In the past 3 and half years, I have been investigating the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games as a soft power tool. I have taken a holistic approach in the context of understanding my case study, this holistic research approach arose because I have never travelled to Japan and I have never experienced the Japanese culture in reality.
Continue reading “The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: Soft Power or Soft Disempowerment?”
Recently, Paisley’s marvellous STAR Project completed a 9-month long, seasons inspired, arts based therapeutic intervention; ApArt.
Continue reading “ApArt – A Community Based Therapeutic Arts Intervention”
The Paisley Townscape Heritage Conservation Area Scheme 2 (Paisley TH.CARS2) is a £4.5M regeneration programme led by Renfrewshire Council, with match funding from National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) and Historic Environment Scotland (HES).
Continue reading “The Making of Paisley: Communities, Heritage Learning and Regeneration”
Another wee while has flown by since the last slightly random summary of CCSE blog activity; we have tentatively emerged from COVID restriction, endured unusual summer heat and enjoyed another season of outdoor sports.
Continue reading “The First Summary since the Last Summary: Life on the CCSE Blog”
A few weeks ago, we hosted our annual CCSE symposium online, it was the second such event of a busy week but our excellent speaking line ups and engaging and thought provoking keynote and panels ensured a great afternoon.
Continue reading “CCSE Annual Symposium Recap: Localism: Re-evaluating the Future of Culture, Events and Tourism”
It is easy to forget that in a world before COVID there were already significant barriers for people with disabilities and chronic illness who wanted to take part in physical activity. Some of these barriers were physical in nature, such as inaccessible facilities, difficulties in accessing transport and the costs of specialist equipment.
Continue reading “The Challenges of COVID and the Effect of the Pandemic on Physical Activity in Adaptive Sport”
The Grand Conversaziones series – part of the currently ongoing Paisley Exhibition – kicked off on the second Friday in February with a frank and fascinating exploration of Paisley’s Present.
Continue reading “Don’t Just Patch – Have a Revolution / Begin by Sewing on a Button 🪡 🧵”
Matt Baker’s post on a New Approach to Culture in Scotland asks – “perhaps it is time to ask a fundamental question about the way we do culture in Scotland? Could we consciously support a culture of participation and popular ownership of culture as a key part of our national toolkit towards a just transition from both Covid and Climate Change?”
On boarding the 12.30 LNER high-speed from Edinburgh Waverly to London Kings Cross, little did I expect that the journey itself would begin in such a decidedly uncanny manner.
Continue reading “‘Dry’ Trains to Newcastle…”
As the new academic year pick up pace, we find ourselves tentatively adjusting to something of a return to a more conventional office life. Albeit one in which venturing out in public my still result in failure to recognise someone you’ve known for years on account of only being able to see half of their face!
Continue reading “CCSE: A (half) Year in Review”
The Aim of my research as a PhD student over the last two and half years has been to examine how the Japanese and Tokyo governments, through sports diplomacy, will use the Olympic Games as a soft power tool.
Continue reading “The Olympic Games as a Weak Excuse”
For a few months now the summer sun – punctuated with episodes of deluging rain – has provided the backdrop for the continued gradual reopening of our social, sporting and cultural venues.
Continue reading “A Second Summer of COVID, Nearing (New) Normality?”
Football is Nothing Without Fans – Matt Busby
Bellshill’s finest football thinker, Matt Busby, predicted the uncanny experience of people watching cultural and sporting events take place in empty spaces during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Continue reading “Football is Nothing Without Fans – Football, Theatre & COVID19”
This Thursday, I complete my last day at UWS before I move back to France to start a permanent job as a Lecturer in Geography at the University of Amiens. As I have been a member of CCSE over the last two years as a Postdoctoral Fellow on the FESTSPACE project, I thought that it would be a good time to pen some reflections on my time here.
Continue reading “‘Au revoir’ FESTSPACE & CCSE (But Hopefully Not An ‘Adieu’!) 👋”
The global COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant changes to the way we live our lives and interact with others. This was only too evident with national lockdowns putting an end to all but essential contact in early 2020.
Continue reading “The Future of Events – A New CPD Programme for Event Practitioners”
At the beginning of June, CCSE had the perhaps slightly unexpected pleasure of one again hosting our annual conference virtually. As CCSE Director – Prof Gayle McPherson – pointed out in her opening remarks; at the time of our first virtual outing in May last year, there were few among us who believed we’d be gearing up for a second digital event just over twelve months later.
Continue reading “Recovery, Repair, Renewal: Conference Video”
Over the past five years I’ve been in business as Gatekeeper Art. My small creative business is my full time occupation and when asked what I do, I usually term myself as an artist and social historian with a community practice.
Continue reading “Looking to the Future!…”
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns, many museums developed and put in place online digital offerings. This prompted quite a lot of hand-wringing and self-reflection across the sector, as well as for me personally.
Continue reading “Big Questions & Resourceful Answers: V&A Dundee’s Covid 19 Response”