People United is an arts charity based in Canterbury.

Our vision is of a thriving, creative society where we are kind to ourselves, each other and the world around us. Our mission is to use creativity to grow the conditions for radical kindness to flourish and make change happen.

We work collaboratively with communities in Kent and beyond. Wherever people gather to live, work and play, we co-create art that explores and encourages kindness as a value and an action. We also support others by sharing our learning and methodology through events, development programmes and bespoke interventions.

We focus on kindness because it sits at the heart of individual and community wellbeing. It also has the ability to challenge accepted norms and drive social change. Our practice is underpinned by more than a decade of academic research which has produced clear evidence that the arts can be a superconductor for kindness, and over the years we’ve used this to develop our distinct creative approach.

We now centre our work on ‘radical kindness’ - kindness that is strong, that has the potential to address structural imbalances and isn’t afraid to ask difficult questions, including of ourselves; kindness as activism, across difference, without apology and with the power to influence the world around us.

People United is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.

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