University of Warwick and Belgrade Theatre join forces to explore community co-creation
The 3.5-year research project will examine how ‘co-creation’ – a collaborative process in which artists, cultural institutions, and community members share creative control – can bring artists and local communities together into a mutually beneficial two-way partnership.
The project will look at how this approach can promote inclusion, amplify local voices, and help shape the future of publicly engaged theatre.
Emma Rogerson, the newly appointed PhD researcher, is an award-winning writer, theatre maker, facilitator, and researcher. Emma expressed her excitement, saying: “I’m really looking forward to embarking on this wonderful project with the Belgrade and University of Warwick. The ethos of collaborative work and community engagement is so deeply visible and apparent within the Belgrade’s truly remarkable programming and extensive community work.
“My particular research focus will be on the upcoming production Nanny of the Maroons (2027), a retelling of the story of Jamaican freedom fighter Queen Nanny that links her legacy of resistance and community leadership with modern struggles for justice and empowerment. The creative process will involve more than 1,000 participants from across the West Midlands, including members of the Black Creative Network, Coventry Caribbean Centre, and other community groups, who will actively shape the making of this ground-breaking production.”
Throughout Emma’s work, there is a sustained commitment to creating and sustaining inclusive, radical and ambitious creative communities. Her research will examine the Belgrade’s use of co-creation to explore how this commitment is transforming the theatre’s culture and creative process.
Dr Matt Franks, Associate Professor of English, University of Warwick, said: “Co-creation is one of the most important developments in theatre today, with the aim of having civic theatres truly reflect the local communities in which they are embedded. This project will help to evaluate the strengths and challenges presented by co-creation, in order to inform wider arts policy and practice.”
Corey Campbell, Artistic Director of the Belgrade Theatre, added: “Co-creation sits at the heart of our vision to be a people-first theatre, shaping not only the work we make but also the relationship we have with our city. It builds upon and extends the long-standing work we have done in Coventry’s communities in exciting new ways.
“Partnering with the University of Warwick on this important research project is a brilliant opportunity to deepen our understanding of what co-creation makes possible - for communities, for audiences, artists, and the Belgrade. Working with Emma and the Warwick team offers a chance to reflect, learn, and keep on evolving; so that our work truly reflects the people of Coventry and the wider region.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Images:
· Emma Rogerson – credit Suffolk Libraries
· Emma Rogerson 1 – credit Nat Argent
· Emma Rogerson 2 – credit Nat Argent
· Belgrade Theatre – credit Belgrade
For more information please contact:
Ann Baylis, Media and Communication Officer
ann.baylis@warwick.ac.uk / 07876 876937
Arabella Neville-Rolfe
Arabella@anrpr.co.uk
About the University of Warwick
Founded in 1965, the University of Warwick is a world-leading institution known for its commitment to era-defining innovation across research and education. A connected ecosystem of staff, students and alumni, the University fosters transformative learning, interdisciplinary collaboration and bold industry partnerships across state-of-the-art facilities in the UK and global satellite hubs. Here, spirited thinkers push boundaries, experiment and challenge convention to create a better world.
About Belgrade Theatre
As the largest theatre in Coventry and a leading regional producing theatre, the Belgrade has a broad, varied programme.
Popular musicals and entertainment sit happily alongside progressive, critically acclaimed new drama. Our two spaces, B1 and B2, stage exciting productions and events for families, couples, individuals, first timers and confirmed theatregoers.
As a publicly subsidised independent charitable trust, we also support health and education and build skills and talent in the region. Everything we do is with, by and for our local communities.
Some of our productions are fresh takes on well-loved stories. Others explore new ground – and have never been told before. To them all, we bring warmth, openness and collaboration, creating new community connections and encouraging different perspectives. By sharing the city’s diverse stories, the Belgrade brings people in Coventry together. We call this co-creation.
Led by CEO Laura Elliot and Artistic Director Corey Campbell, the Belgrade is realising its ambitious plans to build on the Theatre’s rich history of inclusion. Born out of the post-Second World War spirit of peace and reconciliation and named with gratitude for the Serbian capital’s gift of timber to build a new theatre, the Belgrade has offered a warm welcome to visitors since 1958.
Whether you’re visiting the Belgrade for a show, a business event, or simply for tea, cake and a chat with friends, this unique sense of welcome is still unmissable.
24 November 2025