Public Engagement with Research: The Ripple Effect

We have just been awarded a Public Engagement with Research Seed Fund grant from the University of Oxford. In our unsettled time of pandemic and social distancing, urban and semi-urban communities are connecting with nature in new and increased ways, including through parks and common lands. A recent government poll showed that UK residents were spending more time outdoors than normal. We want to create something positive in this stressful moment by bringing small bursts of culture and knowledge directly to people at specific sites in the landscape, using the platform of a noticeboard. This collaborative project combines the efforts of the School of Archaeology's Artist-in-Residence, Miranda Creswell, and the Ebb & Flow team.

This interdisciplinary project will bring unexpected bursts of culture to people both on location and through online engagement and expand their sense of time depth. The Ripple Effect will take archaeological places near rivers and turn them into outdoor culture hubs, where original artworks and new research will be installed on community noticeboards. It will create a series of artworks, learning materials, and short films all accessible online, to reach people both indoors and out and enhance their experience of riverine landscapes.