Exploring Culture and Creativity in Community Engagement

Thursday 19th February 2026 

We were delighted to host a powerful and energising session exploring how culture and creativity can transform the way we engage with communities across Grampian. The event brought together colleagues from a wide range of roles and backgrounds, all united by an interest in doing engagement differently, and doing it better.

The session began by acknowledging ‘consultation fatigue’ as a challenge that many of us recognise.  Communities often feel over‑consulted, under‑heard, and disconnected from decision‑making. This event set out to explore how creative methods can break that cycle and help people feel genuinely empowered.

Our colleagues from Shmu shared insights from the latest phase of the North East Culture Collective, where they have been experimenting with creative approaches to engaging communities in the development of Aberdeen City’s new Locality Plans. Their work showcased how tools such as:

• podcasting
• film‑making
• photography
• creative arts
• mapping
• poetry

can open up richer conversations about community assets, aspirations and priorities. These creative methods helped surface voices, stories and perspectives that traditional engagement tools often miss.

Participants had the chance to explore the benefits, and the potential challenges of using creative engagement approaches. Breakout discussions allowed colleagues to reflect on how these methods could be adapted and scaled within their own areas of work across Grampian. The level of enthusiasm, openness and curiosity in these conversations was a real highlight of the session.

The event welcomed a diverse group of attendees, from experienced engagement practitioners to those just beginning their journey. This mix of perspectives made for a dynamic and supportive learning environment, and we were pleased to see how widely the invitation had been shared.

Thank you to Shmu and to everyone who joined us and contributed to such meaningful discussion. We look forward to continuing this conversation and supporting more creative, empowering engagement across our communities.

For further information about the Grampian Engagement Network (GEN) or to get involved, simply drop us an email at gram.gen@nhs.scot

Published: 03/03/2026 09:09