Abstract
Background: Creativity can have a real impact, helping people to process and express emotion, and maintain human connection. The ‘Art of Life’ is a project delivered on the island of Ireland and is a cross-border project aimed at normalising conversations around death and dying using creative approaches. This is a collaborative project to maximise reach within communities located in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to build a lasting legacy, in creatives, care professionals and the wider public. The aim of this study evaluation is to explore the perceived value and impact of the ‘Art of Life’ project from the perspective of key stakeholders and to evaluate the project using a Social Return on Investment (SROI) methodology.
Approach: The evaluation will be conducted in two phases. Phase 1 will carry out two in-person focus groups, one in Republic of Ireland and one in Northern Ireland, to capture expectations and perceptions of the project’s impact. Potential participants are key stakeholders who are/will be involved in the ‘Art of Life’ workshops. The focus group discussions will cover the following key topics: 1) Involvement/Contribution to the Workshop(s), 2) Expectations for Workshop Outcomes, 3) Concerns and Anticipated Challenges, 4) Key Indicators of Success. In Phase 2, an SROI analysis will be conducted to assess the social value generated as a result of the project, using a mixed method approach to include stakeholder engagement, SROI questionnaires which will measure a range of outcomes, including shifts in attitudes towards death and dying, and in-depth interviews to understand what worked, for whom, and why.
Outcomes of Interest: Insights from focus groups will be collected to demonstrate stakeholders' views on the project’s perceived value and impact. This information will aid in developing a theory of change and construction of SROI questionnaires to capture the values and benefits associated with participating in the ‘Art of Life’ project.
Implications: This novel study evaluation will provide vital evidence of the ‘Art of Life’ project’s impact by estimating the social value generated for every €/GB£ invested and the associated return on investment to support meaningful end-of-life dialogue. Findings could guide future initiatives aimed at enhancing community well-being through creative engagement.