Can participatory processes contribute to the sustainability of cultural and creative ecosystems? The case of Creative People and Places (CPP) programme (England)

Purpose: Participatory and co-creative processes are now widespread in various sectors of our society, including the cultural and creative industries.

Design/methodology/approach: Adopting the single case-study methodology, we discuss the case of Appetite, a project carried out in Stoke-on-Trent (UK) within the framework of Creative People and Places (CPP), a ten-year audience development programme targeting areas of England with below-average cultural engagement.

Findings: The paper highlights good practices and critical issues in applying participatory methods to large-scale programmes in the cultural sector.

Practical and social implication: The study provides guidance to policymakers, cultural practitioners, and community leaders on the application of participatory practices, addressing benefits, potential challenges, and limitations.

Originality of the study: This research contributes to the existing literature by offering a detailed qualitative analysis of a long-term, large-scale, participatory project in the UK cultural sector.