Universal culture

Creative Campus Initiative (CCI) is a cultural collaboration between 13 Universities in the UK. In support of the Cultural Olympiad, it is based on the values of exploration, research, learning and progression, with a common belief that higher education (HE) can play a unique role in raising the aspirations and skills of young people through creative innovation inspired by London 2012. By opening up routes to higher education and the cultural resources of the campuses, CCI has engaged artists to collaborate with students, academics and local communities to co-create and present new artworks and cultural events.

Phase One, which ran for the duration of the past academic year, saw the universities commission 102 new art works, produce research-based creative responses, stimulate critical debate, and deliver learning and community projects which took both direct and tangential inspiration from Olympic and Paralympic sport. Presented to a public audience of more than 500,000, historical, cultural and socio-political issues raised by the Games were addressed. Commissions covered topics from marathon running, female boxing and Paralympian clothing and events, including synchronised swimming in a city park, public portraiture on Southampton’s Big Screen and outdoor festivals.
Incorporating CCI into the existing syllabus, by integrating work-based learning and live projects, added value to the university experience of students, and CCI created a funded environment that enabled individual institutions to invest in people to explore partnerships and new ways of working that have a legacy in themselves. Three hundred and five new partnerships were established with schools, further education colleges, arts organisations, community groups, disability organisations, local authorities, foundations and development agencies, and many of the commissions have continued as stand alone projects.
A model of best practice for the sharing of intellectual, creative and physical resources across universities has emerged, and for developing a new generation of artists, performers and creative professionals who will respond to London 2012. It has created lasting partnerships between HE institutions and within the wider community, and has given a wider perspective on the value of partnership working within universities and with external partners, initiating an approach to creative activity that is founded on collaboration. Some CCI projects have played an important role in revitalising local communities, particularly projects which are to become annual events.
A second phase is now seeking to develop the model by drawing on the cultural programme developed in Phase One. A new commissioning round is imminent, to create a dynamic programme of high quality cultural events and activities as a precursor to the London 2012 opening ceremony, reflecting the distinctive strength of the arts and creative practice in South East higher education.