ImagiNation 10 authorities across the eastern region www ImagiNation 10 authorities across the eastern region www.imaginationeast.org.uk Why What How Outcomes Why we did it: wanting to look at building volunteering opportunities across the region. We wanted to explore the potential for an older activity to complement the SRC. We’d had some experience of regional working during 2012. We decided to use this project to increase our experience of engaging with young people – co-production with young people working with artists to devise the concept, the name of the project and to select the artists and then to work with artists to shape arts workshops. An arts and reading project for 10-16 year olds. Arts workshops during the summer in targeted libraries in each authority and an ImagiNation Log. Recorded on a blog How worked through regional ASCEL to develop ideas and liaised with regional SCL, obtained contact in each authority and established a steering group. We recruited a project manager, agreed a lead authority and ran regional training one at inception and one in the spring . 7000 young people taking part popular with young oeople

Learning – regional working Co-production Time Working with artists Libraries at different stages of experience Flexibility Distance and engaging with frontline staff SCL buy-in Agree co-ordination, lead body, how budgets will be managed Shared planning and problem solving Regional relationships/ sub-relationships/ regional identity Learning about the project Co-production – moved us all on in our learning – it can be done, has a great impact, but takes time We all learned more about working with and recruiting artists and not all as geared up for co-production as libraries which surprised us It took lots of time and timing important Needed to be flexible to allow for the differing needs of authorities and because it was done regionally frontline staff were a long way from the planning needed to do more local training and support and recognise library services are at different stages of experience and some may need more support than others Having SCL buy in helped solve problems Would recommend being clear from the outset who will be the lead body , who will hold funding and who will co-ordinate and make sure that authority puts its systems in place early We have strengthened regional relationships work closely learned more about each others’ needs Shared planning problem solving, sharing good practice All shared things like moderating the blog