below, as well as view the agenda for the seminar. The full report from this research and the finalised economic impact toolkit are available to download below.
The resource and the toolkit will be of particular use to market town managers, local authority officers, and anyone involved in the coordination of cultural events and activities.
The seminar was delivered in collaboration with Nottingham University Business School.
Seminar Resources
Presentations from the speaker can be downloaded below
Spalding Pumpkin Parade - Vicky Thomson, South Holland District Council
Rob Young, University of Nottingham Business School - presentation available shortly
The Economic Impact of Culture: Four Case Studies - Anita Fernandez-Young, University of Nottingham Business School
Lessons Learnt - Dr Jennifer Parkin, East Midlands Cultural Observatory
Newark Study - Alun Bond, Artservice
Welland Benchmarking Project - Catherine Hammant, Welland Market Town Coordinator
Project Resources and Toolkit
You can download the full project report and the new toolkit here
East Midlands Cultural Observatory Market Towns Report
The economic impact of Culture in Market Towns Toolkit and Guidance
You can download the spreadsheets to use in conjunction with the toolkit from the Cultural Observatory website at www.emculturalobservatory.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=22&Itemid=32
Seminar timetable
Morning session (9.30am to 1pm)- The business case/ the event organisers’ perspective, Vicky Thomson and Bruce Wakeling, South Holland District Council
- The rationale behind economic impact studies: A conceptual introduction, Dr Robert Young, Nottingham University Business School
- The economic impact of culture: Four case studies, Anita Fernandez-Young, Tourism and Travel Research Institute, Nottingham University Business School
- Piloting methods for assessing the economic impact of cultural events and assets in market towns: Key lessons learned, Dr Jennifer Parkin, East Midlands Cultural Observatory
- Newark Festivals and Events Economic Impact Research Study, Alun Bond, Artservice
- The Welland Benchmarking project, Catherine Hammant, Welland Market Town Coordinator
Afternoon session (2pm to 4.30pm)
- Putting theory into practice: How to collect and analyse economic impact data using our piloted methods (tutorial-style practical sessions), Dr Robert Young, Nottingham University Business School, Anita Ferndandez Young, Nottingham University Business School and Dr Jennifer Parkin, East Midlands Cultural Observatory
- Confronting the key questions (plenary session) Dr Robert Young, Nottingham University Business School
last updated: 08-05-2008 13:43