Each project told the story of the place and the people, and a digital commission told the national story of the project, making it available to people across the UK and beyond.

Here And Now examined communities’ hopes and dreams, aspirations and fears. Many participating venues looked at the role of the arts centre in a community, as a hub, as a space for expression, as an arena for discussion and reflection. The project showed the impact of the National Lottery on community life and arts, celebrating their 25th birthday.

With artworks as wide-ranging as an immersive Midlands Asian wedding experience to explorations of the concept of “home” for disabled and D/deaf communities, Here and Now was a hugely diverse project that established a new democratic template for arts commissioning, moving away from a top-down approach and towards a level-playing field, where everyone can feel involved in arts and culture.

See the Here and Now website for further information.

You can also read more about the legacy and long-term impacts of Here and Now (article from November 2024).