As I write we’re entering our fifth week of Lockdown and I am currently reorienting the ‘who with’ and ‘how with’ part of my PhD. In the meantime, the feedback between theory and practice will have to be through applying a conceptual perspective to my own life.
Continue reading “Being Neither Productive or Non-Productive”
March 16th 2020 was my own Covid-19 watershed. I started the day at Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge. I was speaking about GWL and our work with legendary feminist artist Linder; the audience had seemed marginally depleted, there was nervous laughter as the mic was passed around in the Q and As, hugs still happened, social isolation and social distancing were new terms that were yet to affect behaviour.
Continue reading “Soundings, One Month in: Leading and Learning during Lock Down at Glasgow Women’s Library (GWL)”
The world is being shake in a way never seen before, after the COVID-19. The virus has affected practically all sectors of the economy and it was to expect that the culture would not be left behind.
Continue reading “The Cultural Sector and the Affects of the Corona Virus”
German philosopher and cultural critic Fredrich Nietzsche once said “invisible threads are the strongest ties”. As well as being reminiscent of Paisley’s very own Sma’ Shot, there is the undeniable truth that these invisible threads Nietzsche refers to are what binds our communities together.
Continue reading “Invisible Threads”
Back in February (admittedly, a time that now feels but a distant memory), the Centre for Culture, Sport and Events, Renfrewshire Council and STAR Project came together to ask the Paisley community what culture meant to them. Despite the appaling weather, our community members attended en masse to tell us exactly what it meant to them.
Continue reading “Art & Soul of Paisley – ‘Get on yer feet, use yer voice, get the colour markers out!’”
On a blustery Friday afternoon, hardy and rain-spotted folk from in and around Paisley gathered at the Beechwood Community Centre in Shortroods to take part in the first of the workshops planned as part of our UKRI funded place-based partnership project:Improving Community Wellbeing and Prosperity through Culture, #ArtandSoul.
Continue reading “#ArtandSoul; Improving Community Wellbeing & Prosperity through Culture”
Creativity
Creativity across the global education landscape is considered a fundamental skill that will help future generations thrive. It can support young people to be more engaged in learning by fostering imagination and curiosity.
Continue reading “Creative Learning – Fundamental not Ornamental”
We want to congratulate our Colombian PhD student and associate researcher, Greis Cifuentes, who has been chosen as the new Development Director of the Fundación Nacional Batuta – FNB – in Colombia.
Continue reading “CCSE PhD Researcher Secures Prestigious Role”
I joined Renfrewshire Council in late 2018 in the newly-created post of Paisley Partnership, Strategic Lead for Cultural Regeneration, having previously held culture-related roles with the Scottish Government, Creative Scotland and a variety of other organisations.
Continue reading “Culture, Health and Social Change”
As part of the delivery of training in cultural heritage workshops that took place in Mombasa, Kenya from 12-16 November 2019, the team and participants took a trip to Fort Jesus.
Continue reading “Memorialisation, Heritage and Funding at Fort Jesus, Mombasa.”
The Future Paisley Partnership comprises 22 local and national organisations committed to driving forward Paisley’s cultural regeneration.
Continue reading “Learning from Regeneration on our Doorstep: Future Paisley field trip to Glasgow’s East End”
As principle investigator for the Anti-Slavery Knowledge Network funded project Hidden Histories: the untold stories of Slavery and James Town, I have spent a good deal of time in Ghana over the last twelve months.
Continue reading “Exploring modern slavery in James Town”
On 11-12th September 2019, CCSE’s Professor David McGillivray and Dr Severin Guillard attended the conference “Public Spaces: Culture and Integration in Europe” as part of their HERA-funded project, FESTSPACE.
Continue reading “FESTSPACE on Tour: A Conference in Gdansk”
PhD Student and Research Associate at CCSE, University of the West of Scotland, Greis Cifuentes, has launched a Street Library program called Libros a la Calle in Ibagué, Colombia.
Continue reading “PhD Student launches Street Library Program in Colombia”
Irene Mackintosh, a second year PhD student in CCSE, is now working with the Simon Community Scotland in Glasgow as part of a participatory action research project reflecting on how digital exclusion impacts on people experiencing homelessness and how organisations can provide meaningful support.
Continue reading “Digital Inequality & The Simon Community”
I was chatting with some PhD colleagues last week about the first few months of our research, and if there is one thing that we all seemingly had in common, it was the dreaded imposter syndrome.
Continue reading “My PhD journey so far: Interdisciplinary imposter syndrome?”
My PhD revolves around the discipline of Creative Economics, which sounds like a euphemism for financial crime. Its first commandment may be Richard Florida’s statement “Access to talented and creative people is to modern business what access to coal and iron once was”.
Continue reading “Coal & Iron”
“I’d just like to say that I appreciate your tie today, Niclas!”, one of the interviewers said. The panel broke down laughing. Had they been thinking about it the whole time?
Continue reading “Paisley Ties 👔”