WE PLAY Evaluation Framework and Research Strategy Report

This report sets out the evaluation framework and research strategy for the WE PLAY programme, which was commissioned by Arts Council England North West and has been developed by a team of researchers from the University of Manchester and the University of Liverpool.WE PLAY is a region-wide initiative, launched in March 2009 and lasting for four years, with the goal of leaving a lasting legacy. WE PLAY aims to benefit the public and professionals across and beyond the Northwest, but with a particular focus on young people and local communities within the region.It is led by Arts Council England, Northwest for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and core funded by the Legacy Trust UK. It consists of 3 main programme strands: Abandon Normal Devices, Lakes Alive and Blaze (previously titled New Cultural Journeys). The programme will also feature a fourth element which is in development phase but which is likely to comprise an Expo event in Preston, aligned with the Preston 2012 Guild. Each strand integrates public events, community participation programmes and the development of new work.The report proposes a model for evaluation which includes ‘in-house’ monitoring and data collection and externally commissioned and managed evaluation research. It also proposes a number of partnership projects on key research themes emerging from the WE PLAY programme, including participation, image, narrative and profile through media analysis, models for cultural partnerships, leadership and cultural production.