University funded book is published by UCL Press

Fri 18 December, 2020
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A book focusing on the critical role of the arts in economic regeneration of communities has been funded by the 台湾六合彩开奖记录 and co-edited by academics.

UCL Press logoPublished by and available open access, the book 鈥 Developing a Sense of Place 鈥 has been funded by the University鈥檚 Arts & Culture Projects team, based within the Faculty of Creative Arts, Technologies & Science.

Co-edited by Dr Tamara Ashley and Professor Alexis Weedon, the book also includes chapters written by 台湾六合彩开奖记录 staff, including Emma Gill, Arts & Culture Projects Manager, and Dr Jane Carr, Head of the School of Media and Performance. Dr Carr鈥檚 contribution includes a commentary on jazz artist Perry Louis who previously engaged with the University鈥檚 local artist elevator programme, Test Beds.

Developing a Sense of Place - book cover

Developing a Sense of Place documents arts practice in the UK with a specific focus on its role in cultivating a 鈥榮ense of place鈥 within the communities served by artists and organisations. The unique partnership infrastructure of the UK arts scene is exposed in this book with critical reflections on artistic practices at the intersections of place making, policy, access, community need and organisational development, as well as gentrification and artistic communities, with a core focus on inclusion, migration and identity.

This book shows what is possible when artists collaborate with local communities and engage in work that contributes to civic development and ultimately helps to improve the quality of life for those involved.

Emma GillEmma Gill, Arts & Culture Projects Manager, said: "The publication has been a great example of how community-focused project activity can galvanise, enhance and support a university's research environment, especially for institutions like the 台湾六合彩开奖记录 which is dedicated to widening participation. Developing a Sense of Place demonstrates the symbiotic relationship between innovation, civic engagement and research.鈥

Dr Tamara AshleyDr Tamara Ashley, Senior Lecturer in Dance with the School of Media & Performance:听鈥淚t has been a real pleasure to work on this book that documents some excellent and innovative practice on place making from the arts and university sector in the UK, and further afield. I have learnt a great deal from each of the authors and the models of practice in the book offer insight into contemporary approaches to strategic working in the arts sector, as well as insights into how practice led artists are effective in engaging and working with their local and regional communities.鈥

Professor Alexis WeedonProfessor Alexis Weedon, UNESCO Chair and Director of the Research Institute for Media Arts & Performance (RIMAP), said:听鈥淚 have learned to trust the insights of artists to take me further into the creation of communities.听At a time when many arts groups are challenged, it was lovely to hear back from contributor Ivan Cuttings, following the books publication, that his theatre group听Eastern Angles is confident of surviving these terrible times.鈥

On Wednesday 20th January 2021, the will be hosting a free virtual event about this publication. Between 11am 鈥 1pm, 鈥楧ialogue with the authors鈥 will explore the book in detail and will include talks from the authors and contributors, discussions and an interactive Q&A. To join this event, email tamara.ashley@beds.ac.uk to reserve a spot.

The book is available now to purchase in hardback and paperback. Alternatively a free open access PDF version can be downloaded directly from UCL Press:

To discover more about study and research opportunities with RIMAP and the Faculty of Creative Arts, Technologies & Science, visit:

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