Closing date for receipt of tender: 12 noon on Tuesday 6 August 2024

Introduction 

Réalta, the national resource organisation dedicated to developing arts + health in Ireland, is seeking tenders from suitably qualified individuals or organisations to undertake an evaluation of Waterford Healing Arts’ Art at the Kitchen Table Programme.

Details of the tender are set out in this document which is comprised of four parts:

Part 1: Background information

Part 2: Tender process and requirements 

Part 3: General tender information, terms and conditions

Part 1: Background information

About Réalta and Waterford Healing Arts 

Réalta (formerly ‘Waterford Healing Arts Trust’) is the national resource organisation dedicated to developing arts + health in Ireland.  Through its national programme, Réalta delivers training; provides information, mentoring and advice; supports networking; engages with the HSE and other policy makers to increase understanding and support for arts + health; and provides the encyclopaedic national resource website artsandhealth.ie.  

At local level, Réalta delivers its extensive Waterford Healing Arts (WHA) programme, which brings arts experiences – music, visual art, creative writing, storytelling – to the bedside of patients at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) and other healthcare settings to promote creativity, connection and discovery, and reduce isolation, anxiety and stress for patients, family members and staff.  The WHA programme also provides rich examples of good practice, and researches, pilots and evaluates new ideas, all of which informs Réalta’s national work.

Context 

Art at the Kitchen Table is a participatory programme which supports older people in Waterford City and County to make art in their own homes.  The programme was developed in 2020 to address the isolation experienced by older people who had had to cocoon at home for long periods of time during the pandemic. 

Based on a simple concept, the Réalta/Waterford Healing Arts artist visits a person at home and they create art together: painting, drawing and collage/mixed media.  The artist provides all the art materials and the participant does not need to have any experience of art making.  Art at the Kitchen Table is delivered by two artists: one who visits people in Waterford City and environs, the other in West Waterford.

The programme offers the older person the opportunity to develop a new, or reignite a previous interest in art.  It also brings joy, creativity and connection and impacts positively on the person’s wellbeing.

As a way of extending the experience for the participant, two Art at the Kitchen Table Studios began in 2022, in Waterford City and Dungarvan.  These supportive group settings provide an opportunity for individual participants to continue their art making, while also making an important step back into society.

Developed by Réalta/Waterford Healing Arts, Art at the Kitchen Table is delivered in partnership with Waterford City and County Council.

Part 2: Tender process and requirements 

Evaluation Brief & Rationale

To date, the Art at the Kitchen Table programme has been evaluated on an ongoing basis through the artists’ reflective journals and regular internal reviews.  As the national resource organisation dedicated to developing arts + health in Ireland, Réalta now wishes to commission an independent evaluation of this programme as Art at the Kitchen Table has the potential to be improved, modelled and replicated nationally and internationally.  In so doing, the benefits of this programme will be shared with far greater numbers of older people in Ireland and overseas.  

The interest/appetite for this type of programme is evident from the many requests for training and guidance on implementing Art at the Kitchen Table received by Réalta to date.  It is intended that the learnings and recommendations from the forthcoming evaluation will be shared publicly on Réalta’s national resource website artsandhealth.ie and further afield, where relevant.

Methodology

The evaluation methodology will include, but not be limited to the following:

• Review and impact measurement of the programme since inception.
• Review and analysis of the artists’ models of working;
• Review and analysis of the Réalta framework which supports the delivery of this programme;
• Interviews with stakeholders, including participants and family members / carers (subject to informed consent), artists, funders, healthcare professionals.
• Recommendations for future development of the programme, particularly 2025-2028;

Réalta will provide: 

• Access to collected quantitative and qualitative data as available
• Access to the arts programme partners and stakeholders including participants and former participants (where appropriate), artists, family members, healthcare staff/referrers, funders etc.
• Support of Waterford Healing Arts staff
• A working base in the Réalta/ Waterford Healing Arts Centre for Arts and Health, if required

Submissions of tenders

Applicants are required to include the following when submitting a tender:

• An outline of how the evaluation will be carried out, including methodology, timeline, budget etc
• Evidence of skills and knowledge relevant to the arts and health sector
• Evidence of high quality report writing and ability to analyse complex information
• Confirmation of willingness to undergo Garda vetting, if selected.

Fee Proposal:

The fee proposal submitted, shall be in Euro (€) and inclusive of VAT and all expenses.  A breakdown of total costs should be provided.  Tenders to the value of up to €5000 will be considered.

Insurance:

The successful Tenderer must produce valid public liability insurance.

Timeframe for the evaluation: 

Research commences week beginning Tuesday 3 September 2024

Draft report to be submitted by Friday 8 November 2024

Final Report to be submitted by Friday 29 November 2024

Short-listed candidates will be interviewed in the week beginning 19 August 2024. 

Submission deadline:
Closing date for submission of tender document is 12 noon on Tuesday 6 August 2024. 

Interested parties should submit a proposal by email to info@realta.ie  marked for the attention of Claire Meaney with Evaluation of Art at the Kitchen Table Programme in subject heading. 

For further information, contact Claire Meaney at info@realta.ie or phone 051 842664.