Modelling and Supporting Recovery of the UK's Experience Economy: Enhancing Audience Resilience and Engagement via Digital Methods
Lead Research Organisation:
University of the Arts London
Department Name: London College of Fashion
Abstract
This proposal seeks to reconceptualise consumer value and business resilience in the UK's creative and visitor sectors and their value chain (from VFX companies, theatres and museums to festivals, catering and accommodation providers), collectively referred to as the experience economy. With a value of over £300bn, the health of the experience economy maintains the UK's status as the world's seventh most visited country and producer of quality creative experiences.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, many experience economy operators in the creative sector had begun experimenting with online content. Over the course of the pandemic, the range of these offers has expanded, opening up new audiences and sustaining existing ones. For many businesses, the digital or online 'experience' comprises mainly recorded and distributed content, usually provided free.
Experiences are heavily dependent on evoking a sense of place. Therefore, at a time when access to physical places is restricted, there is a risk that online material fails to provide an effective proxy for the experience itself. While proving popular during the pandemic (see bibliography), existing products arguably offer limited additional experiential or business benefits.
Convening expertise in experience design, post-production technology, games, visitor economy and place-making, this project will:
- support experience providers in developing online and digital products which enhance their physical counterparts.
- investigate modes of delivery and monetisation, as well as the policy instruments required to maintain adjacent place-based reputations and offers.
- produce tools to support experience economy businesses' immediate post-COVID-19 regeneration, including scenario modelling, enabling a robust economic recovery.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, many experience economy operators in the creative sector had begun experimenting with online content. Over the course of the pandemic, the range of these offers has expanded, opening up new audiences and sustaining existing ones. For many businesses, the digital or online 'experience' comprises mainly recorded and distributed content, usually provided free.
Experiences are heavily dependent on evoking a sense of place. Therefore, at a time when access to physical places is restricted, there is a risk that online material fails to provide an effective proxy for the experience itself. While proving popular during the pandemic (see bibliography), existing products arguably offer limited additional experiential or business benefits.
Convening expertise in experience design, post-production technology, games, visitor economy and place-making, this project will:
- support experience providers in developing online and digital products which enhance their physical counterparts.
- investigate modes of delivery and monetisation, as well as the policy instruments required to maintain adjacent place-based reputations and offers.
- produce tools to support experience economy businesses' immediate post-COVID-19 regeneration, including scenario modelling, enabling a robust economic recovery.
Organisations
- University of the Arts London (Lead Research Organisation)
- Brompton Bicycle (Collaboration)
- SONY (Collaboration)
- Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (Collaboration)
- LUX (Collaboration)
- Tourism Alliance (Project Partner)
- VisitScotland (Project Partner)
- CARDIFF UNIVERSITY (Project Partner)
- VisitEngland (Project Partner)
- Sadler's Wells Theatre (Project Partner)
- Framestore (Project Partner)
- South East Local Enterprise Partnership (Project Partner)
- London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (Project Partner)
- Private Address (Project Partner)
- Visit County Durham (Project Partner)
- Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance (Project Partner)
- The Arts Development Company (Project Partner)
- The Mill (Facility) Ltd (Project Partner)
- Royal Opera House (Project Partner)
- Strategic Horizons LLP (Project Partner)
- Abertay University (Project Partner)
Publications
| Title | Sony/xFilm production |
| Description | Sony and xFilm collaborated on a confidential feature film production, which was staged and produced in the UAL XR Lab for Textiles and Dress on a trial commercial basis. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2025 |
| Impact | When the film is released (25/26), the Lab will be credited and the technical set-up will be shared more widely, showcasing the unique virtual production offering which has been made possible because of the CResCa award. |
| Title | World's first Crystal LED VERONA installation at the University of the Arts London |
| Description | Case study film commissioned and produced by SONY, made by ImageNova, to showcase the first installation globally of the Crystal LED VERONA technology in a Higher Education Institution. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | As a result of publicising the technology through the film, SONY is in the process of signing deals with other Universities (e.g. Norwich University of the Arts) to complete similar installations, furthering their business in the HE sector. |
| URL | https://pro.sony/en_NO/education/education-insight/ual-verona-virtual-production-case-study |
