A fRAmework of the DetermInants of Arts… | Wellcome Open Research

A fRAmework of the DetermInants of Arts… | Wellcome Open Research

Exploring the Complexity of Arts and Culture Engagement: An Interdisciplinary Perspective

As an experienced IT professional, I’m excited to delve into the fascinating topic of arts and cultural engagement (ACEng) and share insights that can benefit both practitioners and researchers in this field. While technology may not be the primary focus here, the principles of systems thinking, data analysis, and problem-solving that are core to the IT world can offer valuable perspectives on understanding and enhancing ACEng.

The central question we’ll explore is what factors act as determinants – both barriers and facilitators – of people’s engagement with the arts and cultural activities. This is a crucial issue, as ACEng has been shown to provide numerous individual and societal benefits, from enhanced well-being to social cohesion. Yet, in modern society, ACEng is unevenly distributed across demographic, socioeconomic, geographic, and political lines, raising concerns about equity and human rights.

To tackle this challenge, the authors of this study have developed a comprehensive theoretical framework called RADIANCE (the fRAmework of the DetermInants of Arts aNd Cultural Engagement). Drawing on the principles of ecological systems theory, ecosocial theory, and complex adaptive systems science, RADIANCE offers a novel, cross-disciplinary perspective on the multifaceted determinants of ACEng.

The Limitations of Current Approaches

Previous research on ACEng has often occurred in disciplinary silos, leading to contrasting discourses, approaches, and inconsistent findings. Much of the focus has been on individual-level, “downstream” factors, such as age, education, and socioeconomic status, that act as barriers to engagement. This has, in turn, led to interventions targeting these individual characteristics, with limited success.

The authors argue that this reductive approach is insufficient, as it fails to account for the complex, “upstream” social, societal, economic, and political factors that also shape patterns of ACEng. For example, studies have shown that the strength of individual-level factors like income and education can be moderated by country-level factors, such as state arts subsidies or the overall education level of the workforce.

Introducing the RADIANCE Framework

To address these shortcomings, the researchers conducted a comprehensive review of the literature, engaged in iterative theorizing, and collaborated with a multidisciplinary team of experts. The result is the RADIANCE framework, which identifies 35 distinct factors that can act as determinants of ACEng across micro, meso, exo, macro, and chrono levels of influence.

These factors are broadly categorized as social (involving the interaction of people), tangible (involving physical assets or resources), and intangible (constructs without a primary physical basis). Some examples include:

Micro-level factors:
Individual characteristics (e.g., age, gender, ethnicity)
Individual capital (e.g., economic, symbolic, cultural resources)
Individual capabilities, opportunities, and motivations

Meso-level factors:
Social networks
Built environment (e.g., location and accessibility of arts/cultural facilities)
Social environment (e.g., civic engagement, crime, trust)

Exo-level factors:
Public services (e.g., education, healthcare)
Public funding (e.g., government investment in the arts)
Arts and cultural organizations

Macro-level factors:
Social stratification
Social inequality
Culture and social structures (e.g., norms, values, national identity)

Chrono-level factors:
Social histories
Cultural heritage
Environmental and social change

The RADIANCE framework highlights the complex, interconnected nature of these determinants, emphasizing that changes in one factor can have disproportionate effects on the entire system of ACEng. This aligns with the principles of complex adaptive systems, which recognize that simple, linear solutions are unlikely to be effective in addressing such a multifaceted challenge.

Applying the RADIANCE Framework

To illustrate the practical value of RADIANCE, the authors present several case studies that demonstrate its utility:

Case Study 1: Audience Development Initiatives in the Arts
Many arts organizations have implemented audience development initiatives focused on individual-level factors, such as marketing, ticketing, and programming. However, these efforts have had limited success in diversifying audiences. The RADIANCE framework reveals how these initiatives have failed to consider the broader web of interconnected factors, from social networks and the built environment to economic systems and social change.

Case Study 2: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, a public health crisis, had widespread reverberating effects on ACEng, impacting social behaviors, virtual environments, the creative industries, individual finances, and more. RADIANCE helps us visualize and understand how a single, seemingly specific factor (public health) can trigger a cascade of changes across the entire ecosystem of determinants.

Case Study 3: England’s Sing Up Programme (2007-2011)
This national singing initiative successfully enhanced engagement by addressing a diverse array of factors, including children’s capabilities and motivations, teacher training, media campaigns, and government support. The program’s holistic, systems-level approach, as depicted by RADIANCE, contributed to its long-lasting impact.

Implications and Future Directions

The RADIANCE framework has several important implications for research, policy, and practice:

For Research:
– Provides a comprehensive understanding of potential confounding factors in observational studies on the impacts of ACEng
– Supports the identification of moderating factors that could enhance the ecological validity of findings
– Offers a foundation for qualitative research to explore how macro-level factors are embodied in individual experiences

For Policy:
– Supports the mapping of national rates of ACEng and the factors that influence them, informing equity-focused policies
– Acknowledges the need for tailored, culturally-relevant policy approaches given the diversity of national cultural policy models and socioeconomic conditions

For Practice:
– Encourages a shift from focusing solely on individual-level barriers to considering the broader, interconnected determinants
– Highlights the need for multi-level, coordinated interventions that address capabilities, opportunities, and motivations simultaneously
– Emphasizes the importance of ongoing adaptation and evaluation given the complex, dynamic nature of the ACEng ecosystem

As an IT professional, I’m struck by the parallels between the principles underlying the RADIANCE framework and the systems thinking that underpins much of the work in my field. By embracing complexity, recognizing nonlinear relationships, and considering the broader context, we can develop more effective, sustainable solutions – whether in technology or in the realm of arts and cultural engagement.

Ultimately, the RADIANCE framework represents a significant step forward in our understanding of the determinants of ACEng. By shining a light on the intricate web of factors at play, it provides a vital foundation for ensuring equitable access to the arts and cultural activities that are so integral to the human experience. I encourage researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to engage with this framework and explore its potential to drive meaningful change.

Conclusion

The RADIANCE framework offers a comprehensive, interdisciplinary perspective on the determinants of arts and cultural engagement. By integrating insights from ecological systems theory, ecosocial theory, and complex adaptive systems science, it illuminates the complex, interconnected factors that shape patterns of ACEng at the individual, community, and societal levels.

This framework represents a significant advancement over previous approaches, which have tended to focus narrowly on individual-level barriers. RADIANCE highlights the importance of considering “upstream” social, societal, economic, and political factors, as well as the dynamic, nonlinear relationships between these determinants.

Through the application of RADIANCE in diverse case studies, the authors demonstrate its practical value for research, policy, and practice. By providing a nuanced understanding of the determinants of ACEng, this framework can inform the design of more effective, equity-focused interventions and support the ongoing monitoring of national-level patterns of engagement.

As an IT professional, I’m excited by the potential of this framework to drive meaningful change in the arts and cultural sector. By embracing complexity and systems-level thinking, we can develop more sustainable solutions that truly address the barriers to engagement and unlock the profound individual and societal benefits of the arts.

I encourage readers to delve deeper into the RADIANCE framework, explore its implications, and consider how its principles might be applied in their own work, whether in technology, the arts, or beyond. Together, we can work towards a future where everyone has the opportunity to engage with and enjoy the rich tapestry of human creativity and cultural expression.

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