The Binks Hub Celebration Day: Research with Communities

Taking place on Thursday 8th October, this celebratory day will showcase the variety of projects and collaborations undertaken in partnership with the Binks Hub, to mark the conclusion of the hub’s five-year research funding.

Drop-in briefly or stay awhile with us! The day will feature a series of bookable workshops and sessions exploring participatory arts-based research methods and the outcomes of the projects. A collection of stalls, information stands and a making space will be available to visit on a drop-in basis from 10am.

The day will culminate in an evening reception to recognise all that has gone into co-creating the research, enjoy being together as we reflect on what has been achieved, and enable you to explore new opportunities for communities, artists, practitioners, and researchers to co-create together beyond the Binks Hub.

View the individual sessions here: The Binks Hub Celebration Day by The Binks Hub | Eventbrite

The information stalls on offer throughout the day include:

• Poetry Corner - Enjoy a moment of calm and reflection at our Celebration Day Poetry Corner, featuring work from Binks Hub projects, colleagues and partner organisations.
• Trellis Scotland - Trellis is Scotland’s national charity for therapeutic horticulture, working towards a future where plants, gardens, and nature are accessible to all. Trellis supports people to improve their health and wellbeing through gardening, plants and connection with nature.
• Fife Gingerbread - Fife Gingerbread is a grassroots charity providing accessible, non-judgemental support to lone parents and families in need across Fife. As the only voluntary sector charity in Fife with a primary focus on lone-parent families, it delivers holistic support to improve wellbeing, increase opportunities and tackle child poverty.
• Poverty Truth Community - Poverty Truth Community is a movement for change led by people with lived experience of poverty, bringing them together with decision-makers to build relationships, influence decisions and create meaningful change.
• Heritage Collections - The Heritage Collections Civic Engagement Service engages underserved communities with the university’s collections for the purposes of positive social impact. We work with community partners to co-develop and deliver our services and programmes which are currently focused on three areas: 1) mental health and wellbeing, 2) alternative education for those with criminal and community justice backgrounds, and 3) young people from underserved communities.
• Flip of the Coin SCIO - Flip of the Coin SCIO is a women and lived experience-led organisation based in Easter Ross, supporting people experiencing poverty, isolation, poor health and multiple barriers through creative wellbeing and community activity in nature.
• Outwith: Participatory Research and the Library - Outwith works with projects across the University to support all forms of Participatory Research practices, from co-production to citizen science. Working with our partners, various Library teams and central services we work to support and collaborate where we are needed; including in data management, publication, workshop facilitation, and the production of outputs.
• University of Edinburgh Community Team - The Community Team is a central point of contact connecting local communities and the University of Edinburgh. Sarah Anderson from the Team can let you know what the University might offer your organisation and vice versa. Sarah can also share tips on how to go about engaging with members of the University.
• Vanessa Montesi, IASH - Vanessa Montesi was a public engagement fellow at IASH (January2026-July 2026). Her work focused on family migration and reunion in the UK, which she analysed through participatory methodologies, including an international book club for spouse visa holder and their loved one, creative workshops, and a roundtable discussion with artists, charity workers, scholars and journalists. She is currently the Language and Learning Service Manager at Action Foundation, a frontline charity supporting sanctuary seekers and migrants with NRPF.
• Helen Berry, PhD researcher - Funded by The Binks Hub, this doctoral study explores research co-production in Scotland from the perspective of practice. Drawing on creative research methods and working in the shadow of a perceived 'impact' problem, the research invites us to reflect on what it is that we value in co-producing research and how we come to know it.
• Ninewells Community Garden
• Social Action Inquiry Scotland
• AI Literacy Challenge
• Maker Space, run by the Binks Hub
• Impact gathering table, run by the Binks Hub