Action Research Groups (ARGs) are an opportunity for a small group of FAC members to explore a key topic in depth, in order to develop their arts centre practices and to share learning across the wider network.

Collaborative Commissioning

In 2023-2024, a group of ten arts centres was set up to build on the success of commissioning models developed in arts centres that are not traditionally seen as ‘producing houses’. The purposes of the group were to explore different potential collaborative commissioning partnerships and models.

You can read more about the group and its learnings in this Collaborative Commissioning Report.

Creative Enterprise

In the first six months of 2024, a group of ten arts centres met to explore how arts centres can develop as creative enterprises.

Launching in 2024, a new talks series will continue this exploration.

You can read more about the group and the upcoming talks series here.

Inclusive Recruitment

In 2023/24, a group of ten arts centres met to explore and test a range of practical approaches and best practice for inclusive recruitment for staff teams.

You can read more about the group and its learnings in the Inclusive Recruitment Report.

Individual Giving

In November 2024, we launched a new ARG where ten arts centres will be looking a testing and developing individual giving initiatives over twelve months.

Most Significant Change

We have held two action research groups on Most Significant Change (MSC) in 2023/24 and 2024/25. Through these, we have shared the methodology, applied to an arts centre context, with 23 arts centres.

Following this action research, we have been able to develop a training programme now available to any FAC member.

You can read more about Most Significant Change and the MSC Action Research Group Report.