CulturaSDG

Introduction

This guide explains the CulturaSDG methodology and helps you complete your assessment with confidence.

CulturaSDG is a self-assessment tool designed for cultural organizations, creative entrepreneurs, universities, and public agencies. It measures your organization's contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and produces a scored report — the SDG Contribution Index (SCI) — with gap analysis and sector-specific recommendations.

The assessment takes 15–20 minutes. No prior SDG training is required. This guide walks through each step and explains how scores are calculated.

Who should complete the assessment?

The assessment works best when completed by someone with an overview of your programs, activities, and impact documentation — a director, program coordinator, or communications manager. Have your annual report, program descriptions, and any impact evaluations to hand.

Part 1

Part 1: Understanding the Framework

The CulturaSDG framework is built on two core elements: a taxonomy of 12 cultural activity types mapped to 14 SDGs, and a three-dimensional evidence scoring system.

The Three Evidence Dimensions

For each activity you select, you rate three dimensions on a 0–2 scale. Together they capture breadth, intent, and rigour of your SDG contribution:

BreadthHow many people or communities does this activity reach?

Level 0

Not present — this activity reaches no one or operates only internally.

Level 1

Emerging — reaches a limited, defined group (e.g. workshop participants, one neighbourhood, a single school).

Level 2

Established — reaches a broad audience or multiple communities (public programming, regional outreach, online platforms).

IntentionalityHow explicitly is this activity aligned to SDG goals?

Level 0

Not present — no explicit connection to SDG goals. Any contribution is incidental.

Level 1

Emerging — some awareness of SDG relevance, but no explicit goal-setting or SDG language in programming.

Level 2

Established — SDG goals are explicitly integrated into program design, communications, partnerships, or reporting.

DocumentationHow well are the outcomes measured and recorded?

Level 0

Not present — no data, reporting, or evaluation exists for this activity's outcomes.

Level 1

Emerging — some documentation exists (attendance counts, testimonials, basic reports) but outcome measurement is informal.

Level 2

Established — systematic data collection or evaluation is in place (surveys, third-party evaluations, published impact reports).

How the Score is Calculated

The evidence scores feed into the SDG Contribution Index through a four-stage algorithm:

Evidence Score — the mean of your three dimension ratings divided by 6, producing a value between 0 and 1.
Activity Contribution — each activity's contribution to its mapped SDGs is computed using the activity's base weight and evidence score. A minimum floor of 0.4 ensures that even undocumented activities contribute a baseline score.
Per-SDG Score — contributions from all activities are aggregated and normalized to a 0–100 scale for each SDG.
SCI — the mean of all 14 SDG scores, producing your overall index between 0 and 100.

Note: Honest self-assessment produces the most useful recommendations. The three-dimensional structure makes it difficult to achieve a high score through broad claims alone — depth and documentation are rewarded.

Contribution Tiers

0–39

Emerging Contributor

Your organization has begun to engage with the SDG agenda through one or two activity types, typically at the intention or early implementation stage. Significant opportunities exist for expanding both breadth and depth.

40–69

Active Contributor

Your organization demonstrates meaningful engagement with multiple SDGs across several activity types, with partial to strong evidence. This tier reflects a serious, systematic commitment to the agenda.

70–100

High Contributor

Your organization demonstrates broad and deep contributions across multiple SDG clusters with strong evidence documentation. Typically achieved by organizations that have explicitly embedded SDG alignment into their strategic planning.

Part 2

Part 2: Before You Start

Gather these materials before beginning to ensure accurate results.

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What to Gather

Your most recent annual report or program calendar
Attendance and reach statistics for your main programs
Any existing impact evaluations or audience surveys
Your organization's strategic plan (if one exists)
A list of your main partnerships and collaborations
Examples of SDG references in your communications (if any)

Time Required

Plan for 15–20 minutes for a first assessment. Subsequent annual assessments take less time as your team becomes familiar with the methodology.

Honest Assessment Principle

CulturaSDG is designed for honest self-assessment. The gap analysis and recommendations are only useful if your ratings accurately reflect your current reality — not aspirations or plans. Rate what you do now, not what you intend to do.

Part 3

Part 3: Activity Guidance

CulturaSDG maps 12 types of cultural activity to 14 SDGs. Below is guidance for each activity, including the SDGs it addresses and tips for rating each evidence dimension.

Education & Cultural Literacy

SDGs 4, 8, 10, 17

Workshops, courses, training programs, educational residencies, cultural literacy initiatives, and partnerships with schools or universities.

Breadth tipCount the number of learners, schools, or communities reached annually.

Intentionality tipDo your educational programs explicitly reference SDG 4 (Quality Education) or 10 (Reduced Inequalities) in their design or communications?

Documentation tipDo you track attendance, completion rates, or conduct pre/post evaluations?

Community Engagement & Social Cohesion

SDGs 10, 11, 16

Community-based programming, participatory arts, neighbourhood festivals, intercultural dialogue events, and civic engagement through culture.

