The consequences of focusing on charismatic leadership in the arts

This research was conducted by Melissa Nisbett and Ben Walmsley at at King’s College London and the University of Leeds, UK.

Summary

This study sets out to assess the role of charisma in cultural leadership, noting that the arts sector seems to be particularly invested in individuals perceived to be inspirational …

By | 21 July 2016 |

The effect of choral singing on wellbeing

This research was conducted by Nick Alan Joseph Stewart and Adam Jonathan Lonsdale at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and Oxford Brookes University, UK

Summary

This paper looks at whether singing in a choir leads to greater psychological wellbeing compared to team sports and solo singing. The authors recruited 375 participants …

By | 18 July 2016 |

Concert attendance reduces stress and improves immune function

This research was conducted by Daisy Fancourt and Aaron Williamon at the Royal College of Music and Imperial College London

Summary

This study was the first to investigate the impact of the arts on health and wellbeing by assessing the effects of attending a live, public concert on hormonal responses. The …

By | 7 July 2016 |

Cultural value is best understood through conversations with audiences

This research was conducted by Ben Walmsley at the University of Leeds, UK

Summary

This article presents findings from an in-depth project carried out with five audience-participants at cultural events during Leeds’ annual LoveArts festival. The researchers asked participants to explain what the arts meant to them. They discovered that people …

By | 9 June 2016 |

The adverse effects of art-led regeneration

This research was conducted by Jonathan Ward at the University of Leeds, UK

Summary

The seaside town of Margate, South East England, has undergone a substantial art-led regeneration, with the intention of transforming it into a creative and interactive place. This has led to greatly increased cultural activity and attracted many …

By | 30 May 2016 |

The ‘literary bestseller’ – how to market a contradiction in terms

This research was conducted by Marie-Pierre Pouly at the University of Limoges, France

Summary

Using Zadie Smith’s White Teeth (2000) as a case study, the author explores what makes for a ‘literary bestseller’: a seemingly contradictory cultural phenomenon which enjoys both serious scholarly attention and a mass market success. Based on …

By | 26 May 2016 |

The positives and negatives of streaming live theatre and opera

This research was conducted by Timothy King

Summary

This paper presents a critique of the role of streaming theatre and opera from stage to screen, using data from a range of surveys, critics’ views, reports and case studies. It finds that streaming gives more people a way to experience theatre and …

By | 23 May 2016 |

Group singing improves the mental health of older adults

This research was conducted by Simon Coulton, Stephen Clift, Ann Skingley and John Rodriguez at the University of Kent, Canterbury Christ Church University and NHS Kent and Medway, UK

Summary

Older adults who took part in a community singing group had significantly improved scores in aspects of mental health compared to …

By | 18 February 2016 |

Living near museums and galleries is important for overall cultural engagement

This research was conducted by Orian Brook at the University of Stirling, UK

Summary

A great deal of research has shown how cultural engagement is shaped by education, social class and ethnicity. However, much less attention has been given to the accessibility and appeal of cultural facilities themselves. This paper used …

By | 1 February 2016 |

The barriers that prevent older people engaging with contemporary visual art

This research was conducted by Andrew Newman, Anna Goulding and Christopher Whitehead at Newcastle University, UK

Summary

This study set out to explore the factors that influence older people's engagement – or indeed lack of engagement – with contemporary visual art. Specific factors addressed in the paper are social class, education, …

By | 25 January 2016 |