Research programme boosts devolved cultural policy making

This week AHRC Creative Communities announced three major project outputs, with the creation of a new Creative Communities Toolkit, the launch of funding opportunities through the Co-Lab Network Awards, and the publication of four new UK Culture and Devolution Policy Provocation Papers.

AHRC Creative Communities is a £3.9m major research programme funded by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and based at Northumbria University. It explores how co-created culture can enhance belonging, address regional inequality, deliver devolution, and break down barriers to opportunity for communities in devolved settings across all four nations of the UK.

Tracy Brabin, Chair of UK Mayors and Mayor of West Yorkshire Combined Authority, said: “The work of AHRC Creative Communities shows that devolving powers over culture and the creative industries drives greater economic growth. By drawing on a nation or region’s unique cultural heritage and investing in its homegrown talent, we will build vibrant communities, attract tourism and investment, and create good jobs across the UK.”

Monday 19 May saw the launch of a new Creative Communities Toolkit. Four new interactive multi-media modules offer users new ways to engage in research and development (R&D), connect with cross-sector stakeholders and learn about co-creation methodologies. The toolkit covers themes which include, how to take part in research and development at a local level, how to communicate innovations, best practice for sustained collaborations, and co-creating cultural policy.

Alongside the toolkit was the announcement of funding opportunities through the Co-Lab Network Awards 2026. The awards build on key learning from the 2024 UK-wide Creative Communities Policy Labs to fund four new cross-sector cultural policy networks, one in each of the three devolved nations and one in a devolved region of England to create new capacity for cross-sector collaborative exchange of policy ideas on culture and devolution (regional and national).

Speaking about the awards, Professor Katy Shaw, Director of the AHRC UK Creative Communities programme, explained: “Our new Co-Lab Network Awards aim to give cross-sector partners and communities time and space to consider the role of devolution in supercharging culture and delivering the UK Government Missions across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and devolved mayoral authorities in England.”

Bringing together the themes of collaboration and co-creation of policy, the Awards aim to build capacity and catalyse confidence in policy making for cross-sector partners working with Higher Education Institutions (HEI) and Independent Research Organisations (IRO) to deliver culture in a context of devolution.  Networks can operate digitally, in person and/or hybrid and must demonstrate reach and inclusive engagement between HEI/IROs and at least three other non-academic partners.

In addition to the toolkit and announcement of the awards, four UK Culture and Devolution Policy Provocation Papers were published this week which present innovative policy solutions co-created with cross-sector participants in the Creative Communities Policy Sprints that took place across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the devolved regions of England across 2024-25.

Policy recommendations focus on the capacity of culture in devolution to create a stronger, fairer economy and society through cross-sector collaboration and delivery into health and wellbeing, environment, belonging, and community cohesion.

Speaking about the papers, Professor Christopher Smith, Executive Director AHRC said: “The AHRC Creative Communities research programme is a key intervention in addressing regional inequality, delivering devolution, and breaking down barriers to opportunity for communities.

“The new Creative Communities devolution and culture policy papers offer co-created solutions for funding community infrastructure, improving frameworks for civic engagement and developing low-administration grants for grassroots organisations.

“Everyone everywhere should have the opportunity to engage in culture at a local level. Culture is the bedrock of a thriving community, fostering pride and resilience and contributing to prosperity and better health outcomes.”

You can find out more about the work of Creative Communities at: www.creativecommunities.uk