Methods Fair 2026: A celebration of creativity, connection and care
Last week鈥檚 Methods Fair organised by Methods@91直播 brought together researchers, practitioners and community partners from across the North West and beyond for a day of creativity, conversation and collaboration.
The Fair has become a highlight in the research calendar with a strong sense of openness and curiosity. As one attendee reflected: 鈥淭he atmosphere was really friendly and inspiring and I鈥檝e come away with lots of thoughts on where to take my research.鈥�
A keynote grounded in friendship and care
The day opened with a thoughtful and engaging keynote from Prof Sarah Marie Hall and Sally Bonnie, FRSA-Founder and Director of Inspiring Futures Partnership CIC, who shared their journey of working together over the past eight years. Their talk moved beyond traditional academic narratives, offering instead a story of care, friendship and collaboration.
Using the metaphor of weaving, they illustrated how relationships are not simply part of research practice, they are what holds it together. Threads of trust, care and shared experience ran throughout their reflections, setting a powerful tone for the rest of the day.
Getting hands-on with methods
Across the programme, participants had the chance to immerse themselves in a wide range of interactive and practice-based workshops, alongside lightning talks and poster presentations (including but not limited to sessions on drawing research, ethical practices in multiligual research, lived experience and co-production, more than human methods and Lego serious play). Attendees also had the opportunity to experience the University鈥檚 flagship Data Visualisation Observatory.
Interdisciplinary moments of exchange, their unplanned and conversational nature, and the way in which discussions extended well before the sessions themselves are a defining feature of the Methods Fair.
Bringing people together
One of the most distinctive aspects of the day was the bringing together of people who might not otherwise cross paths. This year鈥檚 event included community participants, creating a genuinely inclusive and collaborative environment.
Inspire Women Oldham鈥檚 collaboration on the zine-making workshop captured the spirit of the day: opening up research methods as a shared space for learning, creativity and connection.
As Professor Emma Banister, Director of Methods@91直播, reflects:
The Methods Fair is a highlight of my year. It鈥檚 fantastic to see the full range of disciplines and research methods reflected in the programme. Each year, we welcome more participants from outside academia鈥� For me, this is what the Fair is all about鈥攂ringing together people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to connect, learn from one another, and share experiences.
Leaving inspired
Our hope is that the Methods Fair can create a space where people feel able to experiment, connect and think differently about research. An aim that was not lost on this attendee who reported feeling: 鈥淚nspired, refreshed and rejuvenated to try out new methods and build them into my research design."