Evaluation of the Canada Council for the Arts’ Digital Strategy Fund and Sectoral Needs Assessment

The Canada Council for the Arts engaged Nordicity to conduct an evaluation of the Digital Strategy Fund and a sectoral needs assessment.

Research goal

The evaluation and needs assessment aimed to understand how the Digital Strategy Fund has supported digital transformation in the arts, and sector needs regarding digital transformation. 

Methods

Nordicity conducted a document review, survey, interviews and focus groups resulting in engagement with over 165 arts stakeholders across Canada.

Vanessa Pfaff and Flavio Caron were engaged to incorporate a robust diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility lens into the project.

Outcomes

The evaluation concluded that the Digital Strategy Fund was particularly successful in:

• Improving digital literacy in the Canadian arts sector
• Increasing research and experimentation on digital topics
• Increasing collaboration in the arts and with other sectors both nationally and Internationally
• Encouraging digital transformation for organizations

Some of the emerging themes related to future needs and opportunities for digital transformation in the arts include:

• Supporting sustainability and continuity of digital transformation
• Building organizational capacity
• Enabling digital transformation to adapt to the post-COVID world

Key considerations for the evaluation and needs assessment included:

• Continuing to invest in digital transformation as a key piece of fostering innovation and an inclusive and sustainable rebuilding of the arts sector
• Amplifying Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) to ensure equitable access to digital infrastructure and elimination of discrimination in the arts
• Nurturing collaboration and cross-sectoral partnerships to continue digital transformation in the sector

The Council is integrating the findings and key considerations from this research to guide its support for digital transformation in the sector. The evaluation informed the design of the Strategic Innovation Fund.

Questions?

Please contact the Research, Measurement and Data Analytics Section at research@canadacouncil.ca.