Department of Culture and the Arts2012 Client Feedback SurveySummary Report

Introduction

The Department of Culture and the Arts’ (DCA) Client Feedback Survey is undertaken biennially by DCA’s Development and Strategy Directorate to gain feedback regarding our funding programs and service delivery.

In May 2012 the Development and Strategy Directorate contacted DCA’s 49 key funded organisations (KFO) and 797 grants applicants from the past two years, inviting them to participate in an online survey. A total of 458 individuals and organisations responded.

Responses to the survey have informed and influenced DCA’s operational practices and help to ensure our services continue to effectively deliver public value through the support of arts and cultural activities.

The Development and Strategy Directorate launched ‘Creating Value: An Arts and Cultural Sector Policy Framework’ in 2010, which articulates the principles, outcomes and strategies that are guiding DCA’s activities for the next five years.

Creating Value addresses several of the policy and strategic issues raised by the previous Client Feedback Surveys through the development of priority projects such as the Funding Process Review, the Public Value Measurement Framework and the Online Grants Management System. The Client Feedback Survey will be reviewed in 2013 following the implementation of other key projects.

This document is a summary of the data and analysis provided in the report prepared by consultants engaged by DCA to conduct the 2012 Client Feedback Survey.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact Marty Cunningham, Manager Research and Policy, on +61 8 6552 7416 or 1800 199 090 (free call country WA callers) or email marty.cunningham@dca.wa.gov.au

Survey response

The 2012 Client Feedback Survey had a slight decrease in the response rate for funded organisations and non-successful applicants compared with the 2010 survey; however the overall average response rate across all three groups was higher at 64.5 per cent. This response rate meets the survey error requirements of the Office of Auditor General.

For the purposes of the survey, responses from both grant recipients and non-successful applicants are grouped together as grant applicants (GA). The responses are presented alongside responses from the DCA key funded organisations (KFO).

Background

The purpose of the Client Feedback Survey will be evaluated as part of the review of DCA survey tools in response to the outcomes and implementation of the Funding Process Review and the Public Value Measurement Framework.

Once the recommendations and frameworks for these two projects become operational, the Survey will be redeveloped in accordance with DCA’s public value data needs, in conjunction with the development of the Online Grants Management System.

Overall satisfaction

The overall level of satisfaction of respondents in dealing with DCA was 76 per cent. • Key funded organisations 75 per cent satisfied• Grant recipients 91 per cent satisfied• Non-successful grant applicants 63 per cent satisfied

The overall satisfaction for the KFO dealing with DCA of 75 per cent is a significant increase from 63 per cent in 2010. There were varying levels of satisfaction with DCA meeting the needs of key stakeholder groups (the Arts sector; community; and government) as identified below.

It should be noted that while satisfaction levels for both the KFO and GA groups are relatively low with regards to DCA meeting Community and Government needs, many respondents were indifferent as to whether DCA was meeting the needs of these stakeholders – reflected by the higher number of ‘Neither’ responses in comparison to the number of ‘Dissatisfied’ responses.

A comparison of the results between 2010 and 2012 are quite comparable, however in the most recent survey the ‘net dissatisfaction’ with DCA meeting the needs of both the general community (37 per cent) and the arts sector (50 per cent) significantly increased compared to 2010, with 28 per cent and 40 per cent respectively.

Key performance indicators

Outcomes from the Client Feedback Survey provide data about DCA’s key effectiveness measure of ‘Creativity’ within the annual performance reporting framework. This measure is taken from the proportion of funding applicants satisfied with the key elements of the “creative funding programs.”

Grant applicants are asked how satisfied they are with ‘the overall application process offered by DCA’. In 2012, 57 per cent of all respondents are net satisfied with the application process.

Key funded organisations are asked ‘how satisfied they are that DCA meets the needs of the following areas: arts sector, community and Government?’ Satisfaction rates were 43 per cent as noted above.

Key drivers for key funded organisations

Satisfactions include:

• The friendliness/politeness of staff - 85 per cent; • The quality and advice provided by staff - 75 per cent; and• Satisfaction with the organisation’s relationship with DCA in general - 84 per cent.

