Mark Newton
Empowering engagement with research and innovation
Mindsets + Missions (M+M) was a pilot learning and grants programme funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to support museums and science centres to engage underrepresented groups with knowledge, research and innovation.
Running through 2023 and 2024, M+M took a cohort of museums, science centres, community groups and researchers through a learning programme (phase one) and the opportunity to access project grants (phase two). The programme was delivered by a partnership of ASDC, the Museums Association (MA), and The Liminal Space.
Phase one: learning programme
Early in 2023, 45 applicants from around the UK came together through an online and in-person learning programme. Museum and science centre sector members – along with independent practitioners, academics and community representatives – explored the central tenets of the programme, developed partnerships and collaborations, and enhanced their practice and approach to research and innovation engagement.
Read the learning insights report from The Liminal Space to find out more about the learning programme and its key reflections and recommendations.
Credit to The Liminal Space, photo by Mark Newton
Phase two: project grants
In July 2023, the next phase of M+M saw £827,945 of funding awarded to 12 outstanding projects which emerged from the learning programme. Running until August 2024, these projects have explored creative ways to broaden access to research, foster collaborative partnerships, cultivate culture change within organisations, and champion cross-sectoral knowledge production and learning sharing.
Although the projects have involved a great variety of topics, settings and groups, each one is driven by participatory, community-based research to address key societal issues and inequalities. All of our case studies, in different ways, aim to equip more people to be civic changemakers through engagement with research and innovation.
Evaluation, learning and case studies
For more information about M+M and the funded projects, please see:
Filmed case studies
Written case studies
Learning Programme Insights Report from The Liminal Space
M+M Insights Report for the Cultural Sector (pdf)
External programme evaluation from Cornish and Grey (pdf)
