NCACE Collection Writing workshops (16th and 23rd November 2026)
NCACE Collection Writing workshops, 2pm - 3.30pm 16th and 23rd November 2026
NCACE is pleased to announce two new writing workshops to support early career academics and others who are interested in writing about collaboration with the arts and culture sector. These will be a starting point to help researchers working on collaborations/partnerships with the arts and culture sector and wider communities, to think about how best to tell those stories and communicate their work to different stakeholders.
Utilising the resources that form the NCACE Collection, these workshops will:
- create an opportunity for deep connection with the NCACE Collection
- create space to foster understanding about cross-sector collaboration and the various contexts in which these occur
- provide an opportunity to reflect on participants' own partnerships and to consider the values of this work for different stakeholders
- develop practical skills in writing and story-telling for diverse communities of interest
- foster new conversations and networks around the topic of cultural collaboration
The workshops will be led by Dr Simon Strange with Evelyn Wilson, Co-Director, NCACE. In order to gain the most from this experience, participants are encouraged to sign up for both sessions.
The structure of the workshops will be as follows:
Workshop 1 - 16 November
Following a brief introduction to NCACE and the NCACE Collection, this session will then provide:
- An overview of the main elements of narrative design
- An exploration into various storytelling structures such as the Hero’s Journey, Le Guin’s bag, 3 Act etc...
- Advice on how to utilise narrative techniques in a collaborative environment
We will also look at writing for different formats – from journal articles to blog posts
Participants are asked to come having read one or more pieces from NCACE Collection, as well as thinking about their own writing, and to consider how the narrative is defined and how is the story told?
Workshop 2 – 23 November
In session 2, we will consider the notion of writing to a specific brief, utilising practical ideas from session 1, developing narrative techniques for research project or funding and exploring this from a collaborative base. How can you tell the story effectively with your own voice whilst answering the specific call which is coming from the funders or partners perspective. This session will turn ideas into practical content, which can be used to support the development of your project.
Information for participants
To be selected for this workshop, we ask participants to send in a brief Expression of Interest of no more than 150 words outlining:
- why you would like to join the cohort
- the benefits you feel this opportunity could bring to your practice and/or career development
You are also asked to name up to 3 documents from the NCACE Collection that are particularly pertinent to your interests.
It is imperative that you are available to attend both sessions so do please ensure you have availability before submitting your Expression of Interest.
Deadline: Submit to Dr Mai Musie, NCACE Senior Manager (Research, Evidence, Policy) by email to mai.musie@sas.ac.uk by midday 19h October.
We will aim to be in touch with all those who have submitted EOIs by Monday 26th October.
Background to the NCACE Collection
The NCACE Collection is an evolving body of publications commissioned to further develop and nurture influential and engaging knowledge, know-how and resources on the values of cultural collaboration, creative research partnerships and knowledge exchange.
We often describe the Collection as ‘a community garden’ for knowledge generation, publishing and discussion on collaborative ecologies between HE and the arts and culture sector, the values and impacts derived from them and their effects over time. Nurturing spaces for fresh thinking and the transmission of new knowledge and ideas about this work is also a major driver of this part of NCACE’s work.