Supporting community-powered research through podcasting
We’re absolutely buzzing to announce that MIC media is partnering once again with the AHRC Creative Communities Programme, hosted by Northumbria University.
Following the success of our first collaboration in 2023–24, we’re back to support a new cohort of Community Innovation Practitioners (CIPs) to tell the stories of their groundbreaking cultural research through podcasting.
We’re thrilled to continue championing co-created storytelling that shares the power and potential of place-based innovation.
What is AHRC Creative Communities?
AHRC Creative Communities is a major research programme funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and hosted by Northumbria University. It explores how co-created culture can enhance belonging, address regional inequality, deliver devolution, and break down barriers to opportunity.
At its heart are the Community Innovation Practitioners — researchers embedded in communities across all four nations of the UK and devolved mayoral regions. Through cross-sector collaborations, they’re developing new evidence on how and why culture can play a key role in research and innovation.
Introducing the 2025–26 CIPs
This new wave of six Community Innovation Practitioners are based across the UK:
- Claire Tymon – University of Huddersfield
- Eilish Victoria – University of Dundee
- Lisa Rea Currie – Centre for Public History, Queen’s University Belfast
- Ruth Flanagan – University of Manchester
- Sara Hassan – University of Birmingham
- Shirish Kulkarni – Cardiff University
Together, they are working on remarkable new cultural projects that explore how community-led R&D can shape local growth, cohesion, cultural democracy and policy change.
What MIC’s doing
We’ll be working closely with each CIP to support them to plan, produce and launch their own podcast episodes. These will form the second series of the Creative Communities podcast, due to launch later in 2026.
Through our Train, Learn and Launch model, MIC provides bespoke podcast training and guidance.
We also support the production process all the way through to final edits, ensuring the podcasts authentically reflect the voices of the communities at their heart.
Each CIP’s podcast episode will sit alongside a case study and policy paper, helping to share learning, amplify impact and reach new audiences.
Why it matters
This partnership is about more than just podcasting. It’s about supporting researchers to connect with community partners in more creative, accessible and authentic ways. It’s about democratising research, breaking down barriers, and capturing the messy, powerful, inspiring reality of community-led change.
Vic Elizabeth Turnbull, founder of MIC media says:
To be invited back for a second year is such a brilliant endorsement of MIC media’s impact-led, community-first approach to podcasting. This new cohort of Community Innovation Practitioners are doing extraordinary work, and we’re excited to help them share their stories far and wide — in their own words, and in the voices of their communities.
At MIC, we believe podcasting isn’t just a powerful medium — it’s a catalyst for change. In this work, we’re using podcasting to make research more accessible, human, and rooted in the lived experiences of the communities it’s meant to serve. We’re proud to be part of the AHRC Creative Communities Programme, which is leading values-driven innovation in how research is co-created across the UK.
Professor Katy Shaw, Director of AHRC Creative Communities, adds:
Our first podcast series with MIC media exceeded all our expectations, from supporting the CIPs to build skills and confidence, to creating a podcast that’s now a core resource across the programme. It opened up our work to new audiences and demonstrated the real value of community storytelling in research.
We’re thrilled to be working with MIC again. Their approach to podcasting, grounded in care, creativity and collaboration, is a perfect fit for the AHRC Creative Communities Programme. Together, we’re showing how research can be shared in more inclusive, impactful ways.
Listen to Series One
You can listen to the first series of the Creative Communities podcast, featuring the 2023–24 cohort, below:
What’s next
We’ll be working with the CIPs throughout the year and will be sharing behind-the-scenes updates along the way. Keep an eye on MIC’s blog and socials as we help bring the next wave of Creative Communities stories to life.
Find out more about the Creative Communities Programme
AHRC Creative Communities Programme
Thinking about starting a podcast?
That’s what we do. At MIC media, we help social-impact organisations and value-led good eggs make cracking, purposeful podcasts without the faff. Whether you need full production, training, or consultancy, we keep things simple, supportive and totally doable.
Fancy a chat about your idea?