• Arts funding
• Fundraising
• Placemaking

Figurative is a not-for-profit organisation exploring inventive business and funding models for the cultural and creative sector. Associate Michael Garvey argues that being able to…

• Participatory arts
• Placemaking

Mathew Russell and David Shearing are directors of Havering London. When their bid for London Borough of Culture was unsuccessful, they set about reimagining A Good Life for the lo…

• Collaboration
• Research

As the landscape of research collaboration evolves, NCACE’s Suzie Leighton examines how research can fuel creative activism – with contributions from Catherine Clarke, Kwesi John…

• Placemaking
• Policy
• Volunteers

The government published its Civil Society Covenant Framework last autumn. Jason Jones-Hall of the cultural placemaking organisation, Five10Twelve, examines what it means for the c…

• Collaboration
• Supporting artists

Marie McPartlin is director of Somerset House Studios where she curates a space in the centre of London which hosts more than sixty resident artists working across disciplines.

• Collaboration
• Participatory arts
• Research

To what extent can finding a creative voice unlock your wider civic activist voice? Dr Katy Pilcher and Fun Palaces’ Amie Taylor have been investigating the question. and here they…

• Arts funding
• Collaboration
• Placemaking

With financial pressures mounting, staying true to social purpose can be a challenge for cultural organisations. The team at The Audience Agency give a shout out to those who are f…

• Disability
• Diversity
• Equality
• Placemaking

Creative People and Places (CPP) programmes take an action research approach to community engagement in arts, creativity and culture. Evaluator Jamie Buttrick has been working with…

• Collaboration
• Placemaking
• Research

Culture Central was founded as a voice for the cultural sector, working collaboratively to support a dynamic, resilient and inclusive cultural ecology in the region, writes Anthony…

• Collaboration
• Research

Arts and cultural organisations are wrestling daily with their business models to ensure sustainability. Suzie Leighton thinks they should look to their local university for suppor…

• Health and wellbeing
• Placemaking

Creative placemaking is vital for community cohesion, writes Tom Holley. But more than social benefits, it can generate significant economic returns too.

• Income
• Placemaking
• Regeneration

With the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget committing to an as-yet-unspecified ‘package of cultural infrastructure funding’, Jason Jones-Hall unpacks some of the learning and challe…

• Local authorities
• Placemaking
• Policy

At a time of increasing pressure on budgets for both arts organisations and local authorities, Gavin Barlow of The Albany explores how they might work together differently.

• Collaboration
• Scotland
• Theatre

Scotland’s arts sector has suffered continuing uncertainty in terms of public arts funding this year. Fiona Gibson, chief executive of Capital Theatres, thinks meaningful collabo…

• Access
• Collaboration
• Education

As the first Associate Director of Arts and Culture at the University of Southampton, and the Director of Turner Sims concert hall, Louise Coysh reflects on the civic role of unive…

• Collaboration
• Supporting artists

Collaboration drives opportunity, say Lucy French and Tom McKenzie. Here they discuss how collaborative and social enterprise approaches can address the need for creative spac…

• Collaboration
• Placemaking

A good partnership is based on a few basic principles. But, as Jason Jones-Hall argues, it cannot be achieved without a partnership mindset.

• Collaboration
• Education
• Museums and heritage

As the new academic year gets underway, Robert Dingle reflects on how collaboration between museums and schools can provide a richer learning experience for everybody.

• Collaboration
• Digital
• Placemaking

Fiona Morris explores the wide-ranging benefits of arts organisations building place-based partnerships. 

• Placemaking
• Policy
• Research

Universities and creative industries may seem unlikely bedfellows, but their potential – in partnership – to catalyse growth should not be underestimated, write Profess…