Impact, Legacy and Evaluation
Our Impact
Since 1999, ArtCorps has strengthened the international development work of 15 different organizations in Guatemala and El Salvador, impacting over 20,000 people in more than 160 communities.
ArtCorps Artists have harnessed the power of art to:
-
promote environmental conservation in over 100 communities
-
teach children their rights in over 30 communities
-
increase civic participation among indigenous groups in 25 communities
-
increase knowledge of critical public health issues such as clean water, nutrition and vaccinations in more that 35 communities
-
develop youth leadership in 70 communities
-
increase girls' access to education in 15 communities
-
promote women's rights in 160 communities
-
create economic opportunities in 10 communities
Our Legacy
ArtCorps works hard to ensure that our artists' work has continued impact even after our artists leave. We achieve this by working with the same community for 3-5 years and equipping both local artists and host NGO employees to continue using art for social action without further help from ArtCorps volunteers--that is, to sustain the work locally.
At the same time, the NGO develops its ability to pay local artists, increasing its modest financial contribution to ArtCorps until it has reached the level where it can contract local artists instead.
ArtCorps leaves behind:
-
NGOs trained to use art as an outreach and education tool
-
Empowered and engaged local communities who can act as agents of continuing social change
-
Trained local artists who understand how to communicate social messages through art
-
Minds opened to the power of art and culture and community organization
Evaluation
ArtCorps undertakes ongoing evaluation in order to ensure that we are reaching our objectives, providing adequate training and support to our artists and partners in the field, and achieving sustainable results.
We do this using a defined set of measurable process and outcome objectives. We gather data to evaluate our success in each of these objectives in a variety of ways described below that is then analyzed by staff.
-
Each artist completes a baseline survey at the beginning of his or her service.
-
Program staff monitor projects via phone, email, and in-person communication.
-
Program staff conduct site visits mid-way through the year
-
Each artist completes an end-of-service survey that complements the baseline survey.
- Both artists and NGOs complete end-of-service
evaluations.
