Webinar: Faith and Culture
- How successfully was faith considered in the design of the UK City of Culture 2021 programme?
- What effects did faith-based events have on communities in Coventry and will they be sustained?
- How should organisers of future cultural mega-events integrate faith into their planning?
Speakers
Recording
About
The webinar took place on Tuesday 28 March 2023.
To address specific Outcomes listed within the Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 (UK CoC 2021) Theory/Story of Change, the Coventry City of Culture Trust commissioned a series of focus studies.
This focus study examined how faith and culture was considered and included in UK CoC 2021 programming.
Research Question
How did programming and cultural leadership engage faith and community groups in Coventry and the region?
A report is available on the Faith and Culture focus study page that also provides an overview of findings and conclusions.
Themes
The research looked at the faith and cultural dimensions of events and programmes organised as part of UK CoC 2021.
Cultural programming was used to support faith, as a way of UK CoC 2021 achieving engagement of diverse groups and social outcomes, amongst both long-standing and newer communities in the city, as well as reflecting particular forms of culture.
Faith groups were successfully engaged and UK CoC 2021 provided people with a sense of renewed hope and optimism in the city.
The experience showed that faith is an important vehicle for engaging citizens with cultural activities around them (as faith and culture are so interrelated).
Presentation
Coventry Faith Compact
During the webinar there was discussion of a recently signed charter between faith groups in Coventry. Details of the the Coventry Faith Compact can be found on the Coventry City Council website.
Target Audience
The event was designed for a range of stakeholders including members of faith-based organisations, academics, students, local administrators, organisers of cultural (mega-)events and members of the public.
Acknowledgements
This webinar was organised by the Coventry University Centre for Peace, Trust and Social Relations and the RISING Global Peace Forum.
It was part of the monitoring and evaluation team’s programme of reflective Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 events.
