Abstract

The research presented in this EdC issue is a noteworthy attempt to evaluate the impacts of the European Year of Cultural Heritage on the Italian cultural system and culture customers; at the same time, it explores what methodological possibilities are available for assessing a cultural project that arose such rich participation. This article discusses the methodological approaches adopted by the Association of Economia della Cultura in carrying out this survey, by introducing some categories devised by the so-called «realist evaluation». Although acknowledging difficulties in framing the context of social projects and isolating their impacts, realistic evaluation argues for the necessity of applying evaluation complex projects, which the essay’s authors shares.