Wales Arts International has commissioned an evaluation of the International Opportunities Fund (IOF) and its impact on the mobility of artists and cultural professionals based in Wales.
While the fund has been running for the past eight years, the research looked specifically at the past 4 years, when IOF has supported Wales based artists with 193 projects in 68 countries.
Some of the key findings pointed to the fact that not only did the artists themselves benefit from the international experience, but that these benefits were shared with the wider arts sector on their return to Wales. There was also a significant longer term impact on the professional development of the artists beyond the life cycle of their international project.
The research was carried out by On the Move – the cultural mobility information network through interviews with both recipients of the IOF awards and their international partners.
Wales Arts International is one of OTM members.