Projects
Unique projects see us at the hearts of Leicestershire communities. We are here to inspire, bring plans to life and to show where to go next.
Our projects are community inspired and led. Participants have embraced the opportunity to define their goals and decide how activities are designed, delivered, enjoyed and shared. There are many ways people have chosen to express this including exhibitions, film, heritage and trails hosted at museums, libraries, heritage centres, events and festivals.
Our projects aim to change the way culture is interpreted, experienced and enjoyed by our communities for our communities!
Sikh Herstories
Sikh Community Curators are working with Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre to explore the heritage and culture of Sikh women in history.
Find out more about 'Sikh Herstories'
Coalville Nature Garden
Funded by Natural England and Libraries Connected, a Nature Youth Group at Coalville Library has learnt about nature connectedness, eco-awareness and library garden design.
Find out more about 'Coalville Nature Garden'
Creative Expressions in Libraries
As part of our funding from Arts Councils England we’re excited to be developing community projects aimed at children and families, across our Leicestershire Libraries.
Find out more about 'Creative Expressions in Libraries'
Harborough at Work
Earning a Living in a Ladybird World Harborough at Work is a family friendly exhibition looking at the Ladybird Books series ‘People at Work’. This exhibition considers how occupations and...
Find out more about 'Harborough at Work'
Foxton Creates
As a National Portfolio Organisation we are funded by Arts Council England to work with an independent museum on our Community Curators strand of work. We are delighted to work...
Find out more about 'Foxton Creates'
Cultural Youth Forum
We are Leicestershire County Council’s Cultural Youth Forum, and our mission is to help make heritage, libraries and cultural activities more relevant and interesting to other young people!
Find out more about 'Cultural Youth Forum'
1485 Around the World
1485 was the year Leicestershire experienced the Battle of Bosworth, but what was happening around the world during that period?
Find out more about '1485 Around the World'
Visioning a Cultural Data Strategy: a Symposium of Creative Approaches
Please note: we are looking to work with a data consultant. Please click below to view the Brief for Audience Data Consultant Introduction and programme Amanda Hanton, Audience Development Manager,...
Find out more about 'Visioning a Cultural Data Strategy: a Symposium of Creative Approaches'
Reading Well with Ivanhoe School
Reading Well with Ivanhoe School We recently worked with a fantastic group of Year 8 & 9 pupils from Ivanhoe School in Ashby-De-La-Zouch, promoting the Reading Well for Teens book...
Find out more about 'Reading Well with Ivanhoe School'
m’Other – We are Artists, we became mothers… …and we are still artists
M’Other Art is a new and unique interventional exhibition to celebrate artists mothers.
Find out more about 'm’Other – We are Artists, we became mothers… …and we are still artists'
Hijaz Trust. A Tale of Two Reinterments
‘A Tale of Two Re-interments’ is an exhibition at Bosworth Battlefield Centre which reveals the similarities between Richard III and His Eminence Murshid Muhammad Abdul Wahab Siddiqi (RA).
Find out more about 'Hijaz Trust. A Tale of Two Reinterments'
Visioning a Cultural and Creative County (VCCC) Summer Project Day
On Tuesday 11th July 2023 at the University of Leicester we hosted the Visioning a Creative and Cultural County (VCCC) Summer Project Day in partnership with Nottingham University and Creative Leicestershire. Over seventy...
Find out more about 'Visioning a Cultural and Creative County (VCCC) Summer Project Day'
We Are Harborough, We Are Our Home!
Over summer 2023 the people of Harborough created a Cloth House with Danielle Vaughan, our new Artist in Residence at Harborough Museum. ‘We Are Our Home’ is a Community Curators...
Find out more about 'We Are Harborough, We Are Our Home!'
We Are Harborough
A community led exhibition celebrating what makes the Harborough district special to the people who call it home.
Find out more about 'We Are Harborough'
Reminiscence Sessions at Coalville Library
Reminiscence Sessions at Coalville Our Reminiscence project at Coalville library was a fantastic opportunity for participants living with dementia, and their carers, to reminisce and connect to memory through museum...
Find out more about 'Reminiscence Sessions at Coalville Library'
Story Explorers
Working together with community groups, we have created resources that will aid in engaging families in stories. From the smallest babies up to the biggest teen, we have developed something for everyone!
