Latest Blog and News

Commentary on participatory arts research methodologies with Helen Berry and CKM

june 2026

This piece contextualises and reflects upon Helen Berry’s blog about the collaboration between the Binks Hub and CKM, a collaboration rooted in our shared valuation of community knowledge.

Exploring research co-production with co-productive values

june 2026

Helen Berry, The Binks Hub

This blog tells the story of an eight month long collaboration between Helen and Community Knowledge Matters, which formed part of Helen’s doctoral research exploring how people and organisations give meanings and value to co-producing research in Scotland. The project culminated in a co-created, participatory arts workshop at our 2025 network Gathering, where participants explored the intersections between creativity, research, and co-production, and how these are valued. Helen assembled the blog in conversation with multiple voices, including some of our own network members.

You can view the visual research outputs of this collaboration—drawn by artist Jenny Capon—and read reflections from some of those involved via the link below.

Launch Event - Rights, Voice and Change: Making Experience Count Together in Moray

may 2026

One of the key questions of community-led research is how data and findings from lived experience can be collected and then meaningfully shared back to both communities to use, as well as to policy makers in a way that can enable change.

Applying the learnings from the development of our Co-Priority Survey Data Visualisation tool, CKM has been working as part of the Collaboration for Mental Wealth in Moray Community Research Network (CRN) to create an interactive digital tool specifically for visualising Collective Voice data.

The data visualisation tool will be launched June 11, 2026 in Elgin, Moray where you will get a first look at this new publicly accessible tool designed to share lived experience data in ways that are clear, responsible and useful.

Wider strategic work

may 2026

Throughout April and May, we have continued to share our learning and contribute to wider strategic conversations aimed at embedding community-led research into practice and policy.

Lewis Hou, our network coordinator, recently joined the keynote line-up at the 2026 UK Knowledge Mobilisation Forum in Bristol. The event featured thoughtful, creative discussions on the importance of relationships in knowledge mobilisation—emphasising ethics, trust, respect, acknowledging emotions and embodied practice as we create more human ways for people to share knowledge and work together. We were particularly inspired by the focus on "being kind to people, tough on systems".

Additionally, we have continued our contributions to the Engaged Futures process, facilitated by the NCCPE. Lewis attended the Engage Summit 2026 on the 29th and 30th of April, feeding into ongoing discussions about reimagining the future of higher education, specifically highlighting how communities can be better supported to feel part of the changing systems around what knowledge is valued. We will share further updates on this process as it develops.

Discussion table reflections from the 2025 Gathering

April 2026

At our 2025 network Gathering, participants shared their thoughts and experiences on a variety of topics, including asks for policy-makers and exciting work happening in community-led research. Each table discussed these topics in the context of a theme that is important to the network. These themes included Ethics and Climate, Young People Led Research, Creative Co-production, Sustainability and Funding, Health and Social Care, and Community-Research Partnerships. You can find the key reflections from the discussion tables in our latest blog post below.

A ceilidh and a safari: Out and about in Inverness and Moray

March 2026

Andrew Paterson from CHEX joined us for our CKM Gathering last November, a day filled with a diverse range of insights and activities centred on different aspects of community-led research. In this article, Andrew reflects on the moments he found most inspiring, from the community spotlights to the presentation of the Co-Priority Survey findings.

What we are learning about policy and influence: Part II

March 2026

Across the discussion tables at our 2025 Gathering, it was clear that abstract concepts—like policy, evidence, and relationships—are being navigated on the ground every day. Building on conversations that began at our 2024 Gathering, this blog brings these reflections together to explore how the network’s collective thinking on policy impact has developed over the past two years.

Across landscapes, into knowledge and with togetherness

March 2026

In this blog post, Max Besana reflects on the unique power of meeting in person during the CKM 2025 Gathering, held on 11 November in Inverness. Having planned and supported the event's logistics, Max shares her perspective on the organising process and how it provided an opportunity to meet, listen to, and support the many expressions of rurality and community across Scotland.

Recordings from the 2025 Gathering

february 2026

We are happy to share the first recordings from our 2025 in-person Gathering. Revisit the welcome and introductions, our network updates, and the Community-Led Research Spotlights with OPEN (Shetland) and the Moray Wellbeing Hub.

What we are learning about policy and influence: Part I

february 2026

In October 2025, our Community of Practice (CoP) session focused on policy impact and influence, with participants describing the challenges and possibilities they encounter when trying to bring community evidence into decision-making. This blog brings these reflections together to synthesise What The Community Network Is Saying About Policy Impact.