What is the Cultural Literacy Research Network (CLRN)?

The Cultural Literacy Research Network  (formerly Cultural Literacy Everywhere—CLE) is an international, research-led association. Our aim is to promote high quality, interdisciplinary research into the relationship between literacy, culture, educational policy and social change and in so doing, to raise public awareness of what it means to be ‘culturally literate’ in a globally divided, technologically dominated world.

As an association, we bring together academics, educators, artists, policy makers and members of the cultural and creative industries through conferences, workshops, special events, funded projects, special interest groups and international partnerships leading to the dissemination and exchange of publications, work in progress and up to date information on cultural issues. We are particularly interested in exploring the synergies between theory and practice.

We welcome the participation of individual researchers, project coordinators, practitioners and cultural actors from a range of disciplines and culture-related professions. 

How the CLRN Works and What We Do

The CLRN is funded through annual membership fees and income through conference fees and occasional small grants. It is run on a voluntary basis by a Steering Group of elected members. 

CLRN endeavours to run a biannual conference in association with participating universities. Its year-round core programme of activities and events is organised by a range of Special Interest Groups, which operate in the following areas:

Further, CLRN operates a small grants scheme which is open to all members, and a bursary scheme for its conferences.

Read our Manifesto