Participation & Engagement in the Arts

A limited number of places for the summer conference still available

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 06:42:48 -0400

Hi all,

You shouldn’t miss our summer conference taking place on 26th of June at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in Wakefield. A limited number of places is still available, so do hurry up to register at the following address: http://onlinestore.leedsmet.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&modid=2&prodid=102&deptid=4&catid=2.

The event includes:

presentations from artists, policy makers & academics encompassing theory, policy and practice;
the chance to see Joan Miro’s biggest ever exhibition of sculpture;

The conference will not finish with the presentations, but will continue with a nice picnic, wine and a great opportunity to network.

You can find more details below:

This is a conference hosted by Leeds Metropolitan University in association with Cultural Trends journal.

For further information please contact participationandengagement-arts@leedsmet.ac.uk.

9.30 am REGISTRATION (refreshments will be provided)

10.00 - 10.15 Introduction: Leila Jancovich, Leeds Metropolitan University

10.15 - 11.15 Opening session 1: Policy analysis

chaired by James Doeser, Arts Council England

David Stevenson: Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh

“What’s the problem again? The influence of the implicit in participation and engagement research”

Chris Bailey, Leeds Metropolitan University:

“Audience development – the archaeology of an idea and its potential rebirth”

Dr. Anna Villaroya, University of Barcelona and Kaat Peters Forum voor Amateurkunsten, Flanders:

“Policies on active cultural participation in Europe”

Dr. Andrew Miles, University of Manchester

“Everyday participation”

11.15 – 12.00 Q+A

12.00 – 1 pm LUNCH

1.00-2.00 Parallel sessions

1 - International Dimensions

Parallel session 2 - Engagement strategies

Dr. Asu Aksoy, Istanbul Bilgi University: “The Unequal Terrain of Emerging Civic Culture in Turkey: The Role of the Arts and the State”

Ruth Melville, University of Essex: “Feeling Champion: Exploring the experience of being a Liverpool Community Cultural Champion”

Andries Van der Broek The Netherlands Institute for Social Research: “The art loving Dutch?”

Dr. Ben Walmsley , Leeds Metropolitan University: “Participation and engagement as articulated by theatre-makers and goers”

Dr. Teunis IJdens Cultuurnetwerk Nederland: “Cultural participation policies: exit or reset?”

Pauline Hadaway, Belfast Exposed gallery of photography : “When the caravan moves on…: rebuilding cultural policy from arts practice in an age of austerity”

2.00 - 2.45pm Q+A in parallel sessions

2.45 - 3.00 Tea and coffee

3.00 - 4.00 Parallel sessions

3 - Place and Geography

4 - Socially engaged practice

Orian Brook, University of St Andrews: “Distance from a venue as a missing factor in explaining arts attendance”

Ben Jones, University of Newcastle: “The potential for socially engaged digital art as a grassroots medium”

Dr. Abigail Gilmore, University of Manchester: “Cold spots, crap towns and cultural deserts”

Ursula Troche, published performance poet, writer and photographer: “Creative Desires and Few Opportunities: battling social structures”

Elaine Speight, artist and curator: “From Place making to Place listening: A Reconsideration of Place within the Commissioning of Socially Engaged Art”

Dr. Sophie Hope, Birkbeck College, London: “Practice Based Research into Cultural Democracy and the Commissioning of Art to Effect Social Change”

Dr. Helen Pheby, Yorkshire Sculpture Park: “Subgroup psychological barriers to participation and engagement”

Toby Lowe, Helix Arts: “A definition of participatory arts”

4.00 - 4.45

Q+A in parallel sessions

4. 45 - 5.30 SUMMING UP:

Franco Bianchini, Leeds Metropolitan University and Sara Selwood, Cultural Trends

5.30 - 7.00 Drinks in grounds of Yorkshire Sculpture Park

To book a place go online to http://onlinestore.leedsmet.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&modid=2&prodid=102&deptid=4&catid=2.

More Information

www.participationandengagement-arts.co.uk

The issue of measurement and the cultural sector

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 09:06:00 -0400

Please find below two very good resources by Dr. David O’Brien on culture, its measurement, economics in the context of central government decision-making.

On the need for economic valuation http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/2011/01/31/arts-and-culture-economic-value-in-time-of-austerity/#more-7111

And its limits http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/dave-obrien/economics-and-cultural-sector-can-they-achieve-more-diplomatic-relationship

Report on "Understanding Watershed’s Role in Ecosystems of Cultural Innovation"

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 08:49:00 -0400

A very good report from the International Futures Forum on the ability to help people who fund the arts develop better policies if we use ecological thinking to understand how the arts work in society and in the economy.

http://www.watershed.co.uk/sites/default/files/publications/2011-03-15/Watershed_IFF_Report_online.pdf

Investing in culture and communities- the social ROI in work-based learning at the Museum of East Anglian Life

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 08:38:00 -0400

We would like to share with you a very interesting report looking at the impacts of participation in heritage at the museum.

http://eastanglianlife.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Investing-in-culture-and-communities-SROI-at-MEAL-MB-Assoc-2010.pdf

Summer Conference updates

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 10:42:00 -0400

This summer’s conference for Participation and Engagement in the Arts will take place on Tuesday the 26^th June 2012 at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, in Wakefield: http://www.ysp.co.uk/contact-us. The cost for taking part in is £50 full fee /£30 student and other concessions.

