Sagar, D., 2016.

TALES OF TWO CITIES:- 'KING COTTON' &'MOTOR CITY'

Detroit & Manchester:- and the post-industrial North, exploring the tales of two truly industrial cities, their rise and fall and subsequent post-industrial decline, their transitions and transformations and the potential to develop, commercial, cultural, industrial, artistic and musical transactions.

The research proposal is to compare and contrast the similarities between Manchester and Detroit and to connect the two cities. To build on existing research and further develop, already established links, with universities and wide-ranging organisations, artists and academics. This has included delivering papers in Detroit and Manchester and being instrumental in organising the grass roots FC United of Manchester to make the transatlantic crossing to Detroit, to play Detroit City FC a similar community based football team.

The output of the project is for researchers' and partners to work in collaboration, culminating in a city wide, year long [2021/22, 100 years, Ford factory setting up in Mancgester ] celebration between the two cities, with parallel events happenings in Detroit. Via exhibitions, musical, sporting events, publications and trans-Atlantic communications, celebrating cultural community initiatives.

The lead up to this would commence initially with, small events, workshops, seminars, symposiums, publications and papers; again building on already developed connections within MMU as a faculty wide resource, further connecting with the city council and private sector, developing a data base of collaborators, to enable an informed approach to funding from the likes of AHRC, British Council, city councils, the private sector, self-funding and sponsorship.

Both cities with a collective industrial past and as a consequence have suffered with socio-economic problems but cities with an eye to the future, both smart cities, developing digital initiatives and industries. Cities in transition, how have they have dealt with their problems? How they can learn from each other? With a focus on the need for cities to allow for zones of experimentation and creativity; areas to play, think and create in order to develop and instigate new initiatives and ideas.

Also to speculate on future development of these themes in relation to globalisation, and the potential to develop, grass roots [urban agriculture included] community led, cultural, industrial, commercial, sport, artistic and musical transactions. How these cities can function to develop solutions to communal living in the cities of the future.