651 ARTS — The Woodshed Network
PROJECT: Evaluation of The Woodshed Network
/ CHALLENGE
651 ARTS, in collaboration with Grammy award–winning artist Dee Dee Bridgewater, launched The Woodshed Network to address the underrepresentation of women in jazz by supporting early-career female-identifying musicians. The program provides mentorship, professional development, networking, and a two-week residency of intensive workshops and discussions. 651 ARTS sought an evaluation to demonstrate impact and build a strong case for continued funding.
/ SOLUTION
A&O worked closely with program leaders to build evaluation capacity and co-design all evaluation components. We developed a logic model, clarified short- and long-term outcomes, and designed an evaluation plan to assess progress toward goals. Data collection included staff interviews, review of program documentation, surveys of mentees and mentors, and focus groups with mentees and alumni.
“This has been fantastic - A&O asks tricky questions that make the thought bubbles go berserk . . . We want to build something, and you showed up with all these tools we didn’t even know we needed - - this process gave us a coherent, global perspective of what we are doing so it doesn’t’ feel like we’re on a shuttle hurdling through space by ourselves - it gives context to everything we are doing and trying to accomplish – Thank you!”
/ OUTCOME
Findings highlighted the program’s effectiveness in mentoring and career development, and supported continuous quality improvement. Evaluation results strengthened funding proposals and positioned The Woodshed Network for sustainability and growth.