Creative futures in regeneration: Digbeth's creative communities
Creative Futures in Regeneration explored how Digbeth's creative and community organisations can shape regeneration rather than only respond to it.
Digbeth is Birmingham's historic industrial quarter and, for more than thirty years, a home for artists, makers, music venues and independent creative businesses. It now sits at the centre of one of the largest regeneration programmes in the country, with more than £11 billion of investment and 6,652 new homes planned over the coming decade, alongside HS2, the Smithfield redevelopment and the BBC's move to Typhoo Wharf.
The project asked whether the cultural communities that gave Digbeth its value will be able to remain, be heard and influence its future. As an Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Community Innovation Practitioner, Dr Sara Hassan convened organisations with very different kinds of power over the area, from grassroots arts organisations to public bodies and the BBC. Through interviews, walking conversations, workshops, ecosystem mapping and podcasting, the research found that Digbeth's cultural ecology, affordable spaces, informal networks and sense of belonging are recognised in policy, but not yet protected through regeneration metrics, governance or secured space.
The project was funded through the AHRC Creative Communities programme, hosted by Northumbria University. Read more on the Creative Communities project page.
Objectives
Objectives
The project set out to understand how regeneration in Digbeth can recognise, protect and strengthen creative, cultural and community assets rather than build around them.
It aimed to map Digbeth's creative ecosystem, showing who holds land, resources and influence, how organisations connect and whose voices are missing. It also sought to create an independent space where cultural organisations, public bodies and major institutions could test competing interests before positions hardened, bringing community knowledge into direct conversation with those responsible for planning, housing, skills and investment.
The project set out to widen what counts as evidence in regeneration, capturing belonging, psychological safety, cultural continuity and displacement risk alongside investment, jobs and gross value added (GVA). Finally, it aimed to translate these findings into practical policy recommendations for Birmingham City Council, the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the new Birmingham East Mayoral Development Corporation, covering governance, affordable creative space, the role of anchor institutions and the social evaluation of cultural investment.
The Team
The Team
The project was led by Dr Sara Hassan, Research Fellow II at City-REDI and AHRC Community Innovation Practitioner, who designed and delivered the research, convened partners and produced the project outputs. Prof Rebecca Riley, Co-director of City-REDI and Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Regional Engagement at the University of Birmingham, line managed the project.
The research was built with partners across Digbeth's cultural, civic and public sectors, including the BBC, Culture Central, Grand Union, St Basil's, Birmingham City Council, the West Midlands Combined Authority and Homes England. The project was part of the AHRC Creative Communities Community Innovation Practitioner Awards 2025 to 2026, hosted by Northumbria University.
Project lead contact details:
Dr Sara Hassan, Research Fellow II , City-REDI, University of Birmingham.
Project Support contact details:
Matthew Haskey, City-REDI, University of Birmingham.
Publications and Downloads
Publications and Downloads
Events
Events
AHRC Creative Communities CIP Showcase (online), 14 October 2026. Launch of the project outputs alongside Community Innovation Practitioner projects from across the UK.
Next Gen Place makers event, September 2026. Keynote speech on Who gets to stay? Culture, power and the making of Digbeth’s future.
Digbeth Culture and Community Forum, May 2026. Presentation of emerging findings to local cultural and community organisations.