Research into the Business and Operational Needs of the Arts Sector in Wales

Background and scope 1. Introduction  Arts Council of Wales, through its Business Enabler Team, invites tenders from suitably qualified and experienced research organisations to undertake a comprehensive study into the business and operational needs of the arts sector in Wales.  This research will play a central role in strengthening the resilience, sustainability, and business capability of organisations and freelancers across the Welsh arts ecosystem.  Important:  This tender excludes any exploration of creative skills or artistic practice. The research must focus exclusively on Business, Operational and Organisational elements that include (but not entirely limited to):  Organisational business capability  Operational systems  Infrastructure  Skills and training needs related to business functions  Forward‑looking business trends and challenges  2. Purpose of the Research  The commissioned research organisation will be expected to deliver robust, evidence‑based insight into:  2.1 Training and Development Needs  Identifying business‑related training requirements for Arts Organisations (including Multi-Year Funded Organisations), Individuals and Freelancers.  2.2 Business and Operational Skills Gaps  Mapping current and future gaps in business and operational skills, including management, governance, operations, finance, HR, planning, compliance, business growth, and digital capability.  2.3 Future Needs and Trends  Exploring emerging opportunities and risks that may impact the sector's sustainability.  2.4 Recommendations  Producing clear, actionable, prioritised recommendations to inform future support interventions delivered by Arts Council of Wales.  3. Scope of Work  The successful bidder will be required to deliver the following workstreams (all work must be delivered bilingually (Cymraeg and English):  3.1 Sector‑Wide Survey  Design and deliver a survey across the arts sector in Wales.  Ensure representation across: artforms, organisation sizes, freelancers, regions, and demographics.  3.2 Engagement with Existing Data Sources  Identify organisations that hold relevant, quality datasets.  Liaise with those organisations to integrate relevant data where permitted.  Avoid duplication of existing research efforts.  3.3 Qualitative Engagement  Conduct interviews, workshops, or focus groups with stakeholders (as required to achieve the Deliverables)  Ensure balanced representation of the sector’s diversity and geographic spread.  3.4 Analysis & Reporting  Comprehensive analysis of all quantitative and qualitative findings.  Identification of priority needs, risk areas, and future challenges.  Evidence‑based recommendations.  4. Deliverables  4.1 Full Research Report  Including:  Executive Summary  Methodology  Detailed Findings  Analysis of Skills & Operational Gaps  Forward‑looking insights  Recommendations & priority actions  This Document and all associated attachments should be bilingual (Eng / Cym)  4.2 Presentation of Findings  A comprehensive presentation to Arts Council of Wales and relevant stakeholders.  4.3 Data Outputs  Cleaned datasets   These are the final, fully prepared versions of the data collected during the research  Metadata / documentation   This provides a clear explanation of what the data contains and how it should be interpreted  Methodological notes   These explain the research approach used and provide transparency about how the findings were produced  5. Meeting With Up To 3 Applicants  Following tender evaluation, up to three scoring applicants will be invited to a face‑to‑face clarification and presentation meeting with members of the decision panel.  Location: Cardiff  Attendance: At the applicant’s own cost  Format: Presentation + Q&A (30–45 minutes)  Purpose: Final assessment prior to awarding the contract  Further information on the Presentation will be provided to the top three scoring applicants