City of Culture project ‘boosted environmental engagement’

A strand of Coventry’s UK City of Culture creative programme helped local audiences engage with nature, sustainability and social change, according to an evaluation report.

Green Futures, which took place in 2021/22 and was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, was designed to increase awareness of environmental issues and use of outdoor spaces.

An evaluation report by the University of Warwick and Coventry University found the programme was delivered by 170 partners and artists and reached over 150,000 people.

More than three quarters (78%) of participants in one project, which saw the distribution of seeds to create 10,000 square meters of ‘pollinator pathways’ in Coventry, said they felt an increase in civic pride. The project has also been attributed to a 74% increase in footfall along the Coventry Canal during the City of Culture year.

The evaluation also says the Green Futures programme facilitated spaces for previously seldom heard groups to come together, share stories and connect with their communities.

Martin Sutherland, Chief Executive of Coventry City of Culture Trust, says the report “evidences that the many artists, organisations and members of the public who came together in the pursuit of a green future did so extremely successfully and the role of arts, culture and collaboration in finding solutions to the climate crisis is clear”.

 “One of the key goals of the City of Culture year was to engage the public with nature and set the tone for lasting social and environmental change,” he added.

“Green Futures has always been a driving force of our plans for the future and we look forward to continuing this work in the city through the legacy of City of Culture.”