Social Impact
Milk Crate Theatre in its 25 years has demonstrated the power of the arts in improving wellbeing of individuals and amplifying under-r
represented voices. In 2021, we explored how we could further enhance and prove our unique and important impact on collaborative artists (participants), audiences and the Australian arts sector.
At a person level, we provide opportunities for people with lived experience to engage in creative practice to build individual capacity.
In the short term we measure:
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Increased Readiness
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Gaining new life and creative skills
Through longer engagement, we measure an increased sense of:
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Improved agency ​
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Increased social and economic engagement
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Improved Mental Health
We hope that equipped with these tools, people will be able to pursue their aspirations. We also measure across audiences and artistic outcomes.
The arts also offers a powerful tool to break stigma and challenge perceptions or bias and through the sharing our work, we look to break down barriers, encourage inclusion and increase opportunities for people with lived experiences to thrive, thus tackling the issue of disadvantage from both sides.
In 2022, an Impact Framework was piloted which is used to measure and evaluate Milk Crate Theatre's impact regularly and consistently. It identifies our metrics across three areas: for individuals (Collaborative Artists), for Audiences (Societal Change) and for our Artistic Impact.
Milk Crate Theatre programming harnesses the power of the arts to drive social impact at both a person and societal level.
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We bring communities together and work in a strengths-based approach for a positive impact on wellbeing. We work within the Social Model of Disability, believe in the dignity of risk and facilitate programs that are not based on respite or therapy but have a firm focus on the arts to enable and build capacity. Our programs are facilitated by Sydney's most exciting contemporary practitioners, who possess the insight and competency to challenge and inspire our community to work in expansive new ways. They are supported by Social Workers. They can provide personal support and connect people with other services in the community where needed.
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Professional and Collaborative Artists work together to explore social themes from an art base we do not ask people to go into typecasting or to tell their personal stories of trauma to inform the depth of the work we produce. We are diligent about the avoidance of rehashing, retelling or re-traumatisation. All Milk Crate Theatre programs are designed in line with our Theory of Change. We utilise a Social Impact Measurement Framework, based on our Theory of Change to measure our programs' impact across a number of domains of overall wellbeing.
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How we create impact
Our Reports
2023 Annual Impact Report
Released May 2024
2022 Annual Impact Report
Released May 2023
The Arts and Job Readiness
Released April 2023
Interim Impact Report
Released July 2022
Our Projects
CREATING IMPACT is a two-year project that brings Arts organisations together with funders and experts to co-design a shared Impact Framework to measure the social impact of creative practice. This project will be realised through 4 phases.
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While Milk Crate Theatre are leading the project, Social Ventures Australia will bring their expertise to facilitate sessions and help inform the project.
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Social Impact Roundtable
(February, 2024)
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Milk Crate Theatre hosted a Social Impact Roundtable in February 2024 to understand the current state of outcomes measurement across small-medium sized arts organisations and assess the appetite for developing a shared outcomes framework.
The Roundtable aimed to achieve three goals:
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Understand the current experience of small-medium sized arts organisations in measuring the social outcomes of their work;
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Propose the development of a shared outcomes framework across the arts sector; and
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Connect arts organisations, government and philanthropic funders to invite dialogue around future opportunities and ways of working. ​
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Phase 1: State of the Sector
(May-June, 2024)
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Establish collaborative agreement on the project’s purpose, scope, timelines and key milestone.
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Review of current tools/measures across the sector.
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Interview funders to establish priorities and expectations.
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The project group to be confirmed through this phase.
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Phase 2: Co-Design
(August-November, 2024)
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The project group will develop a sector Theory of Change and a shared framework including a shared set of universally agreed outcome measures.
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Sessions also include up-skilling to ensure informed participation.
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Funders participate in some sessions to provide insights.
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Organisations are trained and ready for pilot.
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Phase 3: Pilot Implementation
(Over 2025)
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Organisations will implement the Framework with support from Milk Crate Theatre and Social Ventures Australia, measuring impact across their communities.
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A tool or online platform (TBD) will be used to input, securely house and assess the data.
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Phase 4: Data Analysis and Report
(Early-Mid 2026)
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Social Ventures Australia will aggregate data to establish measures and work with the project group to craft a report sharing pilot results and broader recommendations on benchmarks, process, and tools.
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For further information please email Milk Crate Theatre's, Impact Manager: jessica@milkcratetheatre.com
Project Reports
Phase 1 Report
Released June 2024
Roundtable Report
Released Feb 2024