Tilery Park: Curatorial and Creative Methodologies for Communities’ Engagement in Local Green Space and Nature Recovery

Tilery Park: Curatorial and Creative Methodologies for Communities’ Engagement in Local Green Space and Nature Recovery is a commissioned research report by Prof Sarah Perks and Dr Paul Stewart produced for the Tees Estuary Nature Recovery Partnership in collaboration with Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Natural England and local communities. The project developed and tested a set of interdisciplinary curatorial and creative research methodologies—including archival enquiry, storytelling, workshops, art making and filmmaking—to explore relationships between communities, green space and nature recovery. Working with schools, faith groups and local residents, the research foregrounded lived experience and pre-existing local knowledge to investigate barriers to access, environmental participation and aspirations for future green space provision. Extending Forms of Circulation’s wider practice research into place, moving image and relational methodologies, the report generated new evidence around environmental awareness, community perceptions and inclusive approaches to nature recovery, producing recommendations for future policy, engagement and environmental strategy.