The Culture and Sport Evidence (CASE) programme website is now live, with plenty of information about current and planned activities to build the evidence base for culture and sport. CASE is the new three-year joint research programme led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in partnership with the Arts Council, English Heritage, the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and Sport England. The programme aims to improve the quality of evidence underpinning public policy in culture and sport, helping DCMS and partners to make better decisions about public investment.

The first major CASE project is to build understanding of why and how people engage in culture and sport, the barriers to greater engagement and the difference engagement makes to people’s lives and communities. The University of London (Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre) and Matrix Knowledge Group have been commissioned to conduct a systematic review of the evidence on these issues and to build practical modelling tools to help policy-makers develop initiatives to increase engagement.

For more information on this and other projects visit the www.culture.gov.uk/case. You can also sign up for a regular email update at evidence@culture.gsi.gov.uk