Research

The Aspen Culture Project has produced two sets of research papers during the first period of the project from October 2009 - June 2011:

Aspen futures: A research report on the cultural inequality of women & its solutions

By Sara Ganassin and Martyn Hudson, Aspen Culture Project, The North of England Refugee Service, March 2010

Our first research was developed and delivered by the Aspen Culture Project Volunteers from Tyneside from October 2009 – March 2010. We developed an innovative research which used participatory photography and other qualitative methods as tools to analyse and promote the involvement of migrant and refugee women with the local culture across the region. In four cultural visits to explore women’s opinions on cultural inequalities around the themes of museums and galleries, food, heritage, festivals and performing arts, 68 interviews were gathered from women of 19 nationalities who reside in the North East region.

A broad spectrum of different barriers for accessing cultural spaces were indentified and the results in terms of cultural inequalities have been grouped together into three key categories:

1. Physical Barriers
2. Social Barriers
3. Personal Barriers

Building new communities: Voices of White, working-class women on diversity and change

By Amy Williams, Melisa Maida, Nuala Morse and Sara Ganassin, Aspen Culture Project, The North of England Refugee Service, June 2011

This reseach aimed to consider the attitudes and perceptions of white English working class women towards diversity and the changing social demographics in the North East of England. The research project was contituted of two phases: a community based reseach with women from deprived estates in the North East, and a seminar with professionals with relevant experience in the field. The research provides a number of recommendations around 8 headings to be taken forwards by organisations and individuals in the voluntary and community sector, the public sector an for those making decisions that affect local communities in relation to race, equality and community cohesion:

1. Space and integration activities

2. Integrated services and balanced representation

3. Redefining hard to reach groups

4. Gender equality, awareness raising and education

5. Social consciousness and the Media

6. Community responsibility and civic participation

7. Partnership and communication

8. Access and engagement in politics and policy making  

Access these publications at: http://www.aspenculture.org.uk/resources/publication