A Day at the “Crafting Our Creative Northstowe” Event
Blog by Ummiye Seyda Mutlu (Doctoral Researcher, Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge)
I was in Northstowe Tap and Social on Sunday 6th April 2025 between 5–7 pm for “Crafting Our Creative Northstowe,” co-hosted by Northstowe Arts, local artists Chloe and Matt, and The Cambridge Room. The collaboration is funded by the Public Engagement Department (University of Cambridge).
It aimed to tackle a nagging question: how do you breathe life into a new town that’s already packed with houses but short on shared and communal spaces?
When I and Ruchit walked in, we were greeted by the very lovely Northstowe Arts people Chloe, Mari, and Matt. We helped them get ready, set the tables, and welcome participants.
Quick Context: Northstowe in the Spotlight
Before diving into the specifics of the event, let me set the stage. As I usually do for any place in Cambridge, I checked Antony Carpen’s blog posts to get the most comprehensive look on the past and present of Northstowe. Northstowe has been a hot topic in local and national news for years, often for its missing town centre or lack of facilities (check this). Even though about 1,200 homes are already occupied, essential public services like shops, GP surgeries, social spaces, aren’t keeping pace. Residents have been vocal about feeling isolated, especially in comparison to other surrounding communities that have easier access to resources.
The government, through its housing agency Homes England, recently announced a partnership with Keepmoat and Capital & Centric to accelerate development (check this for more). This was a big deal because Homes England stepping in as a “master developer” means there’s a promise of a more coordinated approach. At the same time, the Chancellor mentioned “unblocking” Northstowe and other developments, indicating this isn’t just a local gripe, it’s a national-level concern.
That’s the background in which an event like “Crafting Our Creative Northstowe” appears it’s an attempt to approach community building from the ground up, with actual residents and local facilitators driving the conversation.
Stepping Into the Session: A First Glance
The hosts Mari, Chloe, Matt, and Ruchit greeted guests with a friendly, unhurried welcome.
Around 5 pm, we settled in. The hosts explained the event’s flow, showing a couple of slides. It felt relaxed. There was an emphasis on two main activities:
1. Celebrating Northstowe’s Creative Story – This was about mapping out our personal experiences, values, and creative highlights in Northstowe so far.
2. Crafting Northstowe’s Future – Imagining what the town could look like as it grows, identifying the community assets we’d love to see, and brainstorming how to make them happen.
The instructions were loose: “We’ve placed images, words, and materials on the tables. Grab anything that resonates with you, and assemble a collage on an A3 sheet.” The first session would focus on the present, and the second session would pivot to the future. In between, we’d have a short break to hang our first collages on the wall and have some refreshments.
The Creative Maps: Sharing Our Present-Day Northstowe
I took a seat at one of the tables, next to people who had already started going through the piles of photos and cut-out text. One of them had found pictures of green spaces and running trails; another person was sorting through words like “belonging,” “health,” and “community spirit.” As we chatted, I discovered that another participant shared my interest in barefoot shoes, which sparked a random conversation. It was a perfect example of how these events can unearth small, personal connections that a more formal setting might never surface.
One thing that struck me was how natural the flow of conversation became once everyone was focused on a creative activity. It was easy to ask, “Why did you pick that word?” or “How does that image speak to you?” People mentioned the usual big issues like the difficulty in finding a community, the feelings of isolation. Some shared that they missed having a casual public space to just be present, like a communal cafe or a library.
One person at my table mused about how arts might link to AI education, particularly for girls and women who might find traditional tech clubs intimidating. This idea of merging creative practice with technology felt fresh. We chatted about small, informal meetups that could lower the barrier to entry, letting people experiment with coding or robotics without the pressure to become experts.
Another participant talked about feeling nervous to sketch outdoors, worried people might judge them for “loitering.” They said If there was a local group that met weekly for walk and draw sessions, maybe they would feel more comfortable. It dawned on me that isolation can happen even if you’re engaged in a hobby you love. Sometimes you need an excuse to come together, and an arts group, or any group, can be that excuse.
