Making sense of multiplicity: evaluating Scotland's Cultural Olympiad

This article focuses on issues that arise in designing and undertaking evaluations of complex, multilevel and multi-agency cultural programmes which have become increasingly commonplace as part of major sporting events. The article draws on a process and outcome evaluation of Scotland's London 2012 Cultural Programme, the Scottish response to the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. After setting out the current state of play in event evaluation, the article makes explicit and considers a set of practical challenges for designing and undertaking research and evaluation activities, particularly where those activities seek to provide some assessment of the value of such programmes. It considers the problematic nature of multiple and, sometimes, competing levels of activity, which claim different models, intentions and (ultimately) meanings. The authors conclude that there is a need for greater strategic development of frameworks for evaluation in advance of similar programmes of activity, as well as strengthened connections between activity planning and anticipated evaluation scope and methods.