Project Title: Creating Capital: The impact of the arts and creative writing on young ... Project Rationale and Descript
ERDF Industrial Intensive Innovation Programme PhD Project Project Title: Creating Capital: The impact of the arts and creative writing on young people's social and cultural capital Background The PhD project forms part of the Intensive Industrial Innovation Programme (IIIP) funded by the European Regional Development Fund. Northumbria University is collaborating in the IIIP, with Durham, Newcastle and Teesside Universities. The IIIP Programme aims to encourage a culture of innovation that benefits business, leading to greater export opportunities and increased graduate employment, particularly in science and engineering. The Programme will enable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to develop new products and services. Each Northumbria University PhD funded with the IIIP will exclusively support the research and development needs of an SME partner located in the Northumberland and Tyne & Wear Area, working in regionally important sectors. To meet the requirements of the ERDF funding, the PhD students will need to keep timesheets and at least 51% of their time must be on-site at Northumbria University. The remainder is likely to be spent with the SME.
Project Rationale and Description
New Writing North (NWN) are the biggest writing development agency in the UK. Their Young Writers programme aims to develop an infrastructure in the north-east which enables young people to engage in creative writing on an ongoing basis, and to support their individual creative talents or interests. As identified in the NWN Theory of Change, the goal of the work is that as a result of engagement with writing young people ‘have increased capacity to make a contribution to society’. The Programme supports a range of outcomes broadly in the domains of wellbeing and artistic development. The key strands are: free open access creative writing groups that meet weekly across the northeast, a programme which targets and invests in the most socio-economically disadvantaged young people in the region, and a programme that invests in promising/ talented 15–25 year olds. In response to changing market conditions and technological advances, NWN are currently rebranding this work and investing in their digital offer for young people. The aim of this development activity is to encourage current participants to see themselves as part of a network of other young writers, and to move through the various NWN writing programmes according to their needs and interests. The SME also hopes that it will encourage new participants to engage in their work. The proposal research project will evaluate the impact of the NWN Young People’s Writing programme to date. The research is influenced by Savage’s (2015) analysis of class, equality and the determinants of social mobility which identifies cultural and social Page 1
capital as key determinants in shaping class status and potential for social mobility. The project will critically analyse the extent to which engagement in arts and cultural activity effects young participants’ social and cultural capital, and therefore their potential for social mobility. Eligibility and How to Apply: Please note eligibility requirement: • The IIIP PhD funding is available to Home and EU students. • Academic excellence of the proposed student i.e. 2.1 (or equivalent GPA from non-UK universities; or a Masters, or APEL evidence of suitable practitioner achievement) • Applicants cannot apply for this funding if currently engaged in Doctoral study at Northumbria University or elsewhere Deadline for applications: midnight 16th July 2018 The deadline for applications is midnight, 16th July 2018. To apply, please send the following information to
[email protected] by the deadline: • • • •
A covering letter, clearly indicating the title of the studentship project you are applying for and that you meet the eligibility criteria A current CV – maximum 2 pages Contact details for two referees – including postal and email address Transcripts – candidates should supply clear and legible transcripts of their previous qualifications
Interviews will be arranged to take place between 19th and 25th July 2018 PhD Start Date: 1st October 2018 Northumbria University takes pride in, and values, the quality and diversity of our staff. We welcome applications from all members of the community. The University holds an Athena SWAN Bronze award in recognition of our commitment to improving employment practices for the advancement of gender equality and is a member of the Euraxess network, which delivers information and support to professional researchers Faculty: ADSS Department: Humanities Principal Supervisor: Professor Katy Shaw Recent publications by supervisors relevant to this project K Shaw, 'Yorkshire21: socio-cultural led regeneration in UK City regions', International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, Autumn 2016 Shaw, ‘Write North: Evaluating the Impact of the Northern Writers’ Awards on Winning Authors’, Cultural Trends, Vol 28, Issue 2, Summer 2019. K Shaw, ‘The Impact of Northern Writers Award on North East Creative Economy’, National Report, NWN, November 2018 Page 2
K Shaw, ‘Mapping a Canon of the Contemporary: Twenty-First Century Literary Prize Culture and the Granta “Best of Young British Novelists’ List”’, Routledge Companion to Contemporary Fiction (ed.) Bob Eaglestone (London: Routledge, 2018) Funding Notes The studentship is available to Home and EU students where a full stipend, paid for three years at RCUK rates (for 2018/19, this is £14,777 pa) and full Home/ EU Fees.
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