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Researching the Social Impact of Arts and Disability: Applying a New Empirical Tool and Method

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2026

Jenny Onyx ,
Simon Darcy ,
Simone Grabowski Open the ORCID record for Simone Grabowski [Opens in a new window] ,
Jenny Green  and
Hazel Maxwell
Jenny Onyx
Affiliation:
UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney, Dr Chau Chak Wing Building, CB08, 14-28 Ultimo Rd, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
Simon Darcy
Affiliation:
UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney, Dr Chau Chak Wing Building, CB08, 14-28 Ultimo Rd, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
Simone Grabowski*
Affiliation:
UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney, Dr Chau Chak Wing Building, CB08, 14-28 Ultimo Rd, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
Jenny Green
Affiliation:
UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney, Dr Chau Chak Wing Building, CB08, 14-28 Ultimo Rd, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
Hazel Maxwell
Affiliation:
College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Corner Church & Glover St, Lilyfield, NSW 2040, Australia
*
Simone.Faulkner@uts.edu.au
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Abstract

This paper has a twofold focus: to establish a method of assessing the potential social impact of arts and disability projects and to apply this method to ten such projects. It does so by using a newly developed ‘ripple’ model that conceptualises social impact in terms of the development of active citizenship on the part of all participants over time. The model identifies ten factors (programme activity, welcoming, belonging, programme social values, individual social values, programme networks, individual networks, skills and creativity, programme wider social impact, and individual wider social impact) which evolve through four progressive stages. The original model is empirically adapted for application to arts and disability projects. Qualitative data were collected in the form of interviews, surveys and media reports across ten case studies, each representing a major arts and disability project offering a professional outcome for an external audience. The qualitative data were coded to provide a simple scoring tool for each case. The results support the application of the model in this context. Furthermore, findings indicate three critical conditions which enable projects to generate considerable positive social impact beyond the individual; ensemble in nature; project embeddedness; and networks and partnerships.

Keywords

Active citizenshipArtsDisabilitySocial capitalSocial impact

Information

Type
Original Paper
Information
Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations , Volume 29 , Issue 3 , June 2018 , pp. 574 - 589
Copyright
Copyright © International Society for Third-Sector Research and The Johns Hopkins University 2018

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