Find out more about 'Story Explorers'
Loughborough Welcomes…. Our Community Garland Project
The Re-building Lives exhibition at Charnwood Museum commemorates the 50th anniversary of the expulsion of Asian people from Uganda in 1972 by President Idi Amin. 27,000 people arrived in...
Find out more about 'Loughborough Welcomes…. Our Community Garland Project'
Bosworth Medieval Festival Community Board
We are always looking to improve our events and exhibitions and enlisted the help of some not-so-secret-shoppers at the 2022 Bosworth Medieval Festival!
Find out more about 'Bosworth Medieval Festival Community Board'
Uganda 50
2022 marks 50 years since all the Asian people living in Uganda were forced to leave their homeland. Charnwood Museum will be hosting an exhibition called Rebuilding Lives exploring stories of local people who started new lives in Loughborough.
Find out more about 'Uganda 50'
Traveller and Gypsy Heritage Project
We are working with members of the Traveller and Gypsy Communities in and around Market Harborough to co-curate brand new museum exhibitions.
Find out more about 'Traveller and Gypsy Heritage Project'
Foxton Canal Museum – ‘Through the eyes of…’ short films
We were delighted to work with Foxton Canal Museum to interpret the museum through films from the local community.
Find out more about 'Foxton Canal Museum – ‘Through the eyes of…’ short films'
My Books, My Story
Our exhibition at the Highcross Shopping Centre was a huge success. Visitors were blown away by the artwork produced, and were so inspired and moved by the wonderful quotes from the children and young people that accompanied the art.
Find out more about 'My Books, My Story'
Anand Mangal
Local ladies of South Asian heritage, mostly aged over 60, have been working in partnership with Loughborough University exploring South Asian memories of Partition and their relevance to contemporary life.
Find out more about 'Anand Mangal'
Brookfield – Great Glen
A unique wellbeing project for adults with disabilities and/or autism who live at LCC's Great Glen Independent Living accommodation.
Find out more about 'Brookfield – Great Glen'
Community Curators Virtual Museum
Take a virtual tour of these amazing exhibitions developed by local people which include 'BLM Too!' and 'Do You See What I See'? The first of its kind!
Find out more about 'Community Curators Virtual Museum'
Musical Bin Dippers
The Musical Bin Dippers project at South Wigston was formed in response to the need in the area for activities for parents and young children.
Find out more about 'Musical Bin Dippers'
Celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in Charnwood
The Local History Volunteer Group are celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with an exhibition at Charnwood Museum. They’ve been putting their research skills to the test to find out more...
Find out more about 'Celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in Charnwood'
Market Harborough Jubilee Workshops
To celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee we are excited to share the memories of individuals living in Market Harborough who are of the Queen's generation.
Find out more about 'Market Harborough Jubilee Workshops'
Black Lives Matter Too!
On the 25th May 2020, in the middle of a global pandemic, a white police officer in Minnesota, USA, knelt on George Floyd’s neck for 8 mins and 46 seconds...
Find out more about 'Black Lives Matter Too!'
Syston Library Family Engagement
We are excited to be working on a project with Syston Library, exploring the ways in which the library engages with local families.
Find out more about 'Syston Library Family Engagement'
People’s Gallery
Objects have a meaning far beyond their financial and material value. They become something different when we know the personal stories and emotions behind them. This gallery was inspired by...
Find out more about 'People’s Gallery'
Quorn Community Library
QuornArt22 community project is a celebration and lasting record of village life in 2022, as seen by those who live, study and volunteer in Quorn.
Find out more about 'Quorn Community Library'
Sileby Good Companions Group
Sileby Good Companions is a weekly social group which launched at Sileby Community Library in February 2022.
Find out more about 'Sileby Good Companions Group'
Braunstone Town Community Library
The team at Braunstone Town Community Library worked collaboratively with their community and local partners to develop strands of creative and cultural activity that brought people together.
Find out more about 'Braunstone Town Community Library'
Unlocking Our Sound Heritage
This project aims to preserve and provide access to as much as possible of the nation's rare and unique sound recordings. It is a partnership led by the British Library, with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Find out more about 'Unlocking Our Sound Heritage'
Desford Community Library Family History Group
In January 2022, the Participation Team met with Desford Community Library, the Local Area Coordinator and VASL Support for Carers to understand how funding from the Cultural Communities Network programme could support the health and wellbeing of individuals living in Desford with caring responsibilities.