Key drivers for grant applicants

The survey found there to be several satisfaction drivers, including:

The friendliness/politeness of the staff - 90 per cent;• The timeliness of the staff’s response to queries - 88 per cent;• Grant recipients are 74 per cent satisfied with the overall assessment process offered by DCA; • Quality of advice/information provided by staff - 84 per cent;• Overall satisfaction with the application process - 83 per cent; and• Grant recipients are 72 per cent satisfied that the current range of funding categories meet the • needs of artistic practice.

Communications and publications

The majority of stakeholders prefer to be notified by DCA of information, news, and opportunities on a monthly basis. On average, most clients would like to receive notification every three weeks. Below a snapshot of the information of most value to both KFO and GA.

For all forms of communication delivered by DCA, 93 per cent of all respondents prefer email as a medium of information distribution.

On average both stakeholder groups prefer to download publications from the DCA website (66 per cent), receive them via email (62 per cent), and receive printed hard copies (49 per cent).

Use and value of publications

The use of DCA publications is varied amongst the two survey groups.

In the grant applicants group 88 per cent have used the grants handbook and guidelines. All other publications elicited a 15 per cent usage rate or less from grant applicants.

In contrast, key funded organisations are more likely to have used a wider range of DCA’s publications, including:

• Grants handbooks and guidelines (82%)• Creating Value – Policy Framework (77%)• Policy publications and evaluation reports (61%)• DCA Annual Report (59%)

Respondents who had accessed DCA publications in the last two years were asked to evaluate how valuable they found the following publications:

DCA website

A total of 79 per cent of key funded organisations visit the website at least once every three months. On average each respondent visits the website nine times per year.

Organisations who visit the website regularly rated the usefulness of key website features: ‘Funding information’ at 95 per cent; and ‘Information about programs developing arts and culture’ at 85 per cent.

A total of 90 per cent of grant applicants had visited the DCA website at least once in the past two years. A total of 76 per cent of the grant applicants are satisfied with website in general. Satisfaction with the DCA website was also found to be a key driver for satisfaction amongst successful grant applicants.

The key website feature ‘Usefulness of information about Funding’ rated well for the Grant Applicants at 82 per cent.

Grants applicants and recipients

Grant applicant artistic profiles

The following overview shows the main art forms and sectors to which all grant applicants belong. None of these art forms show a disproportional number of successful or unsuccessful applicants.

The majority of the grants applicants group had applied to the Arts Development (37 per cent); followed by Artflight (29 per cent), with all other categories receiving less than 20 per cent of applications. Some respondents applied to multiple categories.

Art form

• 33 per cent of respondents identify their art form as ‘Visual Arts / Crafts’• 32 per cent of respondents identify their art form as ‘Music’

All other art forms are under 15 per cent, with some respondents identifying their practice as • cross or multiple art forms.

Phase in arts career

• 39 per cent consider their stage of career/arts practices as ‘emerging’• 30 per cent are ‘mid-career’ • 28 per cent identify as ‘established artists’.

Figures show a clear pattern between a respondent’s age and their perception of their phase in their art career, with mature respondents considering themselves more established and 54 per cent of emerging artists are up to age 40. There is no clear relationship between a respondent’s gender and phase of art career.

More artists identify themselves to be emerging and mid-career than in 2010, with a decrease in those considering themselves as established (34 per cent in 2010, compared to 28 per cent in 2012).

Contact with DCA

Almost half the grant applicants group (46 per cent) has been in contact with DCA for a period of up to three years, 36 per cent have been in contact with DCA for a period between three and 10 years, and 18 per cent have been in contact with DCA for more than 10 years

These results are similar to those in 2010.

A total of 89 per cent have been in contact with DCA ‘more than once’ in the past two years, with most of this contact (94 per cent) being with Project Officers.

The majority of the grant applicants was satisfied with the different aspects of contact with DCA, as noted in this table on the right.

Grants programs information and communication

A total of 77 per cent of all grant applicants consider the DCA website a good source to find more information about DCA’s grant programs. Another 59 per cent consider contacting DCA Staff a good way to get information.

63 per cent of all grant applicants are satisfied with the user-friendliness of the application forms, whereas 24 per cent are dissatisfied.

