Culture & HeritageCrowd- and Community-Fuelled Archaeological Research
Principal Investigator: Andrew Bevan
From 2013 to 2014
This project develops a web platform called MicroPasts where full-time academic researchers, volunteer archaeological and historical societies and other interested members of the public can collaborate together. It is a place where enthusiasts of any background can not only create high-quality research data together about our human history, but also collaboratively design and fund entirely new research projects. Read more
Cultural intermediation: connecting communities in the creative urban economy
Principal Investigator: Dr Phil Jones (University of Birmingham)
From 2012 to 2016
Cultural intermediation is a set of processes that seek to get people involved in activities within the creative and cultural economy. This can encompass a wide range of activities from poetry coaching through training people with new IT skills, to outreach activities by a local museum. Read more
Meanwhile use as performance: Securing social value from vacant space
Principal Investigator: Andy Dearden (Sheffield Hallam University)
From 2012 to 2013
’Meanwhile’ use of temporarily vacant spaces is applied by many organisations to access cheap space during the recession. This project explored how community-based organisations could make the most effective use of these opportunities. We brought together community development practitioners, community groups, landlords, local authority representatives and ‘meanwhile’ brokers to explore issues. Read more
Preserving Place: A Cultural Mapping Exercise
Principal Investigator: Dr Karen Smyth, University of East Anglia
From 2014 to 2015
The project evaluates processes involved in community choice, use and attitude towards place. What places are community groups interested in preserving? What places do they use to preserve their stories? This project is interested in the narratives behind these choices. Read more
Understanding everyday participation – articulating cultural values
Principal Investigator: Dr Andrew Miles (University of Manchester)
2011
This project proposes a radical re-evaluation of the relationship between participation and cultural value. We are used to thinking about the benefits of the arts as a traditional way of understanding culture and its value but what about the meanings and stakes people attach to their hobbies and pastimes? Read more
The Poetics of the Archive: creative and community engagement with the Bloodaxe Archives
Principal Investigator: Professor Linda Anderson Newcastle University
From 2013 to 2015
The archive of Bloodaxe Books, newly acquired by Newcastle University, is one of the most extensive and significant poetry archives in the world. The challenge is to unlock its meaning and use by seeing it as more than a scholarly resource, accessible through standard search-based catalogue, and to allow more creative, open-ended and playful interactions with it. Read more
Untold stories of volunteering: a cultural animation project
Principal Investigator: Professor Mihaela Kelemen (Keele University)
From 2013 to 2014
The project aims to give voice to ‘untold stories of volunteering’ by employing a cultural animation methodology to ensure that such stories are co-designed and co- produced with and by volunteers and other interested stakeholders. Read more
Tangible Memories: Community in care
Principal Investigator: Dr Helen Manchester
From 2014 to 2015
Bringing together an interdisciplinary team including digital artists and makers, learning researchers, computer scientists, social historians, older people themselves and those who work with them we are co-producing a set of new digital tools that will address some of the key societal challenges concerning the care and well-being of older people and the legacy of the memories and stories that Read more
Bridging the Gap between Academic Theory and Community Relevance: Fresh Insights from American Pragmatism
Principal Investigator: Professor Mihaela Kelemen, Keele University
From 2013 to 2014
‘Bridging the Gap’ focuses on what is considered ‘actionable’ knowledge by communities and what makes knowledge relevant, useful and/or practical at their end. The four AHRC projects involved in this collaborative grant application share the view that academic theories are not ends in themselves; rather that they must serve the needs of the communities studied. Read more
How should decisions about heritage be made?: Co-designing a research project
Principal Investigator: Dr Helen Graham, University of Leeds
2014
‘How should decisions about heritage be made?’ is an unusual research project because, when we started, we didn’t exactly know what it was about! This is because a team of people from lots of different types of organisations, groups and communities worked together in early 2013 to work together to design the research questions and its methods. Read more
