Capturing Scotland’s Cultural Pulse: How New Evaluation Methods Are Redefining the Value of the Arts

Metrics like ticket sales and visitor numbers are giving way to more meaningful ways of measuring cultural impact — approaches that recognise creativity as central to wellbeing, place identity and community connection.

The Centre for Cultural Value is one example of an organisation leading the way with its new Cultural Indicator Suite, developed in partnership with The Audience Agency and Research England. This work highlights how cultural vitality can be captured through social connection, local participation and everyday creativity — not just large institutions.

For cultural and community organisations across Scotland, this shift means rethinking how impact is evidenced. Evaluation must evolve with the times, focusing on lived experiences, storytelling and the emotional resonance of creative work.

Pinescope Video may have a bias but we believe video, photography and audio are among the most powerful tools for this transformation. By blending creative filmmaking with evaluation practice, our goal is to help organisations showcase impact, document community stories, and communicate cultural value in ways that inspire audiences and funders alike.