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Hi Nicole,

I am concerned about this framing of the role of visitor studies as being about ‘evidencing the positive changes we are making’. 
For evaluation and visitor studies to be useful, it needs to be open to identifying the range of impacts that take place in museums, galleries and other settings (some of which may be positive or negative). 
Only looking in the positive direction undermines the entire exercise, turning it into *advocacy* (i.e., public relations / promotion) while avoiding identifying any negative issues that may be taking place. Not all programmes are effective, and it is very important to identify ‘how' and ‘why’ so they can be improved. 

It also worth noting that this kind of promotional approach to impact measurement has undermined faith in the type of evidence presented by cultural institutions to external parties such as government (an issue noted by the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s Cultural Value project).

Best wishes,
Eric

---------------
Dr Eric Jensen, Fellow Higher Education Academy
Associate Professor (Senior Lecturer), Department of Sociology, University of Warwick
Sociology at the University of Warwick ranked:
The Guardian, Complete University Guide and The Times Good University Guide – 3rd
QS World University Ranking - 23rd




On 19 Jan 2017, at 07:48, Nicole Meehan <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Morning All,

There are some tickets available at the Visitor Studies Group conference taking place in London, March 22nd and 23rd 2017.  The theme is ‘‘Measuring up’: ways of capturing social value and more intangible outcomes’.

Increasingly, visitor studies is being asked to understand and demonstrate the value and impact that our cultural and heritage institutions have on broader public agendas such as health and wellbeing, social justice, inclusion, place making and the environment. Anecdotally we know that the engagement and learning that takes places in our cultural and heritage institutions is making a profound impact on the public and communities, but are we in the visitor studies profession doing enough to help our sector to really understand and evidence the positive changes we are making?  Join us and be part of the conversation.

Tickets are available through Eventbrite:  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/visitor-studies-group-2017-conference-tickets-28602459727

We will holding a poster session at the conference and invite you to share relevant case studies and/or research with our delegates:  http://visitors.org.uk/conference-2017-poster-session/

Best wishes,
Nicôle

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