Guest Author: Robin Sokoloski , Director of Programs & Research, Mass Culture / Mobilisation culturelle
Data has always shaped how we create, organize, and make sense of the world. However, it’s no longer just a background tool it is becoming central to how arts and culture organizations tell their stories, advocate for support, and build resilience. As the Director of Programs and Research at Mass Culture, I have witnessed a shift in mindset. Data is no longer seen as just numbers, it is a storytelling tool, a means of advocacy, and a driver of sector-wide resilience.
Statistics and hard data tend to resonate with decision-makers, funders, and those outside the sector in ways that stories alone often cannot. But while numbers may open doors, they do not tell the full story. To truly understand the impact of arts and culture, we need qualitative data that captures experiences, social impact, and creative processes. This evolving approach to harnessing data more effectively is reshaping how decisions are made, how funding models evolve, and how the sector positions itself for the future.This shift is being fueled by key sector-wide priorities, including:
Framing a Case for the Arts
Funders are increasingly turning to sector-wide data sources like CADAC to gain a clearer picture of the arts landscape by tracking patterns in funding distribution, revenue diversification, and organizational sustainability. As Michelle Chawla, Director & CEO of the Canada Council for the Arts, emphasized in her November 2024 letter, “All of us in the arts need to start telling the impact story to our decision makers, and we need to do it right now.”
Simply put, impact stories cannot be told or fully understood without data.
Rebuilding Through Data and Collaboration
In the aftermath of global shutdowns, the arts sector is still in a state of recovery. Data has become essential in defining what that recovery truly looks like—who is thriving, who is struggling, and what targeted support is needed.
Amid these challenges, arts leaders have come together, staying motivated through collaboration in peer groups, where shared knowledge and data serve as the common thread. This collective approach is not only strengthening resilience, but also shaping a more informed and connected sector for the future.
Turning Intent into Impact
Without data, progress is impossible to measure. Many arts and culture organizations have worked to integrate Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) principles into their policies and operations, but how can we assess whether these commitments are truly being put into action and creating meaningful change?
A data-literate sector can move beyond intentions, using evidence to track impact, identify gaps, and advocate for fair funding, equitable representation, and systemic transformation.
How Mass Culture is Advancing These Sector-Wide Priorities
At Mass Culture, we recognize that data is not just about measurement it is about meaning.
Through the DNA Initiative (Data Narratives for the Arts), we collaborate with the arts community to unlock the potential of data and connect it to evaluation and learning. Our Evaluative Thinking support services help integrate this approach into the daily work of arts and culture organizations, enabling them to make sense of their efforts and gain a deeper understanding of their impact.
Our Arts Impact initiatives take this work further by exploring how the arts contribute to society and equipping arts organizations with frameworks and qualitative indicators to better articulate their value. This includes projects like Spiraling Outwardly for Equity in Public Arts by Shanice Bernicky, a tool designed to help arts organizations evaluate, reflect on, and reimagine their approach to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
By bringing together data, evaluation, and impact, Mass Culture empowers arts organizations to craft compelling narratives about the difference they make in their communities. We believe that the future belongs to an arts and culture sector that is data-confident, using it not just for compliance, but to fuel creativity, equity, and meaningful change.
About The Author
Robin Sokoloski (she/her) is a dedicated arts and culture professional based in Tkaronto/Toronto with over two decades of experience in the field. Currently serving as the Director of Research and Programming at Mass Culture, she collaborates with academics, funders, and arts practitioners to mobilize the creation, amplification, and community-informed research to support the arts sector's growth and sustainability.
At Mass Culture, Robin has spent the last three years project managing a research initiative called "Research in Residence: Arts’ Civic Impact." This effort led to the development of three qualitative arts impact frameworks, providing arts organizations with tools to better understand their civic impact through qualitative indicators.
Robin currently serves on the Board of the Toronto Arts Council and as a member of Toronto Metropolitan University's Centre for Free Expression's Steering Committee. She recently taught a course on Art Policy, Equity, and Activism for Centennial College's Arts Management program. Additionally, she developed and taught a course on Cultural Entrepreneurship for MacEwan University's Arts and Cultural Management program.