Collective Reflection
After roughly half an hour of collage-making, we began pinning our papers on a large wall. We took time to contemplate on them over some refreshments. The mood was generally hopeful, and people seemed to be having fun.
During the collective conversation, a performer shared that they need a performance community in town and then had found out about a nearby theatre club through someone else’s invitation. This was exactly what I love about these sessions: big policy issues aside, they help with everyday neighbourly connections. It might not register on a formal “impact metrics” spreadsheet, but it sure matters to those who want to join local performing arts activities.
Building on Hopes and Dreams: Imagining the Future of Northstowe
The second half of the event shifted gears to the question, “What could Northstowe look like if we dared to plan without limits?” We all came together to brainstorm about future facilities: communal kitchens to host cooking clubs, open mic and community karaoke events, or green spaces for large-scale public events.
What stood out to me was how participants combined practicality with ambition. They weren’t just naming random fantasies; they talked about who might run these initiatives, and they were volunteering.
The Role of Arts in Community Engagement: Why Use Collages?
I’ve seen a wide range of community consultations: from formal Q&A sessions with a local council panel, to online surveys that gather cold data. Collage-making stands out as a more playful, low-pressure activity. It forces you to slow down, look through images, choose ones that resonate with your experiences or your hopes, and talk about them.
From a research standpoint, arts-based methods allow participants to express things they might not be able to articulate in purely verbal or written forms. Sometimes a colour or an image can capture a feeling that’s hard to pin down in words.
Artistic engagement can create a sense of control. It’s not about simply documenting; it’s an active tool for reshaping the conversation and forging connections. In the space of a few hours, collages brought out a sense of agency and possibility. That intangible shift might not register in standard metrics, but it’s a crucial step if we want to avoid repeating the structural problems that have dogged large-scale developments in Cambridgeshire.
Reflections and Takeaways
As we wrapped up, Ruchit brought out a digital social value map. Everyone was invited to pin their favourite spots, existing or dream locations. The map is a big part of Cambridge Room research and is available here.
Points Worth Noting
1. Isolation Is Real - Even in a new town marketed as modern and well-designed, people can still feel cut off, unsure how to meet others or share their passions.
2. Small Connections Lead to Big Ideas - Whether it’s barefoot shoes, AI clubs, or open-mic nights, these tiny overlaps of interest can lead to bigger, more cohesive communities when nurtured.
3. The Process Matters - Focusing on the creative act itself softened the atmosphere. People who might have been too shy to speak at a formal event felt comfortable pointing to a collage and saying, “This is how I see things.”
4. Measuring Impact Is Tricky - Funders or officials often ask, “What concrete outcome did we get?” But the real magic is in intangible bonds. We need new methods of capturing these stories without turning them into dull data sets.
5. Nurturing a Network of Good Practices - Many places—like CoLab Dudley or Civic Square—have proven that arts-based engagement can enliven communities. A shared repository or a network like “Resilience Web” could collate best practices, offering a blueprint for future sessions so we don’t reinvent the wheel each time.
6. Bridging Art and Research - Artist-researcher collaborations can deepen the impact of community consultations. Cambridge Room is actively supporting Northstowe Arts’ grant application to expand this activity. This synergy ensures that creative methods are backed by scholarly inquiry, and that research findings are grounded in real community experiences.
The Path Forward
Two hours flew by. Collages covered the walls. The event ended in semi-finished conversations. Northstowe has potential, lots of it, but also a complex web of governance issues, development contracts, and resource challenges. Yet events like this show that communities are more than just lines on a developer’s plan. They’re living networks of people who have ideas, hobbies, anxieties, and random conversations about footwear. Over time, a steady series of events like this could anchor a “communities-first” spirit in Northstowe’s growth. Though nothing is resolved overnight, I left feeling that these creative gatherings might be the best way to shape Northstowe’s direction from the inside.
Let’s face it: the houses are built, but the heart of a community can’t be dropped in by a decree. It emerges when residents feel comfortable sharing ideas and building friendships. I’ll keep an eye on how these discussions play out, especially at the Midsummer Festival where more ideas may surface. If you’ve seen similar engagements succeed elsewhere, drop a comment.