Only 10 per cent of respondents had attended a DCA funding application workshop or information session in the past two years. However, 74 per cent of those who did attend workshops were satisfied.

Grant application process

Overall, 57 per cent of grant applicants are satisfied with the individual aspects of the application funding process.

From respondent’s feedback, DCA will aim to improve specific aspects of the process, particularly the frequency and turnaround of funding rounds, as demonstrated in this table.

Grant assessment process

Before evaluating DCA’s grant assessment process, process, all respondents were asked to indicate how familiar they consider themselves to be with this process.

A total of 65 per cent of all grant applicants consider themselves familiar with the grant assessment process, and 19 per cent indicated that they are unfamiliar.

As expected, respondents that have a longer association with DCA consider themselves more familiar with the assessment process. In general, grant applicants are only moderately satisfied with the individual aspects of the grant assessment process provided by DCA.

Results shown above indicate panel feedback and fairness of the peer assessment process could be improved.

Grant acquittal process

Satisfaction with the acquittal process has increased in 2012 and this is a key driver for satisfaction amongst successful applicants, as outlined next.

Key funded organisations

Value of DCA services

Key funded organisations were asked how valuable they find DCA’s services.

Appreciation is high and 89 per cent consider DCA services valuable to their organisation.

Relationship with DCA

In general, satisfaction levels have risen since 2010 with 84 per cent of respondents satisfied with their relationship with DCA.

Satisfaction with different aspects of contact with DCA is detailed in this table on the right.

Satisfaction with funding contracting process

On the whole, satisfaction with DCA’s funding contracting process is high, with 74 per cent of key funded organisations satisfied with the process and only 19 per cent dissatisfied.

Satisfaction with reporting and acquittal aspects

Respondents were asked to evaluate two aspects of DCA’s reporting and acquittal process: the timeliness of DCA’s response to reports and the quality of DCA’s response to reports. In general, satisfaction has dropped for both services.

Satisfaction with reporting and acquittal requirements

Policy and strategy

Respondents were informed of the recently launched policy document ‘Creating Value: an Arts and Cultural Sector Policy Framework.’ It was explained that at the core of the Framework is the concept of public value (the social and economic benefits created by arts and culture), and that DCA aims to deliver public value through the priority principles of ‘Creativity’ and ‘Engagement’.

Following this explanation respondents were asked how important these two principles are to arts and culture in WA.

Overall, results confirm that these principles are considered very important to all respondents. ‘Creativity’ generated a score of 87.7 per cent and ‘Engagement’ scored 100 per cent.

Outcomes and implementation

Many of the key drivers for stakeholder satisfaction and key issues raised from the 2012 Client Feedback Survey are currently being addressed by DCA strategic projects: the Policy Framework, implementation of the Funding Process Review, DSD Communications Review, Public Value Measurement Framework and the development of the Online Grants Management System.

Key funded organisations

The key drivers for satisfaction include:

• An improvement in the relationship with DCA and the organisations;• The friendly and polite approach provided from DCA staff; and • The quality and advice provided by DCA staff to organisations.

Suggestions for improvement from the sector are being addressed by:

Ongoing consultation with staff and boards of key funded organisations in relation to policy and • process reviews;

• Consistently updating the staff contact list on the DCA website; • DCA’s review of the current reporting and acquittal process via the Funding Process Review;• Ensuring the delivery of Priority Projects outlined in the Policy Framework;• Improving DCA’s Strategic Communications Plan;• Delivering efficiency by developing an Online Grants Management System; and• Developing a Public Value Measurement Framework.

Grant applicants

The key drivers for satisfaction include:

The friendly and polite service to grant applicants by DCA staff;• Efficient response to grant applicant enquires; • Offering a quality, streamlined and easy to understand application process;• Offering a high quality, transparent and fair grant assessment process;• Provision of good, timely and fair information, including a useful and easy to navigate website; and• Providing a range of funding categories to meet the needs of the sector.•

Suggestions for improvement from the sector are being addressed by:

Improving the efficiency of the grant application process through the Funding Process Review;• Development of an Online Grants Management System to improve elements of the application • process;Improving DCA’s Strategic Communications Plan; and• Developing a Public Value Measurement Framework.•