This week AHRC Creative Communities announced three major project outputs, with the creation of a new
Creative Communities Toolkit, the launch of funding opportunities through the
Co-Lab Network Awards, and the publication of four new UK Culture and
Devolution Policy Provocation Papers.
AHRC Creative
Communities is a £3.9m major research programme funded by the UK Research and
Innovation (UKRI) Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and based at
Northumbria University. It explores how co-created culture can enhance
belonging, address regional inequality, deliver devolution, and break down
barriers to opportunity for communities in devolved settings across all four
nations of the UK.
Tracy Brabin, Chair of UK Mayors and Mayor of
West Yorkshire Combined Authority, said: “The work of AHRC Creative Communities
shows that devolving powers over culture and the creative industries drives
greater economic growth. By drawing on a nation or region’s unique cultural
heritage and investing in its homegrown talent, we will build vibrant
communities, attract tourism and investment, and create good jobs across the
UK.”
Monday 19 May saw the
launch of a new Creative Communities Toolkit. Four new interactive multi-media
modules offer users new ways to
engage in research and development (R&D), connect with cross-sector
stakeholders and learn about co-creation methodologies. The toolkit covers
themes which include, how to take part in research and development at a local
level, how to communicate innovations, best practice for sustained
collaborations, and co-creating cultural policy.
Alongside the
toolkit was the announcement of funding opportunities through the Co-Lab Network Awards 2026. The awards build on key learning from
the 2024 UK-wide Creative Communities Policy Labs to fund four new cross-sector cultural
policy networks, one in each of the three devolved nations and one in a
devolved region of England to create new capacity for cross-sector
collaborative exchange of policy ideas on culture and devolution (regional
and national).
Speaking about
the awards, Professor Katy Shaw, Director of the AHRC UK Creative Communities programme,
explained: “Our new Co-Lab Network Awards aim to give cross-sector partners and
communities time and space to consider the role of devolution in supercharging
culture and delivering the UK Government Missions across Scotland, Wales, Northern
Ireland and devolved mayoral authorities in England.”
Bringing
together the themes of collaboration and co-creation of policy, the Awards aim
to build capacity and catalyse confidence in policy making for cross-sector
partners working with Higher Education Institutions (HEI) and Independent
Research Organisations (IRO) to deliver culture in a context of devolution. Networks
can operate digitally, in person and/or hybrid and must demonstrate reach
and inclusive engagement between HEI/IROs and at least three other non-academic
partners.
In addition to the
toolkit and announcement of the awards, four UK Culture and Devolution Policy Provocation Papers were published this week which present innovative policy solutions co-created
with cross-sector participants in the Creative Communities Policy Sprints that took place across Scotland,
Wales, Northern Ireland and the devolved regions of England across 2024-25.
Policy recommendations
focus on the capacity of culture in devolution to create a stronger, fairer
economy and society through cross-sector collaboration and delivery
into health and wellbeing, environment, belonging, and community cohesion.
Speaking about
the papers, Professor Christopher Smith, Executive Director AHRC said: “The
AHRC Creative Communities research programme is a key intervention in
addressing regional inequality, delivering devolution, and breaking down
barriers to opportunity for communities.
“The new
Creative Communities devolution and culture policy papers offer
co-created solutions for funding community infrastructure,
improving frameworks for civic engagement
and developing low-administration grants for grassroots
organisations.
“Everyone
everywhere should have the opportunity to engage in culture at a local level.
Culture is the bedrock of a thriving community, fostering pride and resilience
and contributing to prosperity and better health outcomes.”
You can find out more about the work of Creative Communities at: www.creativecommunities.uk
