crafting our creative northstowe

Mapping Northstowe’s Creative Life – And Imagining Its Future

Creativity is all around us. It’s in the songs we hum, the art we make, the outfits we sew, and even in the way we arrange our living rooms. It’s in the joy of a festival, the rhythm of a dance, or the quiet moment when a sculpture catches your eye and makes you smile.

At Northstowe Arts, we believe creativity isn’t just about “the arts” in a formal sense, it’s about self-expression, connection, and shaping the identity of our town. That’s why we’re mapping Northstowe’s creative life and exploring where the story goes next.

Why are we doing this?

Northstowe is still a growing community, and creativity plays a key role in shaping how it develops. But creativity isn’t always easy to define or measure. We know it’s happening, we see it in the music groups, the local artists, the craft workshops, and the street art that brightens our spaces, but we want to document it, celebrate it, and learn from it.

We’re working alongside researchers from the University of Cambridge to explore the impact of creativity in our community and understand what it means to the people who live here. By capturing real stories and experiences, we can:

🧠 Highlight the benefits – Creativity boosts our mental and physical wellbeing, whether we’re actively making something or just enjoying it.

🤝 Strengthen our community – Shared creative experiences bring people together, fostering friendships and connections.

🏡 Shape Northstowe’s future – Creative spaces and events turn a town into a place that feels like home.

This isn’t just about what Northstowe Arts is doing, it’s about what all of us are creating, every day.

How are we doing it?

In the first half of 2025 we teamed up with the university researchers, artist (Chloe Leaper) and writer (Matthew Wood) to bring creative storytelling, research and community together. We held workshops, popped up at community events, and created an online map for people to add to.

What are we learning?

People we spoke to shared opportunities and challenges:

Opportunities:

• Northstowe is growing, with new residents arriving frequently

• The town's diversity is a major strength

• Many residents possess creative skills like drawing, music, dance, and more - and are eager to contribute

• Strong community bonds are forming, both among residents and with local organisations

• Northstowe is already becoming a cultural hub, attracting visitors from nearby villages and further afield

• Arts and crafts sessions have played a key role in bringing people together

• Maintaining strong ties with Cambridge is seen as important

Challenges:

• Many residents expressed difficulty in finding a sense of community, often feeling isolated

• There’s a noticeable absence of informal public spaces where people can simply spend time

Ideas for the future

People we spoke to also shared what they would like to see.

Looking ahead:

• Develop more spaces for creativity and growth

• Explore communal kitchens for cooking clubs and events

• Expand green spaces for large public gatherings

• Consider extending the Midsummer Festival into a weekend or week-long celebration

Collaboration:

• Partner with groups like Sew Positive, Repair Café, and Sew Café Cambridge

• Encourage co-production and small meet-ups

• Continue building trust and community relationships

Events & activities:

• More free creative workshops

• Choir sessions

• Basket weaving, stone painting, leaf collecting

• Street art festival (inspired by Cheltenham)

• Global chocolate festival

• Puzzle trail

Spaces & Facilities:

• Weatherproof outdoor spaces

• Quiet, non-religious reflection areas

• Storage for community equipment

• More play parks

• Rock climbing wall

• Safe dog areas, including swimming spaces

What happens next?

This is just the beginning. Northstowe Arts' Directors will use these findings and ideas to shape the organisation's activity over the next few years. Not all the ideas sound like they're related to the arts and creativity - but if they popped up in our arts-focused conversations, they have some relevance: how can the arts impact and improve other areas of life?

What's more, we'll use what we've learnt about how to have these conversations to make this an ongoing conversation, one that sparks new ideas, strengthens our creative networks, and helps shape how Northstowe continues to grow.

This project is a collaboration between Northstowe Arts, The Cambridge Room, and the University of Cambridge. We're grateful for funding from the University of Cambridge for making it possible!