Innovation funding for 3 York St John partnership projects in Yorkshire 

Researchers from York St John University have been awarded funding for 3 key community partnership projects in Yorkshire.  The investment will support work on cultural diversity in the arts, sustainable food growth and local action on climate resilience. 

The funding is from the Communities Innovating Yorkshire (CIY) Fund, a ringfenced £800,000 resource embedded in the Yorkshire Policy Innovation Partnership (YPIP) project. This is a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) backed collaboration bringing together universities, local authorities, and community organisations across Yorkshire and the Humber. Support has been announced for 22 inclusive, local initiatives under the themes of inclusive economy; creative industries and climate. 

The 3 successful York St John University bids came from York Business School, the School of the Arts and the Institute for Social Justice.

Community-led culture in Bradford and Keighley

York St John University will work with The Leap CIC on ‘Understanding Community-led Culture in Bradford and Keighley’. The project will investigate how local people are redefining culture, creativity, and leadership in places where arts engagement is typically low. 

It will explore the motivations, barriers, and enablers behind cultural leadership at the grassroots level. Through peer interviews, reflective workshops, and citizen’s assemblies, the project will uncover motivations, barriers, and definitions of local cultural leadership.  

Professor Matthew Reason, Director of the Institute for Social Justice at York St John University, said: 

“Art and cultural leadership is often dominated by people from narrow and privileged backgrounds. This research collaboration will develop a model of how we can change this through collecting community-led understandings of the barriers, motivations and impacts of local cultural leadership.” 

Zulfiqar Ahmed, Executive Director at The Leap, said: 

“Our work at The Leap is to amplify leadership and participation in arts and culture in communities that are often overlooked. This project will deepen our understanding of what cultural leadership means to local people, and how we can better support and replicate this work.” 

Climate resilience on the North York Moors 

In partnership with York St John, the North York Moors National Park Authority will deliver ‘Voices for Nature: Local Leadership in Climate Resilience’. The project focuses on communities near the River Esk, combining environmental activities with policy engagement. 

Dr Jenny Hall, Associate Professor in Cultural Geographies at York St John University, said: 
 
“Voices for Nature is a key opportunity for the North York Moors National Park to work with communities to develop approaches to build climate resilience solutions and influence policy.”  

Dr Briony Fox, Director of Conservation and Climate Change, North York Moors National Park Authority, said: 
 
“We hope this project will not only give a voice to communities often left out of climate conversations but also show that meaningful change starts with local knowledge and action. By reconnecting people with their natural environment, we aim to create resilient, inclusive spaces where both nature and communities thrive.” 

Right to Grow in East Leeds 

The Connecting Crossgates ‘Right to Grow’ project, supported by York St John, will reclaim local green spaces for sustainable food growing, community activities and policy influence. 

Natalie Quatermass, theatre maker and Institute for Social Justice researcher, said: 
 
“Right to Grow is inspired by our amazing local communities in East Leeds, who are leading the way in taking stewardship over more green spaces. By getting together and getting creative, as well as getting our hands a bit dirty, we can build spaces that feed us, nature, and future generations.  

“We’re not going to do it quietly either — through public forums and performances, we are going to shout about our hard work and hopefully influence city-wide policy.” 

The CIY-funded projects will run until September 2026, with findings feeding into regional learning and policy development.