A sense of place

In its report Regeneration through Culture, Sport and Tourism, (DCMS 2006) the UK government has recognised that sustainable regeneration can be brought about most effectively not only by building capacity and creating new infrastructure but by basing work on the strengths and desires of the community involved. The approach means that communities examine themselves to identify strengths and recognise potential rather than prove weaknesses and shortcomings. The process is positive and forward looking.

What sort of things can a community identify as a strength or having potential for development? In many cases communities may have a strong story: a narrative that unites people and helps them move forward. In other cases a narrative may have to be rediscovered or re-invented.

A sense of place and an understanding of the local environment can also act as a uniting theme, particularly for rural communities where narratives are strongly linked with the land.

Exploring and articulating a community’s sense of belonging is the essential first step to creating sustainable regeneration. Strong shared narratives allow a community to make accurate decisions about where it wants to go. The values of a community are reflected in their narratives: writ large and easy to understand, they provide a guidance mechanism for decisions; a road map for the future.

In many cases an external agent, such as an artist, story teller or theatre company, can provide the necessary perspective. While the values of the narrative are set by the community, sometimes an external agent is better placed to identify and articulate those values as it is often difficult for communities to isolate and examine values that they may take for granted.

It should go without saying by now, certainly for regular readers of Making Sense, than any process of articulating community stories should involve the whole community, regardless of age, ability or circumstances. To involve everyone equally, different methods of engagement need to be used to get the best from everyone: considered opinions, open debate, positive change.

This edition of Making Sense gives an insight into some of the speakers and subjects that will make up the forthcoming Sense of Place: regeneration conference in September this year. Of course, articles won’t take the place of activities, but you should be able to get an idea of the richness and diversity of the event. See you there!