Artistic Intelligences in Place

On the 15 June 2026, our Empower and Transform through Placemaking project came into its first public spotlight as part of the event Artistic Intelligences in Place: Applied Culture Innovation in Morecambe Bay and the Lake District, hosted by the School of Arts, Lancaster University (LICA Building).

Bringing together around 40 regional stakeholder partners and 40 academic colleagues, the day explored how creative research and development can respond to major transformations in technology, environment, and society. The programme included morning showcases of current School of Arts work—spanning immersive heritage, art–science and environmental storytelling, architecture and design, critical AI, seaweed networks, more-than-human arts labs, and creative technology.

For our project, the most meaningful moment was the public exhibition of two co-designed artefacts created by young participants with Escape2Make (E2M) and Full of Noises (FoN). This was the first time these artefacts were shown outside of the project context, and they were accompanied by a poster designed by our researcher Shuning Feng. We were also delighted to welcome and celebrate the presence of Kriss Foster and Saul Argent (E2M), Amy Stretch Parker and Glenn (FoN), and Lizzie Clough—facilitator and artist involved throughout the work.

The qualitative learning behind the exhibition aligned closely with what we explored in the project itself: that meaningful place connection emerges through lived experience, safe experimentation, and trust, rather than through “information” about a place. Mapping, listening, and communication activities helped participants articulate how their environments feel—and what those places mean to them.