At Sound Diplomacy, we work with operators, governments, developers, cultural institutions and investors to measure the economic, social and cultural value of music and cultural ecosystems.

These insights extend far beyond ticket sales or visitor numbers — they unlock investment, shape policy, build trust, and ensure cultural projects deliver lasting community value. This isn’t just about dollars and cents, or pounds and pence. It is about ensuring cultural infrastructure is about local needs, objectives and people. 

In Why Impact Matters, we draw from our work with ABBA Voyage (London), The Andy Warhol Museum (Pittsburgh), Young Voices (UK) and Visit Fort Worth (Texas) to outline ten proven benefits of undertaking an impact assessment, helping you understand, communicate and strengthen the full value of your work.

What You’ll Find Inside the Report

Here’s a preview of five key benefits explored in the full report.

1. Strengthen Community Buy-In and Build Stakeholder Trust
Discover how impact assessments provide the evidence to show how your project supports jobs, skills, and inclusion, proving that investment in culture delivers measurable community benefits.

2. Influence Policymaking and Drive Regulatory Reform
Understand how quantifying both economic and social return on public investment strengthens your case for incentives and policy reform, helping you speak the language of influence.

3. Secure Permissions for New Cultural Infrastructure
See how impact data can de-risk proposals and reassure decision-makers by demonstrating measurable public benefit before development even begins.

4. Align with Philanthropic & Funding Objectives
Understand how measuring social value helps align your project with funder priorities such as wellbeing, equity, education and access, positioning you as a long-term strategic partner.

5. Inform Internal Strategy and Decision-Making
Explore how evidence-based insights can help you make smarter choices, allocate resources effectively and scale the programmes that deliver the most meaningful change.

Download the free report to explore all ten in full and learn how Sound Diplomacy helps partners around the world measure, prove and amplify the value of culture.