Breadth tipConsider the number and diversity of communities engaged.

Intentionality tipAre community cohesion, inclusion, or governance goals explicitly named in your program objectives?

Documentation tipDo you conduct community surveys, gather testimonials, or track demographic participation?

Cultural Heritage Preservation

SDGs 4, 11, 16

Archival projects, documentation of intangible heritage, preservation of traditional practices, museum programming, and indigenous knowledge initiatives.

Breadth tipConsider both direct participants and communities whose heritage is being preserved.

Intentionality tipIs heritage preservation explicitly linked to sustainability, identity, or community resilience?

Documentation tipArchival records, digitization projects, and published documentation count strongly here.

Gender Equity & Feminist Arts Practice

SDGs 5, 10, 16

Programs centring women artists, feminist curatorial practice, gender-parity initiatives, anti-harassment policies, and programming addressing gender-based violence.

Breadth tipConsider both direct participants and the audiences reached by gender-equity-focused programming.

Intentionality tipDoes your organization explicitly name gender equity as a program goal?

Documentation tipTrack demographic data on participants and leadership, and any gender-equity audits.

Creative Economy & Decent Work

SDGs 8, 9, 10

Artist fees, fair pay policies, professional development, market access initiatives, creative industry incubation, and employment creation.

Breadth tipCount the number of artists and cultural workers your organization pays or supports.

Intentionality tipDo you have explicit fair compensation policies, living wage commitments, or economic inclusion mandates?

Documentation tipFinancial records, fee schedules, and employment statistics are strong documentation.

Arts & Health / Cultural Wellbeing

SDGs 3, 10

Arts therapies, mental health programs, cultural programming in healthcare settings, and initiatives addressing social isolation through arts participation.

Breadth tipCount participants in health-focused arts programs and any healthcare partnerships.

Intentionality tipAre health or wellbeing outcomes explicitly named as goals in your program design?

Documentation tipClinical partnerships, wellbeing surveys, and referral records are strong documentation.

Environmental Arts & Climate Awareness

SDGs 12, 13, 14, 15

Ecological art projects, climate-themed programming, sustainable event practices, partnerships with environmental organizations, and land/water-based cultural practices.

Breadth tipConsider both direct participants and the audiences reached by environmental programming.

Intentionality tipDo you explicitly frame your work in relation to climate action, biodiversity, or ecological justice?

Documentation tipCarbon accounting, environmental policy documents, and ecological partnerships are strong documentation.

Social Inclusion & Accessibility

SDGs 1, 10, 11

Accessible programming, reduced-price or free tickets, programs for marginalized communities, neurodiversity initiatives, and anti-poverty cultural access programs.

Breadth tipCount participants from underserved communities and any partnerships with social service organizations.

Intentionality tipIs accessibility or inclusion explicitly named as a mandate in your governance or programming?

Documentation tipAccessibility audits, demographic participation data, and community partnership reports.

Digital Innovation & Creative Technology

SDGs 8, 9, 17

Digital arts platforms, technology residencies, open-source cultural tools, VR/AR experiences, and initiatives bridging digital divides.

Breadth tipCount users of digital platforms and participants in technology-focused programs.

Intentionality tipDo you explicitly address digital inclusion, technological sovereignty, or innovation in your mandate?

Documentation tipPlatform analytics, user data, and technology partnership records.

International Mobility & Cultural Exchange

SDGs 10, 16, 17

Artist residencies abroad, international touring, co-productions, cultural diplomacy, and programs supporting artists from the Global South.

Breadth tipCount international collaborators, partner organizations, and touring reach.

Intentionality tipAre cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue, or global partnership goals explicit in your international work?

Documentation tipInternational partnership agreements, touring records, and co-production documentation.

Urban Culture & Public Space

SDGs 3, 10, 11

Street art, public installations, placemaking, cultural mapping, urban regeneration through arts, and programming in public spaces.

Breadth tipConsider the number of people who encounter public work (pedestrian counts, event attendance).

Intentionality tipIs placemaking, urban inclusion, or community belonging explicit in your public space work?

Documentation tipMunicipal partnership documents, public attendance data, and urban planning reports.

Cultural Policy & Advocacy

SDGs 10, 16, 17

Policy submissions, sector advocacy, participation in cultural coalitions, research publications, and representing the sector in governance forums.

Breadth tipConsider the policy reach — local, provincial, national, or international — and the sector represented.

Intentionality tipIs SDG alignment or cultural rights advocacy explicit in your policy work?

Documentation tipPolicy submissions, consultation records, coalition membership, and published research.

Part 4

Part 4: During the Assessment

Tips for completing the assessment accurately and getting the most useful output.

