Collective Encounters is excited to share some words from Marianne Matusz, our Co-Artistic Director for Creative Development and Women, on no more excellence
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In 2019 Collective Encounters launched the Centre for Excellence in Participatory Theatre. It responded to a particular moment in UK cultural policy. The word ‘excellence’ was epitomised by Arts Council England’s 2010 – 2020 strategy Great Art and Culture for Everyone. This period led to an increased focus on cultural democracy, participation and nurturing high-quality artistic processes and products. Collective Encounters adopted the concept of ‘excellence’ to combat the pejorative view of ‘community arts’ as lesser than other artforms. Participatory and social art practice at its best is skilled work and aesthetically innovative. The impetus behind the Centre for Excellence in Participatory Theatre was to create a space for shared learning, provocation and critical development. Importantly, we wanted to facilitate opportunities for artists, activists and cultural professionals with a shared interest in participatory practice to come together. Since I joined Collective Encounters in 2020 over 1500 people have engaged with our creative development programme – either participating in training, joining in an Open Space event or supporting our Arts for Social Change Showcases. A further 86 artists and professionals have contributed as speakers, trainers or guest presenters. It is a joy to share our practice with so many of you, host provocative discussions and learn alongside you.
Now, in 2026, we are reassessing how we talk about this programme. Of course, we believe in delivering creative participatory processes and artistic outcomes, including professional development, that are high quality and informed by the expertise and experiences of our artists and participants. However, the idea of ‘excellence’ began to represent a paternalistic approach to artist and sector development which did not match the values of Collective Encounters and the ways in which we work. This article from Arts Professional is a great opinion piece on the ‘burden’ of excellence which, as CEO of Heart of Glass Patrick Fox points out, risks sowing division between participatory and community-based arts practices and other artforms. Excellence is a loaded term – etymologically implying superiority and loftiness, and in this moment in time especially we don’t need more divisions.
As our values and attitudes develop, so does the language we use to describe our work and our commitment to communities and creative development. At the end of 2025 we began a process of rewriting Collective Encounters’ manifesto (more on the new manifesto to come, watch this space). Through this process our participants, staff and trustees shared that they also felt uncomfortable with the word ‘excellence’ – it wasn’t just me!
Who’s to say what excellence is?
The pressure to be ‘excellent’ may put people off!
Who and what we are is enough.
And so, we proudly declare, no more excellence. We are doing away with the title “Centre for Excellence”, it no longer fits our programme model or our values as an organisation. Holding democratic principles and popular education strategies at the heart of these events, our creative development programme maintains a focus on supporting artists, cultural professionals, activists and researchers to cultivate new learning, develop skills and grow reflexive practices. Facilitating spaces for us to come together in critical discussion is a meaningful and radical way for us to learn from and challenge each other. We continue to champion co-creation, embedded participation and ethical approaches to creating artworks from lived experience. And ultimately, Collective Encounters will always advocate for making art that is urgent, and which responds directly to the needs of communities across the UK in the here and now – whatever that may be.
If you’re interested in hosting training, a masterclass or open space event at your organisation email Marianne: marianne@collective-encounters.org.uk
