Exploring the role of the Civic in Art and Design

The term civic is often associated with collective engagement in public life, community well-being, and the creation or preservation of spaces and systems that benefit the broader public.

Join us for an engaging session to explore the role of art and design research and education in shaping civic spaces and fostering meaningful connections between communities and places. Through inspiring talks and open discussions, we’ll consider how creative practices can help define and strengthen the role of the civic in making places.

Event Focus

This session invites participants to reflect on key questions:

• How can lifelong learning on the high street transform public spaces into vibrant hubs of creativity, skills-sharing and cultural participation?
• What role does creative health provision play in promoting wellbeing and connection in communities?
• How can we advance community inclusivity in heritage settings, amplifying marginalised voices and fostering collective ownership of cultural narratives?

What to Expect

• Keynote Speakers: Experts from the fields of art, design, place-making and civic engagement will share their insights and experiences on embedding culture into place and fostering community collaborations.
• Interactive Conversations: Share your thoughts and contribute to discussions about how we might better understand the meaning of ‘the civic’ and how art and design can help shape it.
• Collaborative Visioning: Explore how partnerships between councils, creative practitioners, cultural organisations, and communities can lead to inclusive, sustainable models of place-making.

Why Attend?

This session offers an opportunity to collaborate, learn, and contribute to shaping the future of our shared civic spaces. Together, we’ll rethink the potential of art and design to transform high streets, health, and heritage in ways that resonate with and enrich the places we live in.

This event is co-organised by the Centre for Cultural Ecologies in Art, Design and Architecture (University of Huddersfield) and the Council for Higher Education in Art and Design.

Registration opens soon.