What we do
Founded in 2012, 21 Artists is a values-driven, arts-based project facilitating, hosting, documenting and evaluating arts-based organisations, projects and interventions on an international scale.
Our work focuses on three key areas:
- Evaluation & Impact
- Research
- Interventions and Exchanges
In numerology, the number 21 is associated with positive change, creativity, independence, and personal growth, symbolising the expansion of one's horizons and transformative change. Hence, this number was chosen for 21 Artists as a representation that creativity has the power for transformative change, both in our lives, the lives of those we connect with and society at large. In our interventions, there were actually 21 artists who took part in each project though now the number serves as a symbolic way to represent and transmit our values. These concepts are an integral the way we design all of our projects and the transformation that we work to capture with the evaluation and research projects we contribute to.
In our evaluation and research projects, we co-create robust, yet creative approaches to social impact evaluation, research design and business development with a wide range of organisations across the arts and creative industries, particularly focused on processes of change and transformation. We believe that understanding and demonstrating impact is essential to the growth and development of any intervention, from very small to large scale.
Through our international exchanges, collaborations and exhibitions, 21 Artists has brought together artists from diverse backgrounds and disciplines in alternative spaces to create work around a theme relevant to the spaces themselves and the people who live, work and play in the community where the projects take place.
To find out more about how we work, visit our page about our approach.
Our Approach
Through interventions, workshops, consultation and curatorial support, 21 Artists is dedicated to the exploration of documenting, evaluating and exploring social change, with a particular focus on the creative industries. In an increasingly competitive funding environment, we believe social impact is not only an essential tool for better understanding of an organisation’s mission and impact but can also be an incredible funding tool for diversifying revenue streams and communicating value. Find out more about our approach here.
Why 21 Artists?
21 Artists brings together a dynamic team of expertise specialising in social impact , research, arts interventions, community consultations and evaluation to create bespoke support for all our clients and collaborators. The team has in-depth knowledge of the arts sector which is particularly beneficial for arts organisations and for those organisations outside of the arts, we offer creative approaches to tackling the documentation and evaluation of social impact and issues that is unique from many other consultancies.
Methodology
21 Artists uses a bespoke process to working with artists, arts organisations, charities and government agencies designing theories of change when necessary and combining qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques, training and organisational support. We use a rich understanding of creative economies and arts sectors internationally to devise evaluations that document and capture the magic, contributing to discourse around pressing social, creative and political issues. Creative approaches to gathering, analysing and presenting findings are utilised whenever possible.
Who We Work With
We work primarily with arts organisations and artists in the UK who are interested in taking their understanding of social impact to the next level. We work closely with teams in these organisations to embed evaluation into the way they operate to create an integrated approach to understanding impact. In addition to arts organisations, we also work with:
- Artists, activists and entrepreneurs
- Universities and educational institutions
- NGOs and cultural organisations
- Local governmental bodies and funders
Team & Associates
Dr Meg Peterson
Dr Abbey Odunlami
Dr Abbey Odunlami
Dr Meg Peterson is the Founder of 21 Artists and leads on most projects, with expertise in social impact evaluation, participatory research, arts based approaches and creative methodologies. Meg is also an artist and Senior Lecturer at King's College London. Find out more about her experience.
Dr Abbey Odunlami
Dr Abbey Odunlami
Dr Abbey Odunlami
Dr Abbey Odunlami was one of the artists who participated in the first 21 Artists intervention in Chicago and has now come on board as a supporting researcher and evaluator on the Culture in Common project. Find out more about his experience.
Sara Rizzo
Dr Abbey Odunlami
Dr Matias Munoz Hernandez
Sara Rizzo is an associate researcher who has extensive experience in social impact evaluation and research in the context of international development. Sara has worked on The Agency Longitudinal evaluation and the project with Test Valley Arts Centre. Find out more about Sara's experience.
Dr Matias Munoz Hernandez
Dr Matias Munoz Hernandez
Dr Matias Munoz Hernandez
Dr Matias Munoz Hernandez is a researcher specialising in cultural economics. Matias worked on the Kunlaboro project in collaboration with King's College London. Find out more about Matias' experience.
Nadine Aranki
Dr Matias Munoz Hernandez
Nadine Aranki
Nadine Aranki is a researcher who works on the Include Us In project and The Many Lives of Gaza exhibitions held across the UK. She previously worked at the Palestinian Museum. Find out more about Nadine.