“The success story is a change of culture internally. That's really difficult to do. Changing the direction of a massive ship while it's in transit is a tough thing.”

How can an accessible, design-led approach support genuine community engagement and collaboration?

Join Community Innovation Practitioner and researcher Gaston Welisch from Glasgow School of Art as he explores how the University of Glasgow’s Arts and Humanities Partnership Catalyst is fostering collaboration between academics and industry and third-sector partners.

In this episode, discover how Gaston’s use of creative methods has enhanced collaboration and understanding of Catalyst themes. You’ll hear from the Catalyst team who have designed and tested this engaging and accessible research and the participants who are benefiting from this approach.

You’ll also visit the most recent Catalyst project that aims to revitalise Govan Old Church in Glasgow as a community hub.

Hear Gaston’s Community Innovation Practitioner journey through the Catalyst from the challenges, to achieving valuable insights and genuine community engagement that will better design projects that truly reflect and service local needs.

Read the transcript here

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Creative Communities

01:37 The Catalyst, a Design-Led Knowledge Exchange

02:43 The Catalyst Workshops

04:24 Exploring Workshop Themes and Methods

05:10 Reflecting on the Catalyst Process

11:03 Challenges and Opportunities in Govan

18:38 The Role of Visual Tools in Collaboration

31:16 Participant Experiences and Feedback

41:49 Conclusion and Next Episode Preview

Useful links

About Gaston’s Creative Communities project - https://creativecommunities.uk/research/gaston-welisch

More from AHRC Creative Communities Programme, and to find out how to get involved - Creative Communities.uk

Thanks Thanks to Dr. Cheryl McGeachan and Prof. Stephen Driscoll for sharing their thoughts and time. My thanks also to the Catalyst team: Dr. Lindsay Middleton, Dr. Neil McIntyre, Dr. Fraser Rowan, Dr. Kirstie Wild, and Dr. Michael Pierre Johnson. I'm deeply appreciative of the participants and partners for the Govan Old Catalyst for sharing their knowledge and ideas. Their contributions are invaluable.

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The Creative Communities podcast explores the power of cultural research and collaborative creativity. Join us as we discover how communities across the UK are tackling challenges and building a brighter future through groundbreaking projects.

Over six episodes, meet inspiring "Community Innovation Practitioners" leading the way. We'll follow their journeys of cultural collaboration, co-creation, and innovation, showcasing real-life examples of how creativity empowers communities to build a stronger, more resilient UK.

Credits

Creative Communities is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council UK (Grant Agreement No AH/X001555/1) and hosted at Northumbria University, Newcastle.

With podcast production and training from MIC media.