Reflections from the Culture Box Live exhibition and training course.

Abstract

Background: Beyond Culture Box aimed to stimulate public interest in dementia through creating new resources, including a touring exhibition (Culture Box Live) that visited Exeter and Stoke-on-Trent in the United Kingdom, and training course (Lessons from Culture Box) for activity providers and artists. The project took research findings and materials created during Culture Box, a pandemic responsive study that aimed to improve dementia care during the pandemic through creative and arts-based approaches to new audiences in two English cities.

Methods: This practice report presents findings and learnings from the project. Evaluation methods included team reflections throughout the project, alongside visitor verbal and written feedback.

Findings: Beyond Culture Box created opportunities for learning and engagement with physical exhibitions and a training course (with around 125 visitors in attendance across both sites and activities) and content on the project website (with around a 130% increase of new visitors to our website; 22% of those were looking for activity material in our archive and boxes between January and February 2024).

Conclusions: The findings provide new learning on creative health research impact and engagement projects.