The conference is hosted by Leeds Metropolitan University in Association with Cultural Trends journal and it will:

encompass theory, policy and practice;
encourage networking between academics, policy makers and arts practitioners;
For further information, please contact participationandengagement-arts@leedsmet.ac.ukor to book a place please go to http://onlinestore.leedsmet.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&modid=2&prodid=102&deptid=4&catid=2

New article from one of our earlier speakers

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 10:25:51 -0400

New Model Visual: Arts Institutions and Social Engagement

http://www.uclan.ac.uk/schools/school_of_social_work/research/pru/files/wzw_nmi_report.pdf

This study asks how socially engaged visual arts practice can change individuals and communities – or put it another way: what are the ingredients of transformation through the arts.

Leila Jancovich's new article on Engagement and Participation Policy (Cultural Trends)

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:04:53 -0500

New article on Engagement and participation policy now out in Cultural Trends. We are interested in all your opinions on the article, so we look forward to generating any discussions topic-related on our blog, so please feel free to leave your comments.

The article can be downloaded at the link below: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09548963.2011.589708. Leila Jancovich (2011): Great art for everyone? Engagement and participation policy in the arts, Cultural Trends, 20:3-4, 271-279

EPIC AWARDS: Showcasing excellence in the amateur arts and crafts

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:52:00 -0500

“Excellence and quality of art forms is at the heart of the sector. It is therefore important to recognise the value of the sector as a core part of the broader arts ecology which is driven by creative practice, both in relation to keeping traditional art forms alive and developing new and innovative creative products.” Our Creative and Talent: the voluntary and amateur arts in England. DCMS / Arts Council England (2008)

The Epic Awards 2011 are an initiative of Voluntary Arts, the national development agency for arts participation. Voluntary Arts offers information, advice, training and development opportunities to those in the voluntary arts sector, from small local groups to large national organisations.

To get involved or to find out more about the awards: http://epicawards.co.uk/

CLOSING DATE: 30th of November 2011.

THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN PARTICIPATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN THE ARTS – SEMINAR 5

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:23:00 -0500

The registration for the fifth event in our Participation & Engagement in the Arts seminar series on “The Role Of Technology In Participation And Engagement In The Arts” is now open.

Places are free, but limited. In order to attend the seminar series, please contact us on participationandengagement-arts@leedsmet.ac.uk to reserve your place as soon as possible.

This session is hosted by the Cultural Lab and the Newcastle University and will focus on the role of the technology on the participation and engagement in arts. We look forward to hearing presentations from Miss Sarah Cook - Lecturer and Researcher, University of Sunderland; Rachel Clarke - Artist & PhD student, Culture Lab, Newcastle University; Roots and Wings (CIC) and Arts Council.Culture Lab is located on Newcastle University Campus Grand Assembly Rooms, King’s Walk, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU (http://culturelab.ncl.ac.uk/about/contact). More information on how to reach Newcastle University, can be found on: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/about/visit/travel/.

Another great seminar and our Summer conference announced

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 09:59:00 -0400

Thanks to everyone who attended our event this week, hosted by the Institute of Cultural Capital and held at the Art & Design Academy in Liverpool. We enjoyed fantastic presentations from James Doeser, Research & Knowledge Officer at Arts Council England; Dr Abigail Gilmore, Director of the Centre for Arts Management & Cultural Policy at the University of Manchester; Sarah Thornton, Artistic Director of Collective Encounters in Liverpool and Dr Ian Hunter, Project Director and Lead Artist at LITTORAL Arts Trust.

All resources from the seminar can be downloaded at Previous Events & Seminars.

We are excited to announce our Summer 2012 conference, on participation and engagement in the arts and in association with the Cultural Trends journal. We are now accepting abstract submissions. Please download our call for papers here.

Seminar 4- the role place & geography play in levels of arts engagement

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 08:53:00 -0400

Our fourth event is taking place on Tuesday 20th September, 1-5pm and we are delighted that it will be hosted by the Institute of Cultural Capital at the Art & Design Academy, Liverpool John Moores University.

The session will focus on place and geography and their relationship to levels of arts engagement in both urban and rural areas. We are looking forward to presentations from Dr Abigail Gilmore, Director of the Centre for Arts Management & Cultural Policy, University of Manchester; James Doeser, Research & Knowledge Officer, Arts Council England; Sarah Thornton, Artistic Director, Collective Encounters and Dr Ian Hunter, Project Director & Lead Artist at LITTORAL Arts Trust.

A full programme can be downloaded here (PDF).

Places are free but limited, if you would like to attend please contact us on participationandengagement-arts@leedsmet.ac.uk ASAP.

Any more thoughts?

Fri, 27 May 2011 11:08:00 -0400

As it will be a while before the group meet in person again (September!), we would very much like to know if Wednesday’s session raised any further questions, thoughts, musings or issues for you?

And do you plan to implement anything learnt on Wednesday in your own work? If so, how?

