Collaborating for Better Event Evaluation: Manchester Met Researchers Partner CT Consults to Rethink Impact Assessment
Earlier in the month (3rd October 2024), Amy Lewis FIPM, a Place Consultant with CT Consults, participated in a first of a series of new collaborative research discussions with Dr Louise Platt, Reader in Place Experiences and Co-Editor of the International Journal of Events and Festival Management, and Professor Cathy Parker, Chair of the Institute of Place Management (IPM).
The focus of their conversation was to use Manchester Met research to explore new approaches to event evaluation, addressing the limitations of traditional economic assessment methods.
CT Consults, an IPM Partner, specialise in place transformation through the lenses of cultural, heritage, and tourism distinctiveness. Their services span from strategy development to digital support for destination management and development. A key aspect of their cultural projects often involves providing economic impact assessments for festivals and events. To enhance this practice, Amy turned to the expertise of Manchester Met researchers through her membership with IPM to gain insights into the latest methodologies in event and festival evaluation.
During the discussion, Amy, Louise, and Cathy recognised the need for a more comprehensive evaluation approach that goes beyond purely economic metrics. They agreed that measuring the broader benefits of events—such as community engagement, cultural promotion, and partnership building—offers a more accurate reflection of the true value events and festivals bring to places.
As a result, they committed to supporting Amy develop a research-informed method for place-based impact evaluation, which CT Consults will incorporate into their commercial practice. The resulting method will ensure that much wider aspects of place-making are considered - helping events and festivals 'strengthen' the places and communities in which they take place.
Reflecting on the conversation, Amy Lewis shared her enthusiasm for the collaboration:
“Speaking to Cathy and Louise has been really helpful and really reassured me that our current to assessing the economic impact of place-based cultural engagement is the right one. It’s not about making up big numbers to shock and awe! It is about understanding how cultural engagement activity (such as a festival) is going to contribute to the community, strengthen partnerships, promote culture and heritage, support businesses, regeneration, and more. I’m excited about developing a credible economic evaluation methodology that can deliver more for places and people.”
Dr. Louise Platt, whose research focuses on place experiences, was equally enthusiastic: “I am really positive about how my research will make a practical impact on the festival and evaluation work undertaken by Amy and her team.”
Professor Cathy Parker, emphasised the significance of this collaboration:
“This has been our first facilitated conversation between Manchester Met researchers and the IPM Professional Network. I am keen to organise more of these to help IPM Professional Network members apply our excellent research. These conversations will also help inform our research and education agendas, as IPM Fellows like Amy are at the cutting edge of practice.”
This collaboration marks an exciting step forward in reshaping how events are evaluated, highlighting their broader contributions to communities and places. By considering the full range of benefits, from cultural to social impacts, the new approach will provide a more accurate and meaningful evaluation framework for future events and festivals that CT Consults will use in their commercial practice.
About the author
Cathy is Professor of Retail and Marketing Enterprise at Manchester Metropolitan University, Co-Chair of IPM and Research Lead for the Government's High Streets Task Force.