Arts serve as a potent medium for representing national identity, unity, and belonging. Despite their significance, a notable gap exists in systematic tools designed to evaluate the extent to which arts research contributes to unity-related themes. Existing frameworks for art engagements in education and public spaces heavily inclined towards artistic processes and educational outcomes with no or little emphasis on the role of arts in promoting unity. This study addresses this gap by developing and validating the Unity Strength Scale (USS), a structured evaluation tool designed to assess the contribution of arts research to unity across varying levels of impact. The study employs a qualitative exploratory design, integrating insights from a systematic literature review of 552 art studies focusing on unity and unity-related aspects. Studies were categorized into five levels of relevance and contribution, ranging from negligible relevance to direct focus on unity, informed by Kaufman’s Five Levels of Evaluation (1994) and Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (2006). The validation process included inter-rater reliability and expert reviews, ensuring the scale’s rigour and applicability. The USS contributes significantly to advancing the discourse on unity in arts by providing a robust framework for evaluating thematic and methodological trends. Its implications extend beyond research, offering a practical assessment tool for educators and evaluation guide for policymakers to assess and prioritize unity-focused initiatives.