| Description | - The UK lacks a skill base of workers with hybrid creative and technical skills needed to create the high quality digital experiences and content expected by contemporary audiences. • The UK's experience economy has a high degree of regional variation in its composition and strength as measured by connectivity and concentration of businesses. • Monetisation of experiences cannot be accurately measured by 'pay-per-view' metrics, which fail to account for digital membership and counterpart physical spend. • Experience economy organisations are agile and adaptable in response to physical restrictions in their operation, but require additional financial and human resources to achieve their ambitions and meet audience expectations. • Local authorities have played a pivotal role in supporting businesses during COVID-19. Critical to this function is the ability to identify businesses that are at risk, evaluate capacity for digital adaption and connect businesses with complementary skills. • Audiences and consumers of digital experiences across all age groups have expanded significantly over the course of the pandemic, with the biggest increase seen in 55-64 year olds. • Digital experiences are not considered by audiences to be a direct replacement or substitute for physical experiences but offer an important counterpart and alternative when physical experiences are not available. Digital experiences therefore benefit from a different approach to their creation to maximise their reach and monetisation where appropriate. |
| Exploitation Route | The findings are being taken up into policy channels, as well as informing industry practice. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Creative Economy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Education Leisure Activities including Sports Recreation and Tourism Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
| URL | https://www.dreem.org.uk/dreem-report/ |
| Description | As of March 2025, findings have been used by local, regional and national Government actors with responsibility for economic recovery and regeneration within experience economy sectors. This includes Local Authorities and Councils in all devolved nations of the UK, together with national departments such as DCMS. Results have also informed industry practice by allowing knowledge sharing between businesses. The DREEm evidence base in the project's publications on audience appetite for digital vs physical experiences has been used in grant applications by experience economy businesses to gain R&D funding; examples of these are reported under 'further funding'. DREEm continues to be a powerful project and resource for multiple organisations, with its tools in active use in Government today. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural Economic Policy & public services |
| Description | Contribution to AHRC Pandemic & Beyond |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or Improved professional practice |
| Impact | Policy development in digital experiences. |
| URL | https://pandemicandbeyond.exeter.ac.uk/ |
| Description | Contribution to POSTnote: The impact of digital technology on arts and culture in the UK |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://post.parliament.uk/approved-work-the-impact-of-digital-technology-on-arts-and-culture-in-the... |
| Description | Dundee City Council Tourism Planning |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Impact | With improved data, the Council can make better decisions about where to invest its limited resources to maximise visitor numbers, and thus generate revenue. They have been able to compare the outcomes of their strategic decisions with other Local Authorities, to ensure that investments remain evidence-based. This has increased revenue to the Council. |
| Description | Royal Anniversary Trust CreaTech summit |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | The publication of the policy paper and its uptake in Government departments and NGOs such as CHEAD and NSEAD is evidence of much-needed impact in the creative sector and beyond. New policy influencing curriculum is due to be set in Spring 2025. |
| URL | https://royalanniversarytrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CreaTech-Report.pdf |
| Description | Embedding Circularity through R&D in Fashion, Textile and Technology SMEs |
| Amount | £9,809 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | PPHE210169 |
| Organisation | The British Academy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2021 |
| End | 03/2022 |
| Description | Kindred: Connection and Compassion in Child-Parent Dance Experiences (Luminelle CIC) |
| Amount | £25,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Arts Council England |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 10/2025 |
| Description | UAL VP/XR for textiles and dress: Infrastructural development |
| Amount | £3,576,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AH/X010155/1 |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2023 |
| End | 06/2024 |
| Description | XR Network+ : Virtual Production in the Digital Economy |
| Amount | £3,250,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2022 |
| End | 08/2026 |
| Title | Interactive Case Study |
| Description | This method uses semi-structured interviews and the collection of secondary data assets to create an interactive PDF showcasing best practice in digital experiences. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Impacts include businesses benefiting from seeing best practice examples, and thus being able to adapt their own offer. |
| URL | http://dreem.org.uk |
| Title | DREEm audience experience survey dataset |
| Description | Quantitative and qualitative data about audience perception and expectation of experiences delivered online during the period of March 2020 - January 2022 (n=887). |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Analysis of the data is being shared with project partners active in the design and delivery of experiences, allowing them to tailor their practice. |
| Title | Experience Economy Dashboard |
| Description | For the first time, this tool aggregates Companies House, NOMIS and ONS data about experience economy business activity per Local Authority (LA) - covering the creative industries and visitor sectors. Local Authority users can see at a glance the 'health' of their experience economy and compare the composition of activity with other LAs across the UK. |
| Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Tool has been tested at beta stage by three LAs |
| URL | http://dreem.org.uk |
| Description | DCMS Experience Economy Data Collaboration |
| Organisation | Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Contribution of aggregated national Government data underpinning a dashboard aimed at regional/local authority teams, for DCMS review. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The data were pulled and cleaned by Co-Investigators Dr Rebecca Hawkins and Dr Thomas Bashford-Rogers and their research assistants, and subject to review by potential users from local Government including Durham, LBBD and Dundee Councils. The connection between DREEm and DCMS was brokered by Pandemic and Beyond. |
