Engaging Communities in Arts and Culture

A national conference exploring best practice in arts and culture engaging a wide range of communities and groups, including those who have not always had the opportunity to take part. It will cover both young people and wider communities.

It will showcase the impact arts and culture has in transforming places and lives, improving wellbeing, tackling difficult issues and working in challenging settings, as well as broadening opportunities to engage with excellent art and culture .

We’ll be hearing about a range of themes including:

1. Cormac Russell from international organisation Nurture Development speaking about Asset Based Community Development approaches in Arts and Culture; speaking about Asset Based Community Development approaches in Arts and Culture, including the role of the artist in supporting citizens to build alternative futures.
2. Saad Eddine Said from New Art Exchange in Nottingham, Sara Wajid from Birmingham Museums talking about their citizens jury’s and Grace Bower from Rotherham sharing how young people’s voice has been central to both the concept and the delivery of the new Childrens Capital of Culture.
3. The role of arts and culture in improving young people’s mental health and work happening in Lincoln; Hull; Lancashire and Gloucester.
4. Heart of Glass, St Helens and Knowsley will be sharing a long term cultural project taking place in Liverpool city region and Ireland exploring masculinity and its impact on society; how boys and men are shaped by and influence the world they live in with Artist Fiona Whelan, Rialto Youth Project, Heart of Glass and collaborators
5. Transformative work led by Rachel Conlon of York St John University, Kate Pakenham and film Director Phyllida Lloyd from KPPL Productions in partnership with a women’s prison in Yorkshire.
6. The role of arts and culture in supporting creative ageing – ensuring older people from all backgrounds are not excluded from arts and culture.
7. How arts and cultural organisations in Blackpool, Burnley and Stoke have worked alongside a communities to co-create and repurpose local spaces into unusual and inspiring cultural venues.