Giving time and being responsive

We curated a wide range of talks, practical activities and workshops but by far the most impactful thing we programmed was unprogrammed time.

Allowing the Creative Producers time and space to talk and reflect raised important issues and created strong bonds. Experiences shared during these times were powerful both individually and societally, and provided important opportunities to learn and widen perspectives.

There were similarities: challenges of creating work in public space, the need for cultural activism, the value of leading by doing and of reaching those with little access to arts and culture.

There were shared concerns: the dynamics of privilege, navigating the legacy of (post)colonialism and how to care for themselves, as well as others, to avoid mental health challenges and burnout.

And there were differences: diverse cultural, social, geographical and racial lived experiences meant things resonated differently with different people.

We held a group reflection at the end of each day to consider what we had learned and offer an opportunity for feedback.  We responded to what people said by adding new sessions by members of our network and by Creative Producers themselves. This was vital in the success of the programme. They felt heard, it built trust, it allowed us to co-design and stay relevant, which was particularly important as a UK cultural organisation with limited knowledge of the Producers’ own contexts.