Case studies

Innovation in local government is about improving the lives of the people in our communities. Browse through our case studies to see the many innovative programmes councils are involved in.

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Meanwhile in Plymouth

As part of the post-Covid city centre plan Plymouth Culture developed and launched a programme of meanwhile use, taking on empty units and activating them as spaces for creative and cultural projects. The objective was to look beyond simply driving footfall to reimagining the high street.

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Museum of Making in Derby

Celebrating the area’s rich history of innovation, the Museum of Making in the Derwent Valley Mills UNESCO World Heritage Site opened in May 2021 as a contemporary space telling Derby’s 300-year history of making.

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Museums by Mail

Throughout the pandemic Sheffield Museums focused on bringing collections, exhibitions and events to people online and in community settings. Museums by Mail was conceived to lift the spirits of those at risk of loneliness.

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National Lottery Heritage Fund: Area of Focus in North East Lincolnshire

In 2020, North East Lincolnshire Council were successful in receiving a solicited grant of £250,000 from National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) in support of building capacity and driving engagement in an Area of Focus.

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North Yorkshire – Culture and Local Government Reorganisation

The North Yorkshire authorities have submitted a live case study, capturing their work so far to bring together the culture, leisure and sport provisions and strategies of their eight authorities as part of local government reorganisation.

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Open House: Art and engagement in North Cambridge

Open House is a long-term creative collaboration between Kettle’s Yard art gallery and its neighbouring communities in North Cambridge. What initially started as an audience development programme resulted in broader impact developing pride, a sense of place, a reduction in social isolation and improved wellbeing.

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Open Up the Mic in Blackpool

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.

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Oxford Road, Reading: Re-imagining the High Street Through Your Stories

As a High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ), Reading Borough Council was awarded a £85,000 grant from Historic England to create and deliver community-led cultural activities on the high street over the next three years.

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Palmer Park library and Reading College partnership

Palmer Park library in East Reading supports a range of students, including learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities at nearby Reading College (run by Activate Learning) to gain, develop and improve customer service skills, offering a way of gaining skills in a real life environment, whilst ensuring that a public library service can still be sustainably provided.

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Pathfinder projects

In April 2005, a number of local authorities in England embarked on a two-year pilot programme, jointly initiated by the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The aim was to highlight innovation, learning and transferability in using culture to support partnership working in the shared priority areas.

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