Project Summary:

Waterford Healing Arts Trust (WHAT) commissioned Connect the Dots to conduct consultation focus groups with stakeholders to feed into WHAT’s ongoing exploration of the ‘next steps’ in providing a central, national arts and health resource in Ireland.

CTD conducted a brief period of context analysis research to familiarise itself with WHAT’s work, the arts and health sector broadly, and WHAT’s ambitions to take the next step in the provision of a central, national arts and health resource in Ireland. The team worked with WHAT senior staff to develop a focus group plan with agendas and questions, identify and contact various stakeholders, facilitate the six focus groups, and capture the insights gathered in the sessions in a concise report.

Process

• CONTEXT ANALYSIS
• COMMUNICATION DEVELOPMENT
• SURVEY DESIGN AND ANALYSIS
• BESPOKE FOCUS GROUP
• REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Outcomes of the Project

From start to finish we ensured a sustainable community engagement plan, allowing all views and outcomes to be discussed and disseminated with respect. The outcomes include:

• Providing a place for those is arts and health sector to have a safe space to voice opinions and concerns
• The findings then fed into a report that became part of the ongoing research
• Recommendations for ongoing strategy for a central nationwide Arts and Health resource