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The NCACE Blog platform fosters a vibrant community of writers exploring collaborations between higher education and the arts, showcasing diverse stories, experiences, and reflections on cross-sector partnership.

REF 2021: Addressing societal Grand Challenges through arts and culture research

Dr Ning Baines, Lecturer in Marketing - University of Leicester

In our recent report on REF 2021: Research Impact and the Arts and Culture sectors, one of the themes we explored was how research, in collaborations with the arts, can address what are sometimes referred to as ‘Grand Challenges’. ‘Grand Challenges’ can be thought of as specific critical barrier(s) that, if removed, would help solve … Read more…

Knowledge exchange has always been at the heart of music conservatoires, but do current metrics accurately reflect the richness of these KE environments?

Dr Michelle Phillips, Royal Northern College of Music

Knowledge exchange is a term used to describe a variety of activities that creative higher education institutions have been undertaking for a long time. What we may refer to as outreach, business and community engagement, impact, and / or widening participation, falls under this term, defined by UKRI as ‘universities and other higher education institutions … Read more…

How does academic research generate impact through, or on, artistic and cultural activities? An analysis of the 2021 REF impact case studies

Dr Federica Rossi, Co-Investigator, Evidence and Impacts - NCACE

The importance of impact arising from, and having effects on, artistic and cultural production While it is broadly acknowledged that academic research should generate real-world impact, the discourse often focuses on impact arising from academic knowledge feeding into technological and business innovation; much less so on the impacts that involve, either as means or outcomes, … Read more…

Creative Change: Interaction and Impact on Wellbeing in Incarceration

Artist Faye Claridge and Researcher Dr Ana Chamberlen (University of Warwick)

Faye Claridge and Dr Ana Chamberlen, are awardees of the second round of NCACE Micro-commissions. They undertook a programme of collaborative conversations to share their experiences and research on imprisonment and wellbeing with the aim to develop understanding of how creative and research interventions in prison settings can be effectively measured for impact on health … Read more…

Exploring innovative uses of immersive media technologies to enhance the teaching of arts and heritage in Rugby Art Gallery and Museum: A Collaborative research project with Birmingham City University and STEAMhouse.

Phoebe Hilton, Senior Learning and Engagement Officer (Rugby Art Gallery and Museum)

The aim of this project was to explore, test and identify the creative and technical possibilities of utilising immersive media technologies in local authority run combined arts and heritage venue Rugby Art Gallery and Museum (RAGM). Focussed on the themes of digital storytelling and technology for social good, we developed a feasibility study which will … Read more…

Planting & Playmaking

Polly Tisdall (actor, director, traditional storyteller and creative facilitator) and Dr Giulia Carabelli (Queen Mary, University of London)

In April 2023 theatre maker, Polly Tisdall and researcher, Dr Giulia Carabelli received a £1000 micro-commission from the National Centre for Academic and Cultural Exchange to explore the beginnings of a collaborative project focused on the potential of theatre-making to galvanise caring for plants in our communities. Here they reflect on the experience and what … Read more…

How can we better understand ‘Everyday Creativity’ and can it play a role in reducing inequalities in local communities?

Jess Plant, England Director Creative Lives

For over 30 years Creative Lives has championed community and volunteer-led creative activity. Our role is to improve opportunities for everyone to be creative – a bold ambition! Creative Lives is specifically interested in supporting opportunities for people to be actively creative; taking part in music making, photography, singing in a band, making clothes, joining … Read more…

Poem: Easy Bake Collaboration Equity Pie

Pauline Rutter - Researcher, archival artist, community and organisational poet

This recipe serves more than the institutionally established researchers and creatives. It’s adventurous, with generous embedding, Of independent producers and marginalised community collaborators. Rare ingredients in the traditional organisations spice rack. You’ll marvel at its satisfying wholeness. No bitter after taste at all. If committed to memory this will become a staple, On your menu. … Read more…

SAIL: Bridging the gap between Knowledge Development and the Creative and Cultural sector of West Yorkshire

Helen Brook, Project Development Manager - SAIL

In this blog post, hear from SAIL, a membership network of creative and cultural organisations in West Yorkshire, about how they’re working collectively to exchange research, build capacity, and advocate for sector-wide solutions, in order to accelerate action on climate change. At SAIL, we unite creative and cultural organisations, individuals, creative curriculum education providers and … Read more…

Reflections on our NCACE evaluation journey: from a composite baseline position to the midpoint evaluation.

Dr Thanasis Spyriadis - Evaluation Lead, NCACE

At NCACE we are committed to evaluating our work not just for accountability to our partners, but also to inform continuous improvements of our activity. We are particularly interested in understanding how our approach is making progress in facilitating and supporting capacity for Knowledge Exchange between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and arts and culture organisations … Read more…