Report | Creative People and Places: Digital Engagement & Opportunities
September 2019
Themes
Insight and practical recommendations for how CPPs can harness digital tools more effectively.
Creative People and Places | Digital Engagement & Opportunities
It is clear that CPPs are working with their communities to create incredible experiences, change perceptions and reshape cultural provision. There are, however, opportunities for CPPs to build on their current use of digital tools and go further. This is particularly evident in the area of the creative and artistic programme.
Read the report (PDF)Creative People and Places (CPP) is an action research project which aims to support more of the public to help shape local cultural provision, particularly in areas where there are fewer opportunities to get involved in the arts. Collaborations between arts and non-arts organisations, including voluntary groups, community organisations, museums and libraries, are helping to develop new and different approaches to how cultural programmes are created.
There are currently 21 CPP projects working across England, each with their own unique approach. Collectively they, alongside their communities, are experimenting, exploring and learning what conditions and approaches work most effectively to democratise arts and culture. In doing so they are increasing attendance and participation in excellent art and culture.
As noted by the Culture is Digital report, published in 2018, digital tools and technologies provide a potential route to help CPPs to reach a broader audience, develop engaging activities and empower communities. This research was commissioned to identify how CPPs are currently using digital tools and technologies and where the opportunities lie to further develop their approach.
CPPs are at the forefront of a model and practice that is referred to as ‘cultural democracy’ - which represents the overlap between the cultural sector and wider trends in participatory democracy and citizen-centred codesign of public and other services. Findings on CPPs’ digital practice and the further opportunities, may well be applicable to the wider arts and cultural sector in how they shift to being more driven by their communities.
The insights in this report are based on primary research with all CPPs plus some of their beneficiaries and collaborators. It also draws on useful examples of best practice in relation to digital engagement and development from the cultural sector outside CPPs and the wider third sector.
