The digital research programme is part of the Arts Council’s digital opportunities programme. It is a three-year investigation of three core areas:
- the impact of digital technology on how the public perceive, understand and engage with the arts
- how digital technology is transforming art and artistic practice
- the implications for content creation, distribution and ownership
Results of phase one
July 2009
Click on the links below to read the two commissioned reports produced during phase one of the digital research programme:
Digital content snapshot [1.9MB]
Digital content snapshot [5.6MB]
MTM London’s content snapshot assessing the current online presence of the Arts Council’s regularly funded portfolio
Consuming digital arts [708kb]
Consuming digital arts [364kb]
In depth qualitative research conducted by Synovate examining current public attitudes to and experience of arts content online.
You can also read Arts Council's background paper on existing evidence and a summary of findings from phase one:
Digital world: a review of the evidence [162kb]
Digital world: a review of the evidence [289kb]
Our summary of existing data and evidence on levels of access to and patterns of use of digital technologies among the public.
Phase one summary [2.1MB]
Phase one summary [ppt 3.6 MB]
Arts Council summary presentation highlighting the key findings of phase one of the research.
Results of phase two
March 2010
A key objective of the recently agreed Public Value Partnership between Arts Council England and the BBC is to use digital technologies to better connect publicly funded arts content with audiences through digital services and platforms.
A key strand of the partnership includes a strong focus on opening arts archives to the public. As part of this work, and in order to assess the potential, the Arts Council and the BBC agreed to undertake a research project.
This report looks at the extent and type of content held by selected Arts Council England regularly funded organisations and looks at the level of interest in making content available via online platforms.
Arts content online: assessing the potential
Arts content online: assessing the potential
About the digital research programme
Digital opportunities is one of the Arts Council's four priorities for 2008-2011. Part of the programme is a three year research programme. The research will perform three key functions:
- generating in depth knowledge of the way digital technology is changing the context in which artists, arts organisations and the Arts Council are operating
- providing a clear understanding of the opportunities and challenges that this changing context creates for artists, arts organisations and the public
- identifying where the Arts Council could intervene in order to create most public value
The findings will inform and be informed by the work of the digital opportunities programme as a whole.
To read more about the key research questions click here [64.5 KB].
If you have a question or a suggestion please email us.