Please post below with any further comments or feel free to propose further topics for discussion.

Thanks

Seminar 3 - Psychological levers and barriers

Fri, 27 May 2011 06:13:00 -0400

Our third event took place this week at Old Broadcasting House in Leeds.

The day focussed on exploring the psychological levers and barriers to participation and engagement in the arts, with presentations from Phil Russell at Hoot, Toby Lowe at Helix Arts, Ruth Melville at the Institute of Cultural Capital, Dr Myna Trustram of Renaissance North West and Professor Lynn Froggett from the International School of Communities, Rights & Inclusion at UCLAN. Workshops followed where the group enjoyed the chance to discuss the key issues collaboratively and to share their own experiences on the topic.

Again, Over 50 were in attendance from arts organisations, local authorities, Arts Council England and regional universities, with many having attended all events so far.

We also announced that, in Summer 2012, the series will culminate in a one day conference in association with the journal Cultural Trends (Routledge).

Full presentations are available here.

'Taking Part' six years on

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 11:36:00 -0400

According to Arts Professional Magazine(http://www.artsprofessional.co.uk/Magazine/view.cfm?id=5588&issue=235) the new figures released from the taking part survey show that “six years of audience development work has not upped engagement levels” in England, despite claims to the contrary by the Arts Council.

We would like people to join us in considering

1) What evidence do we have to support or refute either position

2) Do we believe participation and engagement strategies are and should be continued priorities for cultural policy makers and practitioners

2) What are the continuing levers and barriers to engagement

3) What new strategies might effect change

Please click on the speech bubble icon below to comment.

Welcome to our new blog & News of next event

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:49:00 -0400

Welcome to the new Knowledge Exchange Network blog. We will be using this space to post all resources from the seminar programme, news of future events, a list of Network members and links relevant to our focus of participation and engagement in the arts across the North of England.

We will also like this blog to act as a forum for discussion between seminars.

Please contact us if you want to add anything to our links page or suggest a topic for discussion.

Details of the next event:

Seminar 3: Exploring the psychological levers and barriers to participation and engagement in the arts

Wednesday 25th May, 1-5pm

Old Broadcasting House, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9EN

Speakers include:

How to dance like no-one’s looking- Phil Russell, Creative Director, Hoot Music

Exploring the well-being impact of being a Liverpool Community Cultural Champion - Ruth Melville, Honorary Research Fellow, Institute for Cultural Capital at the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University

Finding cultural forms for personal experience: a psychosocial perspective on how museums engage participants-Myna Trustram, Research Manager, Renaiisance North West & Lynn Froggett, Professor of Psychosocial Welfare at the International School of Communities, Rights & Inclusion, University of Central Lancashire

Participatory Arts & Narrative Construction
Toby Lowe, Chief Executive, Helix Arts

Attendance is free but places are limited.

Please register with Isla Brown on i.k.brown@leedsmet.ac.uk or contact us on participationandengagement-arts@leedsmet.ac.uk.

Seminar 2 - Class, Ethnicity & Taste

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:46:00 -0400

21 January 2011

Contact Theatre, Manchester

Hosted with the Centre for Research on Socio-Cultural Change, University of Manchester/Open University and the Institute for Cultural Practices, University of Manchester

The second seminar of the Knowledge Exchange Network on participation and engagement in the arts took place on Friday 21^st January at Contact Theatre in Manchester, with Contact and the University of Manchester as the Network’s partner hosts.

The focus of the day was how issues of class, ethnicity and taste impact on the participation and engagement debate. Presentations were given by Baba Israel, Artistic Director of Contact Theatre, who discussed creating a collaborative and open platform for programming and producing and from Professor Mike Savage from the University of York who presented the findings of his research into the relationships between class and cultural taste.

The Network continues to provoke lively group discussion and, again, attracted over 50 university academics, cultural policy makers from the Arts Council and local authorities and practitioners; from individual artists to representatives from some of the North’s largest institutions.

With thanks to support from Dr Andrew Miles, Senior Research Fellow, ESRC Centre for Research on Socio- Cultural Change (CRESC) and Dr Abigail Gimore, Director of the Centre for Arts Management & Cultural Policy, University of Manchester.

Presentations and video resources available at Previous Events & Seminars.

Seminar 1 - An introduction to the Network

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:42:00 -0400

23 September 2010

Broadcasting Place, Leeds Metropolitan University

The first meeting of our new Knowledge Exchange Network on participation and engagement in the arts took place on the 23rd September, with over 50 people in attendance including academics from 10 universities, cultural policy makers from the Arts Council and local authorities and a large number of practitioners from individual artists to representatives from some of the North’s largest institutions.

Presentations were given by Leila Jancovich, from the UK Centre for Events Management, and Professor Franco Bianchini from the Cultural Planning and Policy Unit in the School of Cultural Studies alongside a guest lecture from Dr Andrew Miles, Senior Research Fellow, ESRC Centre for Research on Socio-Cultural Change (CRESC), The University of Manchester followed by lively workshops exploring different factors influencing participation and engagement in the arts.

Presentations and resources available to download at Previous Events & Seminars.