Can you help us tell the story of your individual or community experiences of engaging with creative and cultural activities during the pandemic? 

The Centre for Cultural Value is leading a national research project exploring how and why people have engaged with cultural and creative activities during the Covid-19 pandemic. The project will help us better understand the value of culture and creativity to people’s lives and communities.

We’re looking to collaborate with individuals, communities, voluntary or amateur groups and audiences who are willing to share their own experiences and encourage others to participate in creating a “digital tapestry” of connected stories which will illustrate shared and individual experiences through the pandemic.

We’ve created a community storytelling app – Valuing Culture that will help people to easily record their experiences of taking part in events or activities with cultural organisations and of their everyday creative activities at home, online, with families and friends or in our communities. Valuing Culture is based on Yarn, a community storytelling app co-designed by the University of Leeds and several communities around the UK.

What will be involved? 

We’d love you to join our friendly, online workshops in partnership with Bradford LEAP. At the workshop you’ll be able to discuss your creative and cultural experiences during lockdown and learn how to use Valuing Culture to record and connect your stories to those of other individuals, families, communities and groups. Don’t worry if you haven’t ever used online platforms like this before, there will be lots of support and advice. Also, there’s a £10 Amazon voucher on offer as a thank you for your time commitment.

Who’s this workshop for?

Anyone over the age of 18 who wants to share their experiences of creative and cultural activity during a pandemic… whether you’re part of a community, a voluntary or amateur group or just yourself and your friends or family.

These workshops are not aimed at professional artists or arts organisations, but do get in touch at ccv@leeds.ac.uk if you would like to discuss how you or communities you are working with could be involved.

How do I get involved? 

Please sign up for the online workshop on Wednesday 18 August 10am – midday at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/valuing-culture-creativity-and-culture-during-covid-19-tickets-165400125227

Accessibility

We want to make the workshop a positive experience for all participants. If you have particular access needs please let us know in advance at ccv@leeds.ac.uk

Live transcription by a palantypist (speech to text reporter) will be available for this workshop. Transcription will be available on Zoom captions, and on StreamText.net.

The session takes place on Zoom. Read Zoom’s accessibility FAQ’s here.

A note on confidentiality

These workshops are part of a national research project. Stories you contribute to the Valuing Culture platform will be part of a wider analysis by researchers examining the impact of the pandemic on the cultural and creative industries. You can contribute your stories anonymously or under a pseudonym if you prefer and you can withdraw consent for your stories to be used at any time. Your stories will also be available to view by visitors to the platform.

If you’d like to know more or have any questions about the project, please contact: ccv@leeds.ac.uk

The project is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) as part of UKRI’s Covid-19 funding.

Image: Events at Left Bank Leeds. Photo: Sally Molineaux