Cath Lambert, Michael Scott, Helen Wheatley and Ura Martin - Connecting Cultures GRP Team

The last months have seen a polarising series of experiences for the world. We have been united in the experience of a global pandemic, and yet at the same time we have all been affected by it, and reacted to it, differently.

Connecting Cultures GRP has responded to this extraordinary set of circumstances in a number of ways. Over lockdown and through early summer, we launched a new funding call ‘Keeping Culture Connected, Keeping Connected through Culture’ to support projects that sought to take on the challenge of lockdown and find new ways of connecting, and also new ways of supporting cultural activities during this difficult period. We were overwhelmed with the responses and delighted with the projects we were able to support – the results of which we will be showcasing on this blog over the next weeks. We have been able to fund projects that looked to the future too, and developed new, digital research tools and resources that will benefit a range of disciplines in the coming months and years. Again, more on this soon…

Looking to the year ahead, while Connecting Cultures GRP will not be able to fund its usual sweep of projects, we will be bringing forward a series of initiatives to continue our mission to keep culture connected and keep connected through culture.

We will be hosting a virtual lecture series through the year, with our first speaker towards the end of the Autumn term. Look out for more details coming soon.

Our blog will be running through the year showcasing the ongoing impact of the projects we have funded and putting the spotlight on new initiatives and endeavours.

We will be hosting a salon discussion session on Medical Humanities and Mental Health in the Spring term.

We will be leading the Warwick City of Culture 2021 roadshow for September 2021, on the theme of Words and Voices.

As ever, we welcome your thoughts, insights and suggestions for how Connecting Cultures GRP can continue to support and facilitate the great work you are doing – under the most difficult of circumstances.