The conference, called A Sense of Place: Arts, enterprise and placemaking, is an interdisciplinary conference that will bring together arts funders, policymakers in local and regional government, artists and academics through a discussion of the impact of art practice on ‘a sense of place.’

The three day conference, which will take place at the University and in Luton’s cultural quarter, will feature arts workshops, performances, guided walks through Luton, exhibitions, installations and a trip to the Luton fireworks spectacular, as well as a talk from Hedley Swain from Arts Council England.

The University’s Executive Dean of Academic Partnerships Professor Helen Bailey, said: “We are very excited to host the first ever TestBeds conference here in Luton. We look forward to bringing together artists, academics and policy makers to explore how creative practice benefits social cohesion, creates rural and urban identity and helps grow the economy in towns such as Luton.”

For more information about the conference and to purchase tickets, please visit: www.testbeds.beds.ac.uk/a-sense-of-place

Luton-based independent artists or small unfunded arts organisations can attend for free.

About TestBeds:

TestBeds is a part of the Arts Council England Luton Investment Programme, a £1.5m investment over three years to develop arts and culture in Luton. TestBeds brings local, early-career creative practitioners together with internationally-renowned artists and immerses them in a hothouse for creative innovation. The project focuses on developing artists from diverse backgrounds as placemakers - enhancing their capacity to make a lasting difference to Luton and spearheading innovative, cross-disciplinary research into the employment of arts and culture as catalysts for change.

About the Luton Investment Programme:

The Luton Investment Programme also includes As You Change So Do I, a public realm arts programme which explores creative ideas, projects, projections and art in public spaces with visitors to, and users of central Luton. The project is led by Luton Culture in association with lead artist and Turner Prize nominee Mark Titchner. The Programme also supports the new Ten-Year Strategic Vision for the arts, cultural and creative industries in Luton. These link to the wider strategic vision and ambitions for the town which are set out in the Luton Investment Framework 2015-2025 which includes a bid for Luton to be named City of Culture 2025.