Research and evaluation are core competencies at the Department of Arts and Culture, as central to the mission as grant-making, arts education, civic art, professional development, and communications. This is a report on our 2016/17 Research and Evaluation Plan: what we did and why, and some key lessons learned along the way.

1. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are necessary
2. Data skills and knowledge vary widely in the arts, and services to the field should reflect that fact
3. Program staff and artists can be effective data collectors but only if their tasks are carefully structured and managed
4. Investments in R&E skills and tools pay off for the entire organization
5. Public engagement is a critical component of research and evaluation in the arts