This was the first time that the environment has been prioritised within the delivery of a City of Culture. Led by the Centre for Business in Society and Centre for Agro-ecology, Water and Resilience, Coventry University, the study evaluated how environmental issues are embedded within the overarching planning, governance and organisational delivery of Coventry City of Culture 2021.
The project was undertaken over four stages:
The first mapped the environment within the City of Culture strategy documents and events programme, utilising a bottom-up approach to understand how the green programme is influencing citizen’s behaviours.
The second stage used walking and talking tours, focus groups and video methods to capture citizen’s perspectives at City of Culture project sites and events.
The third stage aimed to explore citizen’s experiences of environment issues, spaces and their perspectives of responsibility using participatory mapping methods. Participants will draw annotated maps and capture photographs and short videos to reflect and discuss where citizens are interacting with environmental issues in the city.
The fourth stage drew together the data and insights collated to provide a full report that includes detailed case studies. The case studies will highlight the impact of City of Culture on citizen’s perceptions, engagement and practices relative to the environment and be supported with audio-visual testimonies.
About the team
Dr Jennifer Ferreira: Jennifer is a Research Fellow based at the Centre for Business in Society at Coventry University where she is involved in a range of projects as part of the Sustainable Production and Consumption, and Economic Development and Inclusive Economies research clusters. Her research interests take a dual focus. She is interested in the expansion and development of the coffee and coffee shop industries, in particular the role of coffee shops and coffee shop cultures in different locations and economies, the importance of sustainability, and the role of the circular economy. Her other research interests surround issues related to economic geography, local and regional economic development, varieties of capitalism, labour markets, employment intermediaries, labour market regulation, and comparative institutional systems.
Dr David Bek: David is the project's principal investigator, and is a Reader in Sustainable Economies based at the Research Centre for Business in Society at Coventry University, where he co-leads the Sustainable Production and Consumption Cluster. David specialises in undertaking research into practices of ethical and environmental sustainability within horticultural supply chains. David is highly skilled at translating research findings into real-world solutions and has undertaken consultancy projects for corporate, third sector and professional organisations, through these relationships he has evaluated a range of programmes, identified solutions and proposed recommendations going forward. Examples include evaluating the socio-economic impacts of phasing out peat-based compost upon the UK’s growing media sector, and proposing solutions for certifying wild-harvested foliage in retailer supply chains.
Dr Geraldine Brown: Geraldine is a researcher based in the Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience. Her background lies in Sociology and Social Policy. Her interest is in research that produces knowledge grounded in the lived reality of those whose voices are often missing or seldom heard. A key aim of her work is to identify factors that contribute to individuals and groups experiences of exclusion and/ or marginalisation to provide evidence, which can influence decision-making and the development of socially just policy and practice approaches.
Dr Jordon Lazell: Jordan is a researcher in the Sustainable Production and Consumption Cluster at the Centre for Business in Society at Coventry University. Jordon’s research focuses on the problem of food waste. He has explored the drivers of food waste at household level, and has also worked with retailers and businesses to understand how food waste comes about in the supply chain. Jordon is a co-editor of the first Routledge Handbook of Food Waste and is also co-founder of the International Food Loss and Food Waste Studies Group, a research platform for academics and practitioners operating in this area.
Dr Margi Lennartsson-Turner: Margi is responsible for the ‘walk and talk’ methodology and in the design of the bespoke questionnaire to monitor peoples’ environmental awareness, behaviours and experiences with the natural environment in Coventry. Margi has been involved in many multidisciplinary research projects (funded primarily by Defra and the EU) related to agroecological land management, investigating both natural and social science aspects. She has been involved in Trust funded research to support community food growing groups nationwide to evidence the health, wellbeing and environmental outcomes of their activities and to become commissioned as delivery partners in the emerging social prescribing initiatives. Margi is currently leading a project evaluating the outcomes of a land-based practical skills and therapeutic educational programme for students with complex needs.
