Innovation Lab

Lab One: Collaboration

The first phase of our Innovation Lab action research (2020-2023) focused on testing and developing a new approach to collaboration and partnership working that brought together ‘unlikely allies’ to deliver ambitious arts for social impact projects.

Why collaboration?

Collaboration can be a powerful tool for impact. When done well, working together with others can enhance innovation, extend networks, diversify reach, mitigate risk and amplify ambition. Funders are increasingly keen to support partnerships as pressures on demand and resources increase.

And yet, collaborating with others can also be really challenging. It puts additional pressure on capacity and teams. And it also brings up unique issues such as navigating power dynamics, inequity between partners and exposing a lack of understanding from grantmakers in how to support partnership working properly.

“The funding system is currently set up to make us all focus on what makes us different and special, instead of what we have in common, or what we need from others. As a sector, collaborating could be our superpower.”
— Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

What did we do?

Over a three-year period of action research, Take Note worked with over 30 arts and social change organisations to design, test and develop our collaboration methodology. Within this first Innovation Lab, we delivered two programmes - ‘Connect’ and ‘Partner Up’ - together with partner funders Footwork and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

Through Partner Up and Connect we set out to find ways to better support and maximise the impact of partnership working for organisations. And we developed a new approach for funders that reimagined what their application and grant-giving processes could be in order to properly accommodate and resource the specific needs and requirements of collaborative working.

“The Take Note support package enabled us to rise above our limited perspectives, build something together and connect through a common vision that kept the driving force of the project alive.”
— Take Note Action Research Lab partner

Make it stand out.

  • “It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business.”

    Laurie Payton

  • “It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business.”

    Jamie Kokot

  • “It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business.”

    Lindsey Beumer

  • “It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business.”

    Keith Finley