The Impact of Community Engagement

Engaging with people in our local communities allows us to make a real positive impact on a local grass-roots level. It encourages people to make connections, build friendships and gain transferable skills. In addition, it can provide a beautiful opportunity for people that may be socially isolated to find a support network and unite through the shared joy of an activity. In the context of art galleries, giving people the opportunity to be creative and express themselves through art can help create positive experiences for local people. Furthermore, art can be used as a form of positive release, which can help people in their unique expression of their emotional world.

Community Engagement that is inclusive and meaningful can have a positive impact on an individual’s wellbeing. It can also allow local people in the community to learn about current issues in society and unite to find ways to overcome some of these barriers. Moreover, working with local communities can build on the concepts of empowerment and participation. [1].

At the Whitworth, the Civic Engagement and Education team strongly believe in the power and positive impact of community engagement and is the hallmark of the work that we do. An example of one is our community partnership with Streetwise Opera which is an opera company that allows people who are currently homeless, or who have experienced homelessness in the past, to unite through singing, and find encouragement through this positive experience. Streetwise Opera also supports participants to enhance their creativity, use their voice and transform how society views homelessness [2]. I have seen first-hand that participants who can sometimes feel socially isolated, feel united through signing and through their shared experiences, they can feel understood. This lovely group has formed a strong support network for one another through meaningful connections, which creates a powerful positive impact for people.

The Civic Engagement and Education team also has a close partnership with Afrocats, which is a charity that supports refugees, asylum seekers and people living below the poverty line [3]. Every half-term, the Whitworth gallery is transformed into a buzz of music, dance, and arts and crafts for refugee and asylum seeker families. These special moments where people can be creative and create positive experiences is beautiful to see.

The Civic Engagement and Education team at The Whitworth hope to continue working with a diverse range of community groups and make a positive impact, driven by our mission to work with communities to use art for positive social change.

Gurusha Saini

Civic Engagement and Education Assistant