Science in the City (SitC) is Malta’s national Science & Arts Festival and makes part of the European Researchers’ Night (ERN) initiative, which takes place in over 300 European cities. The SitC event aims to engage, empower and enable children and young adults to consider STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) careers.

The SitC consortium strives to involve the general public in this national event to discover different ways of experiencing scientific topics through various forms of arts. This year, the festival will be based around the theme ‘Taking Root’, which will expand on what we’ve been attempting to achieve in recent years—emphasising the importance of science and research to citizens, ultimately fostering engaged and responsible citizenship.

With over 30,000 visitors every year (pre-COVID) and around 20,000 views at the online festival, it is an opportunity for scientists, artists, and citizens to collaborate and get creative. The 2024 festival will take place in September.

The Institute for Methods Innovation is leading on impact assessment for this project, which includes:

Analyzing the festival’s logistics and organization
Assessing participation from researchers, artists, and organizers
Assessing the audience’s quality of experience, including any issues and limitations encountered during the festival
Gauging the festival’s impact on the audience, including changes in learning, attitudes, and follow-up actions
Identifying key lessons and recommendations to improve future festivals

Training | Evaluation | Research | Impact

Ireland | United States of America

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