Common Ground began with only one worker and the support and vision of a number of individuals with experience of arts and community development at local and national level. It sought to develop a way of working that both engaged with the community and supported artists with an interest in locating their practice in that community. 

In the early years, Common Ground concentrated on building relationships with local community groups in order to respond to local needs. Common Ground experimented with processes that included: setting up community based artist’s residencies; delivering arts training, capacity building with youth leaders and community workers; providing mentoring opportunities for artists. The results of the work were considered, by those involved, to be enormously positive.