Mapping Nottingham's Identity started in June 2016, when Daša Spasojevic spent the summer working at Nottingham Trent University, supporting the development of the project. Daša became the Project Manager for the first iteration of Mapping Nottingham's Identity, working closely with community leaders in Sneinton and Carrington.  With Holly Mills and pupils from West Bridgford Infant School and students from NTU, we contributed to the Drawology exhibition at NTU. Daša and I co-curated the first exhibition at the Nottingham Central Library (September 2016) and we co-authored an article on the creative process of research. Creative practices and public engagement by Daša Spasojevic (researchcatalogue.net). That summer I run a mapping workshop with Prof Duncan Higgins at the Outreach Foundation, Johannesburg, South Africa. 2016 also saw the beginning of a five year collaboration with Alice Ullathorne, to contribute, with the MArch students from NTU, to the development of Carrington St, the Heritage Zone around the Train Station (2016-2022).

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In summer 2017 my colleagues in the Department of Architecture supported the development of a design for Selkirk Way (Carrington underpass), in collaboration with CTARA (Carrington Tenants and Residents Association) and Hamish Elliott from DoubleT. We organised a street party to think together about the space, and promote co-designing of the space. Hosta consulting also contributed with a greening structure that demonstrated the value of 'greening acupuncture'.

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In 2017-18 we used Carrington as a case study for one of my modules, so my students kept contributing to the research and potential development of the area. My PhD candidates Andrew Langley and Miguel Mejia supported further consultations in Carrington, and we co-curated the second exhibition at Nottingham Central Library (December 2017).

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In 2018 we delivered the last exhibition at Nottingham Central Library, with Andrew Langley, and kept working on the dissemination of the project through the website, thanks to Emma Hewitt, in conferences and other events nationally and internationally, including the Buffer Fringe in Cyprus (2019 and 2020) with CCFT (Creative Centre for  Fluid Territories) https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/976547/976548.

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In 2019 the project shifted slightly to contribute to a funded project with St Barnabas Catholic Cathedral in Nottingham. Alexandra Chairetaki became the project manager, and that summer we worked with several students from architecture and other degrees from NTU, as well as other volunteers. Since 2022 we have been exploring and co-creating sacred spaces at the West Bridgford Junior School and NTU. With Penelope Siebert, in the last few years, we have been exploring the connections between heritage and wellbeing, and how creative practices can support difficult conversations around mental health and wellbeing. 

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