During 2008, SIAP collaborated with the Americans for the Arts’ Animating Democracy project on a review of the literature on civic engagement and the arts. Based on that review, SIAP considered the theoretical and methodological issues and developed a comprehensive strategy by which policymakers, researchers, and practitioners could improve evidence and advance understanding of the civic impact of the arts and culture. This field guide walks through SIAP's rationale and methods for a multi-level data gathering strategy toward that end.