This Commitment to the Social Impact of Cultural Organisations is a tool (theoretical and practical) to help the management and staff of museums, theatres, libraries, archives, cultural centres and other organisations become increasingly relevant to the communities they serve, promoting more responsible and effective cultural citizenship. This tool will make it possible to self-evaluate the work carried out by institutions and implement strategies that strengthen awareness and the results of their educational mission and social impact.
It is a device, a set of documents that help to clarify paradigms and concepts, identify priorities, define strategies, goals and evaluation criteria, and structure cultural institutions as inclusive and true (lifelong) educational territories – in the same way that they can help to develop schools and higher education institutions as cultural hubs, allowing citizens to experience in a more meaningful and intense way how heritage and the arts can be factors of inclusion, cohesion and belonging, determining the creation of a cultural community.
This tool discusses the current status of the organisation in relation to the identified Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their targets, proposing actions and projects to promote them. It also addresses the necessary resources, both human and material, including budget considerations.
Key components of the document include the CISOC (Cultural Impact Social Outcome Certification) tool, which serves as a framework for organisations to assess their social impact, legal documentation templates and a Principles Charter for formal adherence to CISOC principles. It also introduces a Self-Assessment Report to improve diversity and gender equity within the organisation.
In conclusion, the document suggests a Reflective Self-Assessment Report to evaluate community engagement efforts and demographic data collection. It draws inspiration from national strategies and guides for promoting citizen participation and social impact in cultural institutions.
