Impact Report: What difference did Colours of Redbridge make last year?

Written by Martine Nurek and Ruby Carter (Research and Evaluation Consultants) at ResPeo. 

Evaluation means listening and learning. It helps us understand what’s working, what could be better, and how a programme is making a difference. 

We’ve just completed our second year of evaluating the Colours of Redbridge programme, and we’re excited to share what we’ve learned! 

To complete our second year of evaluation, we looked at: 

• survey feedback from local residents  
• interviews with community members and staff 
• data on attendance and engagement   

This evaluation has been shaped by local voices from the start, and it wouldn’t have been possible without them. 

Evaluation Summary 

Colours of Redbridge is doing a brilliant job at making arts and culture more accessible in Redbridge, with clear progress since Year 1. 

They’re showing excellent performance (5 stars) in most of their objectives: 

• To reach people who haven’t been involved in mainstream arts and culture activities in the past 
• To ensure high quality projects, and that the way that they work with people is also of a high quality 
• To understand what is working well and what could be improved 
• To increase a sense of fun in the borough, and bring together different communities 
• To provide learning and skills development opportunities 
• To improve health and wellbeing 

They’re also showing good performance in the remaining two objectives: 

• Amplifying lesser-heard voices 
• Ensuring neighbourhoods feel vibrant despite economic challenges 

Want to understand more about our Year 2 evaluation findings? 

Read the full report here:  Colours of Redbridge Year 2 Evaluation Report

A Big Thank You!

Thank you to our Community Evaluation Group and local Data Collectors. Your insights and support have been essential in helping us understand what matters most to people in Redbridge and collect feedback from a broad range of the community. 

We asked two of the community team, Sophy and Anum, about their experiences evaluating Colours of Redbridge over the last year… 

How have you contributed to this year’s evaluation? 

Sophy: “I was part of the data collection team, responsible for gathering survey responses from community members who attended our events.” 

Anum: “As a member of the Community Evaluation Group, I contributed to the analysis of community engagement data, which has helped to evaluate Colours of Redbridge’s broader objectives. I also offered insights based on my first-hand experiences attending events” 

What do you think has been the biggest achievement for Colours of Redbridge over the past year? 

Sophy: “The biggest achievements have been the high level of community engagement and the positive impact on the mental wellbeing of community members.” 

Anum: “One of the most significant achievements has been the successful delivery of high-quality, inclusive events that attracted communities typically underrepresented or unheard in mainstream arts and culture. Events like Truck Art were particularly impactful (this being popular, with sessions fully booked), as they engaged a highly diverse audience across various community groups, promoting inclusion and cohesion.” 

What do you think we could still do better? 

Sophy: “We could improve by involving more families and enhancing community outreach. One recurring piece of feedback, also highlighted in the evaluation report, was that event promotion was limited. Some community members expressed that they were unaware of certain events that were happening in their neighbourhood.” 

Anum: “We may want to avoid limiting numbers for large community events, or to consider adding additional days when booking is required, to more people to take part. I also support the report’s suggestion to use familiar and accessible venues where possible and to start events with icebreakers or introductions to help foster a sense of safety, connection, and trust.” 

Is there anything that surprised you from the evaluation report? If so, what was it? 

Sophy: “No, the evaluation report accurately reflected the perspectives and feedback we received from community members during our data collection process.” 

Anum: “Yes, I was positively surprised by the noticeable increase in participation from older and retired community members compared to the previous year. This development reflects the effectiveness of Colours of Redbridge’s inclusive approach in meeting the diverse needs and interests of the community.”