‘I want to take the emotional risk’: getting men to open up about mental health

Photo of MAN UP performance
23 Sep 2019

Restoke anticipated difficulties getting local men to talk about their mental wellbeing – then 170 of them responded to its first casting call. Clare Reynolds explains how co-creation helped create lasting change

Giving all children access to the arts: Finland’s plan for cultural education

Photo of children at an art gallery
22 Sep 2019

Every teenager in Finland will get free visits local and national arts institutions, thanks to the country’s “innovative” plan for cultural education. Aleksi Valta describes how communities are building cultural competency from the ground up.

10 tips for making collaborative leadership work

Group of people meeting at a conference table
12 Sep 2019

An approach that prioritises trust, values and flexibility has helped museums in Cornwall share knowledge and expertise across a dispersed rural network, writes Emmie Kell.

Why we're taking action on mental health

A photo of a man and a woman drinking coffee
12 Sep 2019

A new collective is enabling the sector to share insights and ideas to support better mental health and wellbeing, writes Laura Edralin.

Telling new stories around disability

Photo of a woman in a wheelchair in the 'Being Human' gallery
05 Sep 2019

Medical museums can be deeply offensive to disabled visitors. Richard Sandell introduces a radical project that replaced prejudiced perspectives with rights and respect.

What we’ve learned moving from London to Essex

Carnival dancers parading through Tilbury, Thurrock adorned in brightly coloured garments accented with a keyboard pattern
29 Aug 2019

Relocating Kinetika’s work in carnival, outdoor and participatory arts to rapidly-changing Thurrock has allowed the company to renew its purpose and increase its impact, says Ali Pretty.

Tackling diversity in children's arts: what we've learned in a year

A man in a wheelchair performing for a group of young children
18 Jul 2019

Tara Lopez identifies three key themes that have emerged so far from the four-year Vital Spark initiative.

Shining a light on local culture

Photo of a transgender person getting ready at a vanity table as a audience watches on.
27 Jun 2019

The LightNight festival initially aimed to showcase Liverpool's artists to outsiders - but it is now more concerned with galvanising the local cultural scene, writes Laura Marie Brown.

Thinking big about health

Photo of The Hub at Wellcome Collection
20 Jun 2019

The Hub at Wellcome Collection brings together academics and practitioners to tackle issues like rest and busyness, rare dementias and inclusive research, writes Harriet Martin.

Weaving a rich tapestry

A graphic of Asian dancers, a woman playing a guitar and two people using a switchboard
12 Jun 2019

Kirklees in West Yorkshire has a vision for local development rooted firmly in its historic links to the textile and music industries, says Kath Davies.

Without help, without permission

A photo of Pride of Princes, an interactive performance
12 Jun 2019

A perpetual, community-led art project is transforming neighbourhoods in Exeter, street by street. JoJo Spinks explains why handing control of commissioning to local people has been crucial to its success.

Dancing to a new tune

Photo of Young people, Protein Dance artists and teachers from Bishopton Pupil Referral Unit at ARC, Stockton-on-Tees
15 May 2019

A programme in Stockton-on-Tees has helped young people excluded from mainstream schools learn new skills, develop self-worth and show others what they can achieve, writes Rachele Rapisardi.

Queuing up for 50p tickets

A photo of a queue of people outside Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
02 May 2019

There are queues around the block for a chance to nab the Citizens Theatre's 50p tickets – an offer that’s available for every production. It’s not just a way of diversifying audiences, it also brings to life the theatre’s history, and civic mission, says Dominic Hill.

Time to walk the talk

Photo of Julian Mitchell leading a coding activity at Raynham Primary School in London
02 May 2019

Frustrated with the decline of arts and creative subjects in schools, Nick Corston gave up his day job to form a not-for-profit enterprise that connects children with art in their community.

Finding a voice

Photo of ORA Singers in rehearsal for one of their new commissions
11 Apr 2019

As composition becomes increasingly sidelined in school music, Natalie Watson discusses a mentoring scheme providing professional support to promising students.

Crafting their next steps

Photo of three woman building crafts, one using a handheld deal
11 Apr 2019

Katy Sadler explains how a festival in one of Birmingham’s busiest thoroughfares enables craft and design graduates to test their ideas in a supportive environment.

An experiment in openness

Photo of New Associates attending an early stage reading
11 Apr 2019

Not convinced that existing artist development programmes were making a tangible difference, New Perspectives Theatre Company has created a year-long scheme designed to be both open and flexible, says Jack McNamara.

A year of exploration

Photo of a performance of 10,000 Gestures
11 Apr 2019

Amy Lawrence outlines the wide-ranging benefits arising from her Jerwood Creative Fellowship at Manchester International Festival.

An end to awkward questions

Photo of Taking Flight Theatre Company and Chapter’s production of Peeling by Kaite O’Reilly with an integrated cast, embedded BSL and creative captioning
04 Apr 2019

Wales' national arts access scheme for disabled people and their carers removes the need for uncomfortable eligibility conversations. Megan Merrett explains how.

Bringing libraries to life

Photo of a young man playing a keyboard
28 Mar 2019

Libraries will always be about books and information, but in Manchester they’re also a place for local communities to enjoy live gigs and other arts events. Zoe Williams explains how the transformation has taken place.

Pages

Subscribe to Case study