Across arts and humanities, co-creating R&D with communities and cross-sector partners generates significant cultural and economic returns across education and skills, health and well-being, the environment and net zero, and civic identity and pride in place.
These are the findings of our new report By All, for All: The Power of Partnership which maps the impact of a decade of investment in co-created R&D by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). We’re calling on funders – including UK government – to use the insight in the report to more effectively engage partners and communities as researchers, especially those who are impacted by geographic, economic or social inequalities.
Individuals and organisations in communities can consider R&D in negative terms: as something that is not open to their involvement, part of their remit, or of benefit to their growth. This is something that funders of all kinds need to address by taking action to engage more diverse players in the R&D ecosystem.
Unlocking the unique knowledge, networks and assets that connect our communities is key to empowering communities as researchers. By harnessing community expertise and listening to community priorities, funders of all kinds can co-create richer R&D that is more than just the sum of its parts.