Key Tips

Rate each dimension independently — they capture different aspects of your work.
When in doubt, rate lower. The gap analysis will highlight areas for improvement.
If you are just starting to document an activity, rate Documentation as 0 or 1.
If SDG language is not yet in your programming, rate Intentionality as 0 — this is an opportunity, not a weakness.
You can return to earlier steps using the Back button at any time.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Rating Breadth as 2 for all activities — reserve Level 2 for activities with genuinely wide reach.
Conflating aspirations with documented practice — rate what you do, not what you plan.
Selecting activities your organization does not actually conduct — the taxonomy is designed to prompt reflection, not inflate scores.

Part 5

Part 5: Reading Your Report

Your report contains four main components. Here is how to interpret each.

The SDG Contribution Index (SCI)

Your overall score on a 0–100 scale. It reflects the breadth and depth of your contributions across all 14 mapped SDGs. A score of 40+ indicates meaningful multi-SDG engagement. Use it as a baseline — the goal is improvement over time, not a fixed target.

Per-SDG Heat Map

Shows your score for each of the 14 SDGs individually. High scores indicate activities with strong evidence. Low scores indicate either genuine gaps or documentation opportunities — areas where you may already be active but haven't yet measured your impact.

Cluster Bars

Groups SDG scores into five thematic clusters: Society, Economy, Habitat, Environment, and Governance. Useful for identifying which domains your organization contributes to most strongly and where to focus strategic development.

Boussole Analysis

Guided analysis identifying your lowest-scoring SDGs and providing sector-specific recommendations for deepening your contribution. Recommendations are grounded in the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators and UNCTAD Creative Economy framework.

Part 6

Part 6: Future Assessments

CulturaSDG is designed for annual reassessment. The longitudinal record is as valuable as any single score.

Why Reassess Annually?

Track your SDG contribution trajectory over time.
See the impact of new programs and documentation practices.
Generate a credible longitudinal record for funders and reporting.
Benchmark your progress against the prior year.

The Most Effective Way to Improve

The most common way to improve your score is not to add new activities — it is to document existing ones better. Focus on the Documentation dimension: implement basic outcome measurement for programs where it is currently absent. One impact survey per program can shift a score from 1 to 2.

Part 7

Part 7: New to the SDGs?

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by all UN member states in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda. They address the world's most pressing challenges across social, economic, and environmental dimensions.

The 14 SDGs in CulturaSDG and Their Cultural Relevance

CulturaSDG maps cultural activities to 14 of the 17 SDGs. SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), 6 (Clean Water), and 7 (Affordable Energy) are excluded due to insufficient evidence of direct cultural sector contribution in the current research literature.

No Poverty— Cultural access programs, community economic development, artist income support

Good Health & Well-being— Arts therapies, mental health programs, cultural wellbeing initiatives

Quality Education— Cultural education, arts training, heritage literacy

Gender Equality— Feminist arts practice, gender-parity programming, women artists' leadership

Decent Work & Growth— Fair pay for artists, creative economy development, cultural employment

Innovation— Creative industries, digital arts platforms, cultural technology

Reduced Inequalities— Accessible programming, inclusion mandates, community engagement

Sustainable Cities— Cultural heritage in urban contexts, placemaking, public art

Responsible Consumption— Sustainable events, ecological arts practice, material culture

Climate Action— Climate-themed programming, environmental advocacy through arts

Life Below Water— Marine cultural heritage, ocean-themed arts, coastal communities

Life on Land— Land-based cultural practice, biodiversity arts, ecological knowledge

Peace & Institutions— Intercultural dialogue, civic arts, human rights, policy advocacy

Partnerships— International cultural exchange, network membership, co-production

Appendix A: Quick-Start Checklist

Gather your annual report or program calendar
Identify the 3–5 main activities your organization conducts
Estimate reach for each activity (number of people, communities)
Note which activities have formal outcome measurement
Consider whether you use SDG language in any communications
Set aside 20 minutes of uninterrupted time

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Appendix B: Glossary

SDG (Sustainable Development Goal): One of 17 global goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015, covering social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.
SCI (SDG Contribution Index): CulturaSDG's composite score (0–100) measuring an organization's overall contribution to the SDGs based on activity coverage and evidence depth.
Evidence dimension: One of three axes (Breadth, Intentionality, Documentation) used to assess the quality of SDG contribution for each activity.
Evidence level: The rating (0, 1, or 2) assigned to each dimension: 0 = not present, 1 = emerging, 2 = established.
Activity weight: A base weight (0.80–1.00) assigned to each activity type reflecting the robustness of evidence for its SDG linkage in the research literature.
Boussole: CulturaSDG's guided analysis engine (French for compass). Generates narrative summaries and sector-specific gap recommendations. Powered by Anthropic Claude.
Contribution tier: One of three classifications (Emerging 0–39, Active 40–69, High 70–100) reflecting depth and breadth of SDG engagement.
Cluster: A grouping of SDGs by thematic domain: Society (1, 3, 4, 5, 10), Economy (8, 9), Habitat (11), Environment (12, 13, 14, 15), Governance (16, 17).
Gap analysis: Boussole's identification of the lowest-scoring SDGs with targeted recommendations for improvement, tailored to the organization's sector.