Funding the Artistic Future: Diversifying Support for Sustainable Artistic Impact Through Program Evaluation

Abstract

This paper presents a strategic impact and assessment approach—the Rubin-Imbens potential outcomes framework—to help identify the causal effects of initiatives for arts and culture organizations, which is increasingly required by the public and stakeholders in an era of financial precarity and digitization. This framework not only strengthens the argument for diversified arts funding, but also equips organizations with the tools necessary for developing sustainable business models. After embedding the proposal in the context of prior literature, I provide some practical guidance that organizations can use to achieve operational sustainability without compromising their artistic missions. The adoption of the Rubin-Imbens framework in arts management has the potential to produce more rigorous impact assessments that ultimately lead to improved outcomes and funding opportunities.