The Merit of Metrics: Rethinking Accountability in the Arts | Carolyn Ramsay | TEDxSt Helier
In this raw, personal talk, Carolyn Rose Ramsay, former ballet dancer, aviation operations officer, and now Artistic Director of a national ballet company asks a provocative question: how do we know we’re doing a good job in the arts? Drawing on the contrast between the procedural rigour of aviation and the ambiguity of artistic value, she explores how we measure success in a sector where impact can be emotional, delayed, or unmeasurable.Carolyn challenges both artists and funders to rethink accountability not as a box-ticking exercise, but as a shared commitment to integrity, transparency, and long-term value. She urges creatives to engage with scrutiny rather than fear it, and calls on supporters to get involved beyond applause from helping write budgets to backing risky but meaningful work.This talk is a rallying cry for artists to own their worth, for funders to question their metrics, and for all of us to bet on brave ideas not just the ones that look safe on paper.Carolyn Rose Ramsay is originally from Vancouver BC, and her training took place at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. She danced professionally with Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Miami City Ballet, Les Ballets de Monte Carlo, and the Norwegian National Ballet. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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