6.2.1 Through better understanding of values

Figure 105: Veil by Jake Kempsell, South Gyle Shopping Centre, Edinburgh, forms part of thousands of people’s shopping experience every year. © Dianne King

Case studies, like the Faith in Cowal, Edinburgh Graveyards Project and NDRAP rock art recording (Faith in Cowal: Case Study 12; Edinburgh graveyards: Case Study 20; Rock-art recording: Case Study 29), clearly show communities can make a difference to carved stones. However, we lack an overview that draws this evidence together to map out the ways people engage, their motivations, and how this affects the stones over time. Similarly, we lack details about how carved stones figure in communities’ daily practices, their impact on people’s daily lives and the difference this makes (Figure 105). Future research needs to evaluate impact on a qualitative as well as quantitative basis in order to inform ongoing practice and improve engagement strategies. There are several quantitative metrics that can be used to evaluate success. These include visitor numbers, web page hits, volunteering rates, the number and level of grants secured and instances of vandalism (e.g. graffiti, fire-raising, and theft) or other behaviour that deters visitors to sites with carved stones (e.g. concerns for personal safety due to substance abuse and prostitution). Qualitative measures of success might be found through an assessment of instrumental benefits such as regeneration and economic growth along with social and financial gains to areas where projects take place, and to the individuals and communities affected by projects.