Consultant brief: Animate Ful l Thrott le evaluation

Animate Projects seeks to appoint a consultant to undertake an evaluation of its Animate Full Throttle (AFT) programme (supported by Arts Council England Grants for the arts) and to help collate evidence and argument on the impact and influence of the organisation more generally, as we develop a business plan and case for support for 2014 – 2018.

Animate Projects is a small UK curator/producer led arts charity, based in Derby and London. Animate exists to champion creative animation practice, with a mission to produce projects of high artistic merit with artists and partners, that connect a wide public to the creativity and craft of animation. Over the next three years we have two crucial objectives: to sustain and grow the organisation to beyond 2015, and to increase the profile and reach of the organisation, animation practitioners, and the sector generally.

www.animateprojects.org

Animation Ful l Thrott le

The Arts Council England grant is supporting:

Out of Site Commission and exhibition of four films and related activities in collaboration with PEER gallery, London. Happenstance Commission and exhibition of a new work and related activities in collaboration with The Photographers’ Gallery, London Sites of Col lective Memory Support for the production of four new commissions that will be exhibited at Café Gallery Projects, London and Phoenix, Leicester in 2014. Accelerate Animation: Pipel ine An initial series of practice and professional development events in partnership with London College of Communication, Show Me the Animation, Flatpack Festival, Animex and BFI Future Film Festival. These follow publication of the Accelerate Report on creative animators’ practice and professional development needs. accelerateanimation.com

The stated main objectives for the AFT programme are:

1. To reach new audiences through partnered projects. 2. To engage more with the under 25 demographic, particularly those who seek

professional development support. 3. To support the creation of new work that interrogates non-traditional exhibition

spaces and sparks debate. 4. To develop the Accelerate programme, brand and community through the Pipeline

masterclasses and events, and increase awareness amongst animation professionals of our work.

We want the evaluation to deliver three distinct but related outputs:

1 Evidence of impact and inf luence

• Key findings of Animate's impact and influence, in relation to the AFT projects, addressing partnership, networks, support of and impact on artists’ practice, and reach.

• Commentary on how AFT reflects and develops the impact and influence of Animate’s work more broadly.

• A snapshot of Animate’s broader network – its partnerships, peers and the public; where Animate connects in the wider visual arts, animation and creative economy sectors; its distinctiveness.

2 An approach to evaluation for digital agencies

• A brief reflection, possibly in the form of an article for publication, on the challenges of evaluating Animate’s work and impact.

• An outline of pragmatic and beneficial evaluation frameworks and strategies that can be better integrated into the work of Animate and similar agencies.

3 Project evaluation

• A summative, primarily quantitative, assessment of the impact of the AFT programme, in particular to evidence how successfully the specific objectives have been met.

Timescales & Fee

• Outputs 1 would be for delivery by mid February 2014; output 2 by end February 2014; output 3 would be for delivery by July 2014.

The fee is £3,000, inclusive of all expenses.

If you are interested in applying, please email Gary Thomas, Associate Director, Animate Projects at gary@animateprojects.org, providing a CV and a brief outline of your proposed approach and methodology.

The closing date is 2 January 2014.

If you have any questions, please email Gary at gary@animateprojects.org