Case studies

Tales from the Edge of Town invited children aged 8-11years to tell stories about what happened in lockdown. Professional artists performed these stories to a wider audience.

Stevenage’s 10-year Arts & Heritage Strategy is centred on a co-production approach between the council and community, responding to community needs and ensuring sustainable cultural growth. A particular focus on working with and developing marginalised communities also ensures cultural growth addresses socio-economic inequalities, including disproportionate impact of COVID-19.

Age Concern Tyneside South (ACTS) and Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums (TWAM) started up a weekly history social group for people over 55 living in South Tyneside at South Shields Museum and Art Gallery in January 2022.

Sounds Around is a game designed in partnership with Northumberland Care NHS Foundation Trust for care professionals to use with people with dementia or brain injury.

"Slung Low responded rapidly to the crisis facing the local community. They provided a vital lifeline to residents of Holbeck and Beeston."

During the pandemic, Sheffield Museums wanted to ensure the city’s museums and the collections continued to provide inspiration for the young people. While physical access to the sites continued to be limited, they worked in partnership with Ignite Yorkshire to run Young Makers - project-based online work experience for young people aged 14-25 years old.

Sheffield Museums have a successful volunteering programme with over 200 volunteers who engage in research, events, creative workshops, heritage walks and gardening, and support volunteering for people with barriers to entering the workplace.

Sheffield’s diverse freelance artists and creatives were seriously impacted by Covid lockdowns and the cancellation of arts events. National government support was often not available to them.

Collaborating with Children’s Services in the LGA Family Hubs Peer Review, Dorset Library Service began to explore how we could develop our contribution to the Best Start in Life* and Dorset Council’s: Our Children, Young People’s and Families Plan 2020-2023.

In lockdown, when Arts Centres in Stamford, Grantham and Bourne had to suddenly close their doors, it meant that many self-employed artists and performers lost their bookings/work and so were no longer able to generate an income.