1. Culturing communities?Understanding intermediation andlocalityWork Package: .Communities,Culture andCreative Economies

2. Aims To explore how intermediation connectscommunities into the creative economy . To explore how these insights can beenhanced to break down the tensionbetween hard-to-reach communities andinaccessible cultural resources. To develop means to measure value ofintermediation activities within targetedcommunities. 3. Research questions How have formal processes of culturalintermediation engaged with differentcommunities, particularly those that havebeen hard-to-reach? To what extent have activities served tofacilitate the connection of thesecommunities into the creative economy? 4. InvestigationsFrameworkFrom policy to impactA view from without and from within BalsallHeath and Ordsall (and from SW, JS, IE, SM) empirical perspectives 5. Dynamic sites Interests spaces as objects of policy (andreputation, self image, etc) Comprehension and communication (the C worditself Stravinsky!) - translation between thelanguage of policy makers and that of the culturalproducers (OConnor, 2004: 40) The researchers assumptions and appeal An over-determination of categories andpractice? Not a judgment a view from the other end,and in progress, in processes 6. Policy: culturing communities 7. Participation in culture is inherently a good thing itchallenges perceptions, prompts feelings of happiness,sadness, anger and excitement, creates moments ofpersonal reflection and enables people to understand theworld they live in, its possibilities and the cultures of othersmore profoundly. Cultural activities encourage self andgroup expression and provoke reactions at an emotional,spiritual and intellectual level, improving the quality of lifein the city and a sense of identity and belonging. Culturalactivities can also deliver a range of other outcomesincluding health and wellbeing, social and communitycohesion, civic engagement, economic impact,development of transferable skills and improvedenvironment. 8. Whose culture? (Communities arecultured) I am increasingly wary of a professionalised creative sector thatdisguises its privileges by claiming democratic value. This is not tobemoan the inherent worth of professional and specialist artsproduction nor its contributions to contemporary society; only topoint to a risk. A cultural class has emerged in the region and isappearing to dominate public spaces for engagement and absorbthe major portion of available public funding. The effect,unintentionally, is to obscure the vernacular and living culturesof super-local social communities in the region, in favour of whatis claimed to be high value and high quality arts. My perception isthat it has become increasingly difficult for citizens to influencechange through their own creative actions and so they have tobecome increasingly deviant and imaginative as a way of preservingand promoting their own cultural enterprise (activism). Paul Haywood Perspectives essay: social arts, creative flux andcitizen led innovation Contributed by on 01.04.2013 9. Historical dynamics and legacies ofplace 10. Explorations: A walking method 11. Capturing intermediations andinteractions Presence: being in and of places alliancesand co-research (a feedback loop) A snapshot of the cultural texture of the urbanmilieu Between provision 12. Connecting Communities into Culture? 13. Official sites 14. A mansion on the hill 15. ..and organic 16. Contextual snapshots Between provisionand production Assets tangible and intangible 17. A history of culture (not seen orheard?) 18. Local organization (policies andpractices) 19. A space of culture/s 20. Digital sites 21. An imaginative space 22. For nurturing imagination 23. expressions (outside ofintermediations) 24. A site of dispute concerns among a sizeable group of staff that somecultural traditions and beliefs are being promotedmore than others... improving standards at the same time as preparingpupils to be well-rounded citizens in modern Britishsociety. .. Parents appreciate it when their children celebratefestivals such as Diwali, Christmas, Easter, Chinese NewYear and Eid. They would like even more opportunitiesfor children to experience British culture. 25. Contested cultures 26. In the winter of culture (Jean Clair)Behind the picture : a right to culture? 27. A canvas for commissioning Betwixt and between lived culture andmanifestations of Culture Articulations (vs. consumption) A mode of organic policy (for publication?)