A conceptual framework for understanding and articulating the social impact of community music

This article outlines a conceptual framework for sharpening how we understand and articulate the social impact of community music. Frequently community music programmes speak about bold social impact intentions, especially in areas relating to social justice, with little explanation about the processes that could lead to such changes and patchy details about the extent to which those changes have actually occurred. This is not to say these programmes are not having a positive social impact in communities. Rather, there is an opportunity for our field to sharpen how we conceptualize, identify, evaluate and communicate these outcomes. This article builds on a mounting evidence base of research in our field that documents the multifarious benefits that come from participating in community music. However, it takes this research a step further by providing a conceptual framework for critically thinking through how these positive outcomes can lead to the kinds of macro, systemic changes needed for social impact to occur. As the field continues to grow and diversify internationally, against a backdrop of social, cultural and climate challenges, having ways to understand and articulate community music’s impact could enhance our practice and research, but also lead to greater influence in advocacy, policy and cross-sector domains.