Crafting connection: building community cohesion through culture and heritage
Join us on Tuesday, 30 June to discuss how local government can use culture and heritige to craft shared identities in local communities.
Greater Manchester has a rich and diverse heritage that is creative, industrial and political. It is also a place with deep-seated regional inequalities, both compared to the rest of the country and within the city region itself. So how can its history be harnessed to build social cohesion and community connectedness?
Current approaches to expanding access to arts and heritage often focus on targeting people living in deprivation. However, there is a growing shift toward asset-based, place-based models that build community pride, shared identity, and participation through culture, craft, and heritage.
Researchers at The University of Manchester have been collaborating with diverse communities in Rochdale on a place-based participatory project to explore its history and current notions of cohesion and connectedness. The project draws on the history and legacy of Rochdale’s Co-Operative Movement by using crafting methods to promote resilience, belonging and cultural engagement, with participants also joining a citizen’s jury to shape future policy decisions.
Join Ruth Flanagan and Professor John McAuliffe from the University and Rebecca Swarray from GMCA to discuss the findings from this research and the ways local and regional government can use culture, heritage and creativity to share power, skills and knowledge.
Speakers
- Ruth Flanagan, Community Innovation Practitioner, The University of Manchester
- Professor John McAuliffe, Director of Creative Manchester, The University of Manchester
- Rebecca Swarray, Principal - Creative Industries, GMCA
When: Tuesday 30 June 2026, 13:00 - 14:30 (registration from 12.30)
Where: The University of Manchester campus (specific venue details confirmed on registration)
To Register: Please email policy@manchester.ac.uk with your name, job title, organisation, and any dietary or access requirements or support needs.