You are invited! Welcome to Future Works III
A lot has happened since the last Future Works event back in October 2024 and it is time to bring our cultural, creative and other sectors together again. Future Works III will provide an opportunity to network, to be inspired and to learn about what is happening next in Coventry.
We are incredibly honoured to have Francois Matarasso, a leading expert in community cultural practice, to deliver a keynote address on co-creation as well as the brilliant Professor Paul Moore, Director Future Screens Northern Ireland, to deliver another keynote on the Creative Industries opportunity for Coventry.
Please join us:
- Thursday 19 February 2026
- 9.30am to 4.15pm
- Rootes building of University of Warwick campus (opposite Warwick Arts Centre and main bus terminal)
This event has been organised by Coventry Culture Works Collective, the cultural compact for Coventry. Since its first meeting in May 2025, the group has been working hard to find new ways of working across a wider range of partners, as well as looking for the next opportunities for the city and the sector. The event will provide an opportunity for you all to take part in the next steps for Coventry, as well as celebrate the creative talent and achievements of the city.
The preliminary programme for the day is:
Morning:
- Welcome and keynote from Francois Matarasso
- Introduction to Coventry Culture Works Collective and the city’s cultural strategy aims for the next two years – and how we can collaborate to deliver them
- What’s Next for Coventry: session including funding announcements, upcoming key events and an update on our Coventry’s UNESCO cultural data project
- Poetry from Diamond Kayode-Osunlana, Coventry Young Poet Laureate
Lunch:
- Buffet lunch with networking
- Opportunity to share materials about your projects and organisation
Afternoon (includes parallel sessions)
- Power to the People: How do we collectively embrace co-creation in Coventry - panel conversation and Q&A chaired by Francois Matarasso
- Arts and creative sectors supporting digital inclusion: introducing the new Virgin Media O2 X #CovConnects Digital Reuse for Social Good programme
- The Creative Industries opportunity for Coventry: looking at the next steps for ensuring creative industries can thrive in Coventry
- When art meets technology: how CreaTech Frontiers can support artists & creatives in Coventry - panel conversation and Q&A, as well as showcase of arts organisations using new technologies in exciting ways
- Creative Health: presenting results of regional mapping from WMCA, panel Q&A and a separate workshop on how to develop a Theory of Change for health settings
- Music performance from Kimberlxy & co
We have increased capacity from last time and would encourage you to share this information with your networks to ensure more people can take part.
This event is open to anyone with an interest in arts and culture in Coventry, even if you didn’t attend the previous Future Works events, or don’t work in the cultural sector. This would include artists, freelance creatives, residents, arts organisations, heritage professionals, creative industries businesses, academics, policy makers, funders and people working within health, skills, tourism, regeneration, economy and environment. Those who work or reside in the Coventry local authority area may be prioritised, should we reach our maximum capacity.
Our event will be free, with lunch and refreshments provided, and a limited number of £70 bursaries available for unwaged and/or freelance cultural sector practitioners to support participation.
Registration will close at midday on Monday 16 February.
Don't delay, sign up today using the online booking form.
This event is supported by:
- Coventry City Council
- University of Warwick
- Coventry University
- #CovConnects
- Virgin Media O2
- CreaTech Frontiers
- Coventry & Warwickshire Exchange (CWX)
- Arts Council England
- The Telegraph Hotel