We discussed how the impact of the arts is hard to measure against wider societal issues. Art gives opportunities for hope - not just facing issues head on. It helps us affect the underlying issues, providing tools for informed decision making, critical thinking and empathy. With art, we plant seeds and hope that those make an impact.

We asked "What would it look like to sow these seeds in fertile soil?" Would that look like more intersection? More influence? Engaging with people who don't already agree, or those who do agree and who have the power to take action?

The arts have long standing connections with the Business sector - as funders and in using the arts in corporate training. Can we use these connections more strategically to help businesses explore the ethics around urgent issues?

Campaigning groups, think tanks and the social justice sector are set up to affect change on these issues, and many are working in innovative ways both in their organizational structures (e.g. the co-op movement) and in their impact. How can we join the power of the arts with these groups to give more space for conversations, share knowledge and engage more of the public.

We also discussed how higher education institutions, with their research models, may be a fertile ground for partnership.

We recognized that any stretch for the arts into greater cross-sector partnership will need to come with money. The hope is that partnership would open up alternative income avenues from sources with existing mechanisms to engage the public and make change.