Back in December, we reported on how Creative Lives – a two-year research project and partnership between Culture Republic and City of Edinburgh Council (Arts and Creative Learning, Children and Families and Culture and Sport) – had delved into the activity, levels and diversity of learning and participation activity being delivered by cultural organisations in Edinburgh.

On 14 January 2015 Culture Republic hosted a session with the Creative Lives participants, inviting them to feed back on their experience of the project and to take an active role in shaping the vision for Creative Lives’ future development as we head into 2015.

Participants explained how important the Creative Lives network had become for them. The opportunity that it provided for professionals to come together to share and learn was a valuable component of the project and one which participants were keen to maintain and develop.

We spent time during the session working on a briefing paper based on the data already collected, and identifying the key messages participants would like to share with stakeholders. The data was agreed to be an important means of raising the profile of the project activity, as well as demonstrating both change and reach.

Creative Lives participants were able to identify the issues they were experiencing in their work and the topics they would like Creative Lives to explore in order to develop their practice. The project team agreed the following priorities for 2015:

• Streamlined data collection starting in April 2015;
• Single voice briefing paper from 13/14 data created for participant, sector and stakeholder use;
• Continue to develop the Creative Lives network allowing opportunities for sharing, networking, learning and developing practice. The following sessions were requested for 2015:
  • Community focused sharing session allowing Creative Lives participants to talk about their work specifically with community groups, targeted individuals and the wider public;
  • Education-focused sharing session;
  • Education-focused briefing session – providing practical ‘how to’ advice on how to engage with schools, what you need to know and be aware of, how things work;
  • Community-focused briefing session;
  • Inspirational event with a sector leader to provide external reflection and critical feedback on the work and generate motivation among the sector;
  • Practical collaborative sessions to enable Creative Lives participants to identify opportunities and partnerships;
  • Career Long Professional Learning opportunities identified and shared with Creative Lives participants.

Clair Gilchrist. Associate Director at Culture Republic and Creative Lives project manager, said:

Providing opportunities for engagement in culture is at the heart of our work at Culture Republic. Working with cultural organisations providing learning and participation activity, we can play a part in ensuring these activities have the widest scope and maximum impact. Creative Lives is a great example of the different dimensions of Culture Republic’s work coming together. The data from the Creative Lives participants and their activity provides the bedrock for evidence and an informed overview of the provision, yet some of the most inspirational aspects of the project have come from Creative Lives participants sharing their experiences with each other; from the testimony of the recipients of the learning and participation activity and from the vision offered by experts in the field. We are excited about the enthusiasm shown for the project and the commitment that the Creative Lives participants expressed and are looking forward Creative Lives 2015.

Linda Lees, Service Manager, Arts and Creative Learning, Children and Families, Creative Lives strategic lead for City of Edinburgh Council, Creative Learning Network Manager for Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian, said:

Creative Lives is a good example of a strategic and operational partnership that is responsive and working well. As well as collecting useful data, it is a sharing of knowledge, skills and experience among people with a shared interest in the arts in learning and participations settings. One of the greatest potential strengths is that Creative Lives can help develop the sector, supporting people and organisations to talk about the common themes in our work regardless of the artform or size of organisation. Ever more important in these financially difficult times! That it articulates well with the Creative Learning Network is important and a strength which will undoubtedly grow. The use of data, coupled with real stories about real people and bringing these dimensions together is what intelligent networking is all about! There is a genuine enthusiasm for Creative Lives and 2015 should be another interesting year.

If you are delivering learning and participation work in Edinburgh and are not currently part of the Creative Lives project please contact us to get involved.