How can you use your arts and humanities degree to bring about changes that you want to see? Our Employing the Arts module empowers students to explore this question through real-world cultural projects.
One standout project, hosted by City as Lab, reimagined Nottingham’s cultural landscape from a student perspective and sparked conversations about inclusion, identity and urban life.
Rethinking Nottingham: City as Lab
The City as Lab project invited students to look at Nottingham’s cultural life and share their findings through the Projected Augmented Relief Model (PARM)—a 3D geographical visualisation tool. Their mission was to tell a more inclusive story of student life in Nottingham – one that goes beyond its outmoded representations.
By using Nottingham as a lab for change, students not only gained practical experience but also found ways to contribute to the city’s cultural future. Their work reminds us that cities are not just built with bricks and mortar, but with stories, spaces and shared experiences.
Old Market Square
Caitlin explored the city through the lens of third spaces, using Old Market Square as a case study. By reviewing reports and conducting a thorough analysis of barriers in participation, she found that:
certain seasonal events attract university students, whereas others are more popular with local families, highlighting a participation gap
the rise of mainstream consumerism in the city centre reflects a shift away from local culture, influenced by a youthful demographic
the decline of local amenities like soft play centres raises concerns about spaces for youth development
She recommended that inclusive and culturally sensitive urban planning was key to bridging divides between university students and local communities, highlighting specific steps such as:
a review of shared third spaces and their potential collaborative usages
data analysis of distances between educational sites and cultural landmarks to suggest further improvements of travel routes
data analysis of events in third spaces to understand participation from young people and how to increase youth participation
No-and-low drinking student culture
Meanwhile, Trinity and Abigail focused on mapping Nottingham’s no-and low-drinking student culture, which is becoming a rising theme in the city as student drinking habits shift. Through a literature review and case studies, they identified five key cultural categories: arts, food and drink, heritage, music and sports. Their research highlighted inclusive venues like Nottingham Contemporary, Biscuit & Brew and Peggy’s Skylight, offering accessible, affordable and alcohol-free social spaces.
Through their findings, they were able to challenge the dominant “party city” narrative and suggest concrete ways to make all students feel represented and connected to Nottingham’s cultural life. This included:
mapping the no- and low-drinking culture of students onto the PARM to make their findings accessible
undertaking interviews with students to create a psycho-geographical map of no-and low-drinking student culture
promoting the no- and low-drinking culture of Nottingham to both first-year and returning students through student guides, fresher’s fairs and social media
Skills to help you reach your career goals
The Employing the Arts module is a terrific way of developing applied skills relevant to so many careers. Being able to respond to a live brief and to produce a succinct well-evidenced report that meets an organisational need is something that is widely sought by employers – from cultural organisations and urban planners to marketing analysts and beyond.
Professor Paul Grainge
Academic Director, City as Lab
Through projects like City as Lab, you’ll develop specific skills that can bring positive societal impact. Whether you’re looking to pursue a career in the arts and cultural sectors, governance, or with an NGO, you’ll complete the module with a wide range transferable skills to reach your career goals. These include:
Research and analysis: conducting literature reviews, mapping data and evaluating urban planning and cultural participation
Communication and presentation: creating posters and reports that translate complex findings into accessible formats
Critical thinking: identifying gaps in cultural inclusion and proposing evidence-based solutions
Collaboration: working in teams, providing peer reviews, sharing responsibilities and integrating diverse perspectives
Project management: managing timelines, collecting data and delivering final presentations
Digital literacy: using tools like Canva, PowerPoint, mapping software and digital platforms to visualise and publish data
Cultural awareness: addressing issues of inclusion, faith and community engagement
City as Lab helped me connect my academic interests in visual culture and socially engaged art with real-world practice. It taught me how to work collaboratively to develop creative, care-driven solutions for public space, and gave me new confidence in applying arts and humanities thinking beyond the university setting.
Yasara Karunadhara
BA Liberal Arts