Find out more about 'Desford Community Library Family History Group'
DoYouSeeWhatISee? South Wigston
Do You See What I See? in South Wigston was developed to explore the heritage of South Wigston through the eyes of local people.
Find out more about 'DoYouSeeWhatISee? South Wigston'
Glen Hills Together!
Glen Hills Community Library developed volunteer and community led projects aimed at bringing people in the Glen Parva Parish together through creative and cultural activity.
Find out more about 'Glen Hills Together!'
Great Glen Community Library – Engagement Event
On Saturday 5th November 2021, Great Glen Community Library volunteers and trustees with support from the Participation Team held a community engagement and volunteer recruitment event.
Find out more about 'Great Glen Community Library – Engagement Event'
South Wigston Parent-led Playgroup
South Wigston parent-led playgroup is an amazing legacy of the Bin Dippers family project that ran in 2020 after the first lockdown.
Find out more about 'South Wigston Parent-led Playgroup'
Telephone Family History
When lockdown 3 hit in January 2021 we decided to set up a family history activity using the good old telephone!
Find out more about 'Telephone Family History'
Zoom into Family History
We designed a series of family history sessions, aimed at beginners and delivered via zoom so people could meet, chat and be involved in a community activity whilst at home.
Find out more about 'Zoom into Family History'
Self-Care Sessions
Our Community Managed Library Volunteers were amazing through the pandemic and we felt we wanted to provide them with as much support as possible in continued recognition of this.
Find out more about 'Self-Care Sessions'
HMP Gartree Exhibition
Leicestershire Library Service are pleased to showcase the fantastic activity that has been taking place by members of the HMP Gartree reading community in response to a project developed by the BBC.
Find out more about 'HMP Gartree Exhibition'
Simply Sounds
Our sound collection is now available to inspire reminiscence and improve wellbeing. Please take a listen and enjoy!
Find out more about 'Simply Sounds'
DoYouSeeWhatISee?
DoYouSeeWhatISee? is a project which comes from the hearts and souls of the people of Loughborough. It takes a new look at history, heritage and culture through the eyes of local people.
Find out more about 'DoYouSeeWhatISee?'
Project Digby
Project Digby was an exciting autism-friendly volunteering project, at the 1620s House and Garden, run in partnership with Autism East Midlands. The project was created in response to an existing volunteer, who was struggling to find suitable heritage opportunities for her daughter.
Find out more about 'Project Digby'
Nurturing Reading for Pleasure in Children in Care
The team developed book and craft packages for all primary aged children in care during the first few months of the coronavirus pandemic.
Find out more about 'Nurturing Reading for Pleasure in Children in Care'
Bespoke Cultural Activity for Children in Care
Our teams within Communities and Wellbeing join together to involve and inspire primary school aged children and their siblings and carers to access and use our local heritage venues and the resources they offer.
Find out more about 'Bespoke Cultural Activity for Children in Care'
Blooming Books
‘Blooming Books’, are centred around the importance of reading for pleasure, and sharing stories, when learning to read.
Find out more about 'Blooming Books'
Story Champions
Our valued Foster Carers are creating a bespoke training package that will aid in inspiring children and young people in care to read for pleasure. They will then share this with the wider fostering community.
Find out more about 'Story Champions'
Cultural Ambassadors
Our Cultural Ambassadors - a successful partnership between learning and volunteering. Leicestershire County Council’s Adult Learning Service (LALS) supports local people with multiple and complex learning disabilities through Independent Living and Skills for Life courses.
Find out more about 'Cultural Ambassadors'
#CV19IsolatedbutInspired
A social media project to collate and curate videos representing how people are spending their time during the coronavirus pandemic.
Find out more about '#CV19IsolatedbutInspired'
Market 800
2021 marks the 800th anniversary of Loughborough’s Market and Fair.
Find out more about 'Market 800'
The Secret History of Ladybird Books
In 2019 ‘The Secret History of Ladybird Books’ event took place at Charnwood Museum, in partnership with Loughborough University. The event was part of the national Being Human Festival 2019, the UK’s only national celebration of the humanities!
Find out more about 'The Secret History of Ladybird Books'
My Magical Market, My Fantastical Fair!
170 school Charnwood primary school children took part in a exhibition which features on Loughborough Library windows in celebration of 800 years of the Market and Fair.
Find out more about 'My Magical Market, My Fantastical Fair!'