Collaborate project spotlight
Find out more about the research project between Compass Live Art and Matthew Reason, Institute for Social Justice, York St John University
The impact of co-creation
Research partnership:
Compass Live Art with Matthew Reason, Institute for Social Justice, York St John University
Research focus:
Making with / Researching with – exploring the experiences, values and impact of different forms of co-creation
This partnership was awarded a research grant in June 2022 as part of the first round of the Centre for Cultural Value’s Collaborate programme.
The fund supported innovative new partnerships between cultural sector practitioners and academics to explore under-explored questions around cultural value.
What did the project explore?
Compass Live Art has ten years of experience producing socially engaged, interactive live art. Through processes of ‘making with’ – such as co-creation and community participation – Compass produces work in non-art spaces that engage under-represented audiences, including those new to the arts.
The research partnership with Matthew Reason and Lauren Hall from York St John University investigated the experiences of both artists and audiences taking part in ‘making with’, as well as exploring the experiences of previous festival attendees. The methodology included walking interviews, where participants revisited the locations of previous Compass Festival events to explore enduring memories of impact and agency.
At a time when the cultural sector is looking to co-creation and participation to engage new and different audiences, this research provided valuable insights into the impact of co-creation on arts engagement.
