The Lively Project explores how objects can reflect what it means to live a long life. The idea for The Lively Project came after reading 'Ammonites and leaping fish: a life in time', by Penelope Lively. In that book, Penelope Lively highlights six treasured possession which reflect who she is and where she has been.

In this pilot project funded by the Wellcome Trust, six volunteers living in Belfast identified six objects that mean most to them, and reflect their life. These were displayed in the Something of who I am exhibition held in the Crescent Arts Centre in December 2016.

For more information about the project, have a look at the Lively Project website, or at Gemma Carney's blog in The Conversation.

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Since its foundation in 1998, the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey has recorded public attitudes to cross community relations in Northern Ireland. Many of the same questions are asked every year. This provides a unique opportunity to track changes in public opinion over time.

In December 2016, Dr Maire Braniff (INCORE, Ulster University) presented a seminar focusing on the latest data from the 2015 survey. The seminar was videoed. A Research Update was also produced - details are in the Publications section below.

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ARK is now inviting Expressions of interest for the 2017 survey of 16 year olds (Young Life and Times) and the 2017 survey of 10/11 year olds (Kids' Life and Times). Fieldwork for both surveys will take place in the autumn of 2017. The costs for the inclusion of questions are normally calculated on a modular basis. However, specific requests can be negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

If you would like to discuss how to fund or commission some questions, please get in touch with Dirk Schubotz (Young Life and Times) or Katrina Lloyd (Kids' Life and Times)

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The Knowledge Exchange Seminar Series (KESS) is a forum that encourages debate on a wide range of research findings, with the overall aim of promoting evidence-based policy and law-making within Northern Ireland. The series is collectively sponsored by Queen's University Belfast (QUB), Ulster University, Open University and the Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service.

The seminar on 14 December 2016 focused on children and young person's attitudes and experiences. All three presentations were based on ARK's survey data:

• Stefanie Doebler (University of Liverpool), Ruth McAreavey, Sally Shortall and Ian Shuttleworth (QUB) - Negativity toward immigrant out-groups among Northern Ireland's Youth: are younger cohorts becoming more tolerant?
• Gemma Carney and Paula Devine (QUB) - Children's attitudes towards old age: findings from the Kids' Life and Times Survey 2015
• Dirk Schubotz, Katrina Lloyd and Martina McKnight (QUB) - A Question of Sport: Perspectives of Children and Young People

The KESS website provides further information about the seminar, videos of the presentations, and links to the associated policy briefs.

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One of the most extensive sections of ARK is Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). This is an encyclopaedic resource on 'the Troubles' and politics in Northern Ireland. CAIN provides access to a diverse range of material, ranging from a section on the background to the conflict to a section on Visualising the Conflict. The site also contains a selection of digital records from the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, and the National Archives Ireland.

Since November 2016, a copy of the CAIN site is available in the Troubles Gallery of the Ulster Museum. A previous version of the CAIN was available in the Troubles Gallery in 2009.  

Both of our latest publications are based on data from the 2015 Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey:

• A tale of two cities? Cross community relations in Northern Ireland, by Maire Braniff (Research Update 110)
• The impact of caring, by Paula Devine and Ann Marie Gray (Research Update 109)

ARK produces a range of publications, including Research Updates and fact sheets. Most of these are available online. For a full list of publications, as well as links, visit our Publications page.

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