People come to sam-culture when they need:

  • To show that they’re making a positive difference to people, well-being, places, communities, culture, and the creative economy

  • Insightful evaluation, summative and formative, that shows if they’ve achieved what they intended; what’s worked, what might need to change, what has been the impact on audiences, communities and on the organisation itself

  • To capture different voices, experiences and perspectives and understand impacts on audiences, participants, volunteers, co-creators, and partners

  • To learn from what they do and uncover possibilities: new models of working, new attitudes and behaviours, new skills - through embedding reflection and evaluation

  • Robust evidence that creates confidence for advocacy and influencing stakeholder’s policy and strategy

  • To understand and prove how they create value and capital – social, economic, environmental, and cultural

We do this through:

  • Expertise in evaluation techniques

  • By making the complex simple, focusing on achieveable outcomes

  • Detailed planning and effective project delivery

  • Empathy, enthusiasm, enquiring minds and experience

'News' above has full details of all our recent projects

Current clients include: 

  • Clore Leadership Programme:  Creation of Evaluation Framework
  • Lankelly Chase:  Stakeholder Insight Research
  • A-M-A:  Evaluations of NLHF Digital Heritage Lab, Breakthrough & CultureHive programmes
  • Nutkhut:  Girmit NLHF Evaluation and Advocacy document
  • Victoria Park, Portsmouth:  Evaluation of NLHF Restoration
  • Victoria Park, Tunbridge Wells
  • Willesden Jewish Cemetery
  • Changing Chalk:  Impact of Covid-19 on the Sussex Downs
  • Rock'n'Roll with me:  Geoff MacCormack & David Bowie.  Brighton Museum &Art Gallery
  • National Lottery Heritage Fund: Review of Strategic Framework 4
  • The Clothworkers' Foundation: Evaluation of Dramatic Arts Initiative
  • Croydon Council: Whats Your Croydon? Community co-creation project.  Evaluations of Pride & Mela
  • City of London Corporation:  Kenley Revival Project
  • Tower of London: response of diverse communities to core story and interpretation
  • Layers of London: Institute of Historical Research, University of London
  • National Museum of the Royal Navy:  HMS Victory New Gallery and HMS Warrior
  • National Trust: Sheffield Park
  • Brighton Dome and Festival:  Heritage Centre Stage
  • National Maritime Museum:  Royal Museums Greenwich Endeavour Project
  • Croydon Council: Cultural Strategy & London Borough of Culture 2023 bid outcomes framework
  • Brighton & Hove City Council: Stanmer Park
  • National Trust: Runnymede NLHF project
  • St Albans Museum + Gallery
  • Garden Museum
  • Whitehall Historic House:  Restoration
  • Fulham Palace
  • London Borough of Bexleyheath:  Performing Places; DCLG
  • Peabody Trust
  • AIM: Museums Association, ACE:  Open Up publication - diversifying museum visitors

 

Current Projects

Lankelly Chase: Stakeholder Insight Research

Lankelly Chase: Stakeholder Insight Research

sam-culture, Mel Larsen and Julie Aldridge are undertaking Stakeholder Insight Research for Lankelly Chase.  This independent Foundation aims to change the systems that perpetuate disadvantage by sponsoring projects, interventions and campaigns.  Our research tests perceptions of Lankelly Chase and the impacts of their interventions with their stakeholders. Recommendations from this research will inform external communications, internal processes and better reflect the needs of the communities Lankelly Chase work in and are a part of.

 
Clore Leadership Programme: Creation of Evaluation Framework

Clore Leadership Programme: Creation of Evaluation Framework

The Clore Fellowship has been life-changing in many ways. It has changed my pace, addressed my frustrations and given me both confidence and a sense of value. My leadership is now focused, determined and strategic.

Clore Leadership has an outstanding reputation for its insight-led, effective leadership development that enables cultural leaders to have a positive impact on our sector and society.

Clore has commissioned Pam Jarvis, Julie Aldridge and Mel Larsen to review existing practice in evaluation, trial and test evaluation tools and processes and make them work to meet the organisation’s needs.  Outcomes from this important evaluation will inform a new framework to evidence and articulate the impact of Clore’s work in a consistent and holistic way.

 
Changing Chalk: The Impact of Covid-19 on visitors to the Sussex Downs

Changing Chalk: The Impact of Covid-19 on visitors to the Sussex Downs

The National Trust, South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) and partners commissioned research to explore how Covid-19 has changed peoples’ relationship with the Sussex Downs. What changes in attitudes and behaviours have resulted from the pandemic and do these bring new opportunities for people to enjoy the Downland that the project could support that impact on equality of access, accessibility and levels of engagement with the Sussex Downs? 

This research feeds into the National Lottery Heritage Fund Changing Chalk project to develop activities that will help people to spend more time on the Sussex Downs and enjoy their experience.