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Understanding the difference culture makes

We are building a shared understanding of the differences that arts, culture, heritage and screen make to people’s lives and to society. We want cultural policy and practice to be based on rigorous research and evaluation of what works and what needs to change.

About us
Arts Together at Left Bank Leeds – Mafwa Theatre. Photo: Tom Arber
A group of young performers, wearing brightly coloured outfits and fancy hats. They each have a drum and drumsticks.
Barnsley Bright Nights 2025. Northern Lights Celestial Carnival. Photo by James Mulkeen.
Our work

Cultural Vitality

Discover more about our current work exploring the pivotal role culture plays shaping place identity, fostering social cohesion and improving wellbeing.

More about Cultural Vitality

A glowing figure of a puppet gives a high five to a person in a red sari.
DUNDU Sharing The Light in Birmingham. Photo by John Bray. Courtesy of Global Streets/Festival.Org

Societal Readiness: Could it change how we think about cultural activity?

News
Stephen Dobson explores how the concept of Societal Readiness might help the cultural sector identify the conditions that make lasting change possible.
Exterior photo of the front of a traditional opera house at night.
La Fenice Theatre, Venice. Photo by Alice Borchi.

Beyond the bailout: What Italian opera houses reveal about cultural policy

News
What can the experience of Italian opera houses tell us about the wider relationship between cultural policy, investment and cultural vitality?
Three participants at a cultural vitality lab. They are stood around a table, making a collage together.
Cultural Vitality Labs with Norwich Creative City Compact. Photo by Andi Sapey.

Creative methods, cultural vitality and relational consultation practice

News
Holly Sandiford shares her reflections on how creative methods played a key role in spotlighting and connecting the many voices of the Norwich cultural sector in a recent series of Cultural Vitality Labs.
A person wearing a red cardigan sat at table cutting out some paper
 

How to … use creative methods in research, consultation and facilitation

guide-toolkit
Whether you’re thinking about evaluation, research or facilitation, incorporating creative methods can bring new voices and new perspectives into the room. In this How-to guide, facilitator, evaluator and socially-engaged artist, Holly Sandiford, shares more about why building creative methods into your practice can help to uncover richer data and insight, ...
In a studio, there's a close up of a screen recording an artist performing
 

How commoning practices became commonplace during the COVID-19 pandemic

research
During the COVID-19 pandemic, festivals faced a major challenge: how could they create meaningful shared experiences when people could no longer gather? Moving online was often described as a practical response to restrictions. However, research with Scottish festivals suggests that something more significant was happening. Organisers and communities found new ...
Six women stood together wearing colourful saris and holding parasols. They are each wearing a colourful, glowing wristband.
 

Research Digest: Understanding Cultural Vitality

research
This digest draws together research and practice on how to support the cultural vitality of places. Cultural vitality can be evaluated by locally specific indicators collected by local government, organisations and informal and community-led groups. These go beyond official statistics and visitor data to include qualitative and dynamic evidence of ...

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