| Impact | Experience Economy Dashboard (soon to appear on dreem.org.uk) |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | XR Lab partnership |
| Organisation | Brompton Bicycle |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | UAL - provided physical space, infrastructure, expertise and research/technical specification capability, as well as 3 x 1FTE roles: XR Lab Manager, XR Lab Project Manager, Senior R&D Fellow in Textile and Dress. |
| Collaborator Contribution | SONY - provided LED panel technology Lux Machina - creation of virtual production system technology Brompton Technology - provider of processors for the LEDs in the Sony panels Kinly - managed procurement and fit-out of the Lab PSCo Virtual Production - subcontractor for part of the system installation |
| Impact | The UAL FTTI XR Lab was delivered within the timeframe and budget required. The collaboration involves disciplines including virtual production, filmmaking, textile design, heritage, and computer science. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | XR Lab partnership |
| Organisation | LUX |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | UAL - provided physical space, infrastructure, expertise and research/technical specification capability, as well as 3 x 1FTE roles: XR Lab Manager, XR Lab Project Manager, Senior R&D Fellow in Textile and Dress. |
| Collaborator Contribution | SONY - provided LED panel technology Lux Machina - creation of virtual production system technology Brompton Technology - provider of processors for the LEDs in the Sony panels Kinly - managed procurement and fit-out of the Lab PSCo Virtual Production - subcontractor for part of the system installation |
| Impact | The UAL FTTI XR Lab was delivered within the timeframe and budget required. The collaboration involves disciplines including virtual production, filmmaking, textile design, heritage, and computer science. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | XR Lab partnership |
| Organisation | SONY |
| Country | Japan |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | UAL - provided physical space, infrastructure, expertise and research/technical specification capability, as well as 3 x 1FTE roles: XR Lab Manager, XR Lab Project Manager, Senior R&D Fellow in Textile and Dress. |
| Collaborator Contribution | SONY - provided LED panel technology Lux Machina - creation of virtual production system technology Brompton Technology - provider of processors for the LEDs in the Sony panels Kinly - managed procurement and fit-out of the Lab PSCo Virtual Production - subcontractor for part of the system installation |
| Impact | The UAL FTTI XR Lab was delivered within the timeframe and budget required. The collaboration involves disciplines including virtual production, filmmaking, textile design, heritage, and computer science. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Title | Guide to Digital Regeneration |
| Description | The software - a PHP application - organises and displays a compendium of digital experiences created and staged over the course of the pandemic, from 2020 - present. It also curates specialist information and advice on digital experience design and delivery targeted primarily at businesses and third sector organisations. The source data has been collated by the entire project team since project inception, with specialist advice written by Co-Investigators and PDRFs. The tool has been built by the project web developer/RA based at UWE Bristol. |
| Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Open Source License? | Yes |
| Impact | Tool is at beta stage and has been tested by experience economy organisations and stakeholders who can see that they would benefit from comparing their offer to competitors' in a targeted way. |
| URL | http://dreem.org.uk |
| Description | Expert Panel session at The Future is Now, October 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The panel was titled 'Debunking myths around AI: what skills do the next generation need?' and was a discussion with an audience of approximately 100 industry, HE and third sector professionals interested in developing future skills in the creative industries, especially in the context of the legacy of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://hereeast.com/news/the-future-is-now/ |
| Description | Focus Groups x 7 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Focus groups/workshops to discuss and identify novel practice in the design, production and staging of experiences in different places in the UK were held online (during lockdown periods) and subsequently in person. Three places were involved: Dundee, County Durham and London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022 |
| Description | Interview for strategic experience design book |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Stone Mantel (US experience design strategy company led by Dr Dave Norton and Prof Joe Pine, founder of the experience economy) interviewed global academic voices from the experience economy, which will be included in a forthcoming monograph from Norton (publisher Simon & Schuster). Dr Claire Bunyan contributed on DREEm's research investigating the triangular relationship between place, creativity, and economic activity in the formation of a true per-place experience economy, rather than isolated offerings. There will be a conference coinciding with the book's publication at which DREEm researchers will be invited to present (25/26). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Thames Estuary Growth Board membership board meeting, December 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Professor Harris is a member of the Thames Estuary Growth Board (formerly the Thames Estuary Production Corridor) and contributed to their December 2024 meeting. Meetings will continue throughout 2025, to meet a strategic policy agenda for the growth of the creative industries in the Thames Estuary region. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://thamesestuary.org.uk/ |