aceUVi

Table A-5: A grouping of indicators around social connectedness, sense
of belonging, shared experience, social bridging and social bonding
The four studies agree that social dimensions of cultural experiences are central to
impact. For example, all four studies provide indicators of the audience member’s
‘sense of belonging’ or ‘feeling part of a community’, such as:
Seeing the play in the company of an audience increased my enjoyment (Bakhshi
et al 2010)
Today I had the impression of being part of a community (Boerner and Jobst
2013)
One of the most striking similarities across the four studies is the closeness in
wording of an indicator of the respondent’s desire to talk about the work afterwards:
I will be talking about the experience for some time to come (NEF 2008)
After leaving the theatre I wanted to talk to people about what I’d seen (Bakhshi
et al 2010)
Afterwards, did you discuss the performance with others who attended (Brown
and Novak, 2007)
I am looking forward to talking to others about this performance (Boerner and
Jobst 2013)
NEF and Bakhshi et al count this as a sign of sociability while Brown and Novak
consider it a sign of intellectual stimulation, and Boerner and Jobst consider
it as ‘stimulation to communication’. Regardless, the act of verbalising one’s
feelings about a cultural experience – and listening to others’ opinions – is clearly
indicated as a sign of impact. Other social indicators defined by Brown et al
relate to social bridging (ie, gaining a new understanding or appreciation for
people who are different from you), social bonding (ie, strengthening one’s bond
with one’s own identity or community), and pride of place (ie, experiences that
engender a feeling of pride in one’s own community).
Measuring Individual Impact: Post-Event Surveying 74
UNDERSTANDING the value and impacts of cultural experiences