Dr Stephen Connolly

A founding Director of DC Research, Stephen has more than twenty-five years research experience achieved through a combination of roles in both academic research and private sector research and consultancy. Stephen also brings additional commercial and client/customer service experience to DC Research from working in the UK banking sector in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.

Stephen’s work at DC Research involves managing and delivering national and local research studies and providing support to clients across the heritage and culture sectors throughout the UK. This has included evaluations of projects, programmes and initiatives, economic and social impact assessments, policy research, socio-economic analysis and profiling, programme development, partnership assessments, impact and evaluation frameworks, and strategy/action plan development.

Over the last fifteen years, Stephen has developed a wide-ranging portfolio of heritage, museums, and arts & culture-related research experience. This complements his wider and long-standing research experience across a range of economic development and regeneration agendas stretching back to the mid 1990’s.

Stephen’s recent work at DC Research has included projects for:Arts Council England, Association of Independent Museums, the British Museum, Creative Scotland, DCMS, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, Historic Environment Scotland, Historic Houses Association, Museums Galleries Scotland, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Scottish Enterprise, Welsh Government as well as a wide range of heritage and cultural organisations across the UK.

Stephen was awarded his PhD in 2004 (for a thesis entitled ‘An Analysis of the UK National Lottery: estimating additionality for local government’) and is a Member of the Institute of Economic Development and the UK Evaluation Society.

Away from work, Stephen trains and teaches at Hattatsu Karate – a karate organisation based in Gretna and Carlisle – Hattatsu Karate