Connecting communities through culture

We have worked with a number of funding and delivery partners to develop projects genuinely informed by local residents and the arts activities relevant to their area.

Co-production when thoroughly and consistently implemented, flexibly applied and genuinely conducted as a collaborative undertaking is indeed a powerful tool in enabling local people to take responsibility for developing and sharing their own cultural identity and capacity.

Producer, Birmingham

The rationale for this approach is reinforced by the 2015 report by the Warwick Commission on the Future of Cultural Value, ‘Enriching Britain: Culture, Creativity and Growth’, which cites the value of encouraging individual creativity and building confidence through collaborative cultural co-design and co-production in helping to strengthen connections between neighbours and to support community cohesion.

Our evaluation documents listed below are available to download:

• Igniting A Spark - Birmingham Cultural Pilots programme (2012 to 2014)
• Social Prescription Project - Arts on Prescription (2014)
• Towards Cultural Co-design - Connecting Communities through Culture (2015)
• Connecting Communities through Culture (2016)

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The Connecting Communities programme has also been showcased through the Arts Council England 2017 Arts and Communities report. This report considers the significance of the role of local authorities in the delivery of arts and cultural programmes which build common ground within communities.

These programmes have facilitated greater collaboration between arts organisations and artists which is helping to develop the local arts network, shape new arts activities and engage new audiences.

“[I learnt] that the participants are eager for affordable cultural and creative activities within their local area. Also that they wish to learn and assimilate more with the rest of Birmingham. I discovered that if the workshops are well structured and that I work with the co-producers to gain insight and research of the communities, that a wealth of value is gained by the participants and expression of wanting to reduce their isolation starts to come through.”

Artist, Birmingham