Case studies

Volunteering for Veterans is a wellbeing and conservation project for Veterans of the Armed Forces working on Birmingham Museum Trust’s (BMT) motorbike collection.

Sheffield Museums have a successful volunteering programme with over 200 volunteers who engage in research, events, creative workshops, heritage walks and gardening, and support volunteering for people with barriers to entering the workplace.

A partnership was formed between Blackpool’s Children's Services and Blackpool’s Grand Theatre. After consultation with young people experiencing life in care; the ‘Illuminate’ project was co-produced.

Showtown worked with youth organisation HeadStart and professional comedians to deliver Open Up the Mic, a 12-week course supporting young people aged 10-15 to develop their resilience, performance skills and confidence.

During the pandemic, Sheffield Museums wanted to ensure the city’s museums and the collections continued to provide inspiration for the young people. While physical access to the sites continued to be limited, they worked in partnership with Ignite Yorkshire to run Young Makers - project-based online work experience for young people aged 14-25 years old.

South Kesteven District Council’s mental health and wellbeing cross party working group worked in collaboration with health partners, a mental health charity and a community arts provider to investigate whether a local information resource would be useful to help reduce isolation and loneliness post Covid.

In lockdown, when Arts Centres in Stamford, Grantham and Bourne had to suddenly close their doors, it meant that many self-employed artists and performers lost their bookings/work and so were no longer able to generate an income.

Stevenage’s 10-year Arts & Heritage Strategy is centred on a co-production approach between the council and community, responding to community needs and ensuring sustainable cultural growth. A particular focus on working with and developing marginalised communities also ensures cultural growth addresses socio-economic inequalities, including disproportionate impact of COVID-19.

As part of wider regeneration proposals for Stevenage Town Centre, the Danestrete Bus Station has relocated to a new facility. The vacant bus station space presents an exciting transformation opportunity in the heart of the town in advance of wider regeneration proposals happening.

Surrey County Council have been exploring the role of commissioned, publicly funded culture in challenging health inequalities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic with NHS.