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The same two studies also provide an indicator of aesthetic inquisitiveness – as
indicated by ‘thinking about the structure or characteristics of the [artistic work]
or the life of the [artist] (Brown and Novak-Leonard 2013) or being ‘stimulated
to take a closer look to the play during the next couple of days…’ (Boerner and
Jobst 2013). One could easily argue that both of the aforementioned indicators
align more closely with the ‘learning and thinking’ construct. Other elements of
aesthetic impact include exposure to new artistic work or new interpretations of
existing work, validation of previously acquired aesthetic tastes, and increased
capacity to articulate one’s own preferences and tastes (Brown et al).
The capacity for cultural experiences to activate one’s creativity is recognised in
two of the studies:
I feel my creativity has been stimulated by the experience (Bakhshi et al 2010)
How much did the performance stir your imagination (Brown and Ratzkin, 2012)
While Bakhshi et al categorise this indicator as an element of their ‘education’
construct, Brown et al categorise it as an element of their ‘aesthetic enrichment’
construct. The arts education literature, meanwhile, contributes a good deal to the
drawing out of aesthetic outcomes for youth, including:
1. art form knowledge (understanding of the elements of the art form)
2. art form appreciation (of the style and repertoire)
3. art form skills and techniques (for using and manipulating tools and
materials)
4. interpretative skills (for reading and decoding processes and products)
5. the ability to make aesthetic judgments (Lord et al 2012, 20, citing Harland, et
al, 2005)
In their qualitative investigation of arts impacts, White and Hede (2008) identify
‘innovation’ as a core dimension of impact, and ‘imagination’ and ‘new art forms’
as sub-dimensions. The theoretical dimensions of aesthetic experiences have
been debated for centuries. Belfiore and Bennett (2007) provide a deep analysis
of this literature, as well as recent attempts to investigate aesthetic impact on an
empirical basis, concluding ‘there is much that is left unexplained and uninterrogated
by these studies’ (237). Overall, the literature suggests that measurement of
the aesthetic dimensions of cultural experiences is complex and problematic, and
very much still in a developmental stage.
Measuring Individual Impact: Post-Event Surveying 73
UNDERSTANDING the value and impacts of cultural experiences