Creative Economy Champion Grant Renewal
Lead Research Organisation:
Loughborough University
Department Name: Loughborough University in London
Abstract
This project renews the appointment of Andrew Chitty as AHRC Creative Economy Champion (CEC) for a 39 month period (January 2020 - March 2023) to develop stronger, more sustainable and more impactful relationships between the Creative Industries and the academic community both within and beyond the Arts and Humanities. It builds on previous work by Professor Chitty duing an initial 3-year period from 2017-19 (CEC1). During this second period, Professor Chitty will be based at Loughborough University's London campus in Hackney. Its co-location on the Here East site, with an exciting cluster of creative industries, innovators and educational providers, is ideal for partnership working and public engagement.
The renewal of the role has been supported by two significant events that occurred during the initial period: the rise of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) as a significant new funding stream for Research and Innovation and the establishment of UK Research and Innovation bringing together the 7 Research Councils, including AHRC, Innovate UK and a new body Research England. ISCF funding enabled the commissioning, development and launch of the two most ambitious Research and Innovation Programmes ever devised for the Creative Industries: the £54m Creative Industries Clusters Programme (CICP) delivered by AHRC and the £35m Audience of the Future Challenge (AotF), delivered through Innovate UK. These programmes greatly expanded both the scale and scope of the CEC role as Andrew Chitty took on a leadership role in developing each programme, being appointed to the UKRI role of Challenge Director in 2018 (AotF) and 2019 (CICP). The responsibilities of the Challenge Director role have required Professor Chitty to take on a fractional employment contract with UKRI to exercise the financial and management powers within the appropriate governance framework and to manage the efforts of a combined team that now totals 14FTE.
The ongoing combination of Challenge Director and AHRC Creative Economy Champion roles presents great opportunities to co-ordinate UKRI's research strategy for the Creative Industries as well as to work with industry bodies (such as the Creative Industries Council) and government departments (DCMS, DIT, BEIS) to ensure that this new field of applied creative research is supported and sustained. However, the complex governance requirements, the differing timescales of the programmes and grants (CEC 2017-19; AotF 2018-2021, CICP 2018-2023) and the potential overlap of activities present both challenges and risks.
The objectives of this grant are:
- To build on the success of the initial CEC tenure by continuing to work to build innovative, impactful and sustainable relationships between the Creative Industries and Academic researchers.
- To enable the CEC to continue to provide thought leadership to the sector and to provide strategic advice to AHRC Senior Management and AHRC Council over current and future strategy and investments relevant to the Creative Industries
- To focus and refine the CEC workstreams into specific areas of need for the new period, with an acknowledgement that some areas of previous activity are now sustained by resources available under the CICP and AotF programme. The focus for the grant period will be particularly on developing partnerships with industry bodies for as yet unengaged sectors, developing a conceptual framework for creative research both in the UK and internationally and engagement and outreach to policy makers. Workstreams supported by this CEC2 programme will be completely distinct from activities of CICP and AotF
- To ensure strong cross-over and synergy with the activities of the two ISCF Programmes and the continuity in leadership of the Creative Industries Clusters across the years 2021-2023 that is required to ensure that AHRC can maintain its pre-eminent role within UKRI regarding the Creative Industries
The renewal of the role has been supported by two significant events that occurred during the initial period: the rise of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) as a significant new funding stream for Research and Innovation and the establishment of UK Research and Innovation bringing together the 7 Research Councils, including AHRC, Innovate UK and a new body Research England. ISCF funding enabled the commissioning, development and launch of the two most ambitious Research and Innovation Programmes ever devised for the Creative Industries: the £54m Creative Industries Clusters Programme (CICP) delivered by AHRC and the £35m Audience of the Future Challenge (AotF), delivered through Innovate UK. These programmes greatly expanded both the scale and scope of the CEC role as Andrew Chitty took on a leadership role in developing each programme, being appointed to the UKRI role of Challenge Director in 2018 (AotF) and 2019 (CICP). The responsibilities of the Challenge Director role have required Professor Chitty to take on a fractional employment contract with UKRI to exercise the financial and management powers within the appropriate governance framework and to manage the efforts of a combined team that now totals 14FTE.
The ongoing combination of Challenge Director and AHRC Creative Economy Champion roles presents great opportunities to co-ordinate UKRI's research strategy for the Creative Industries as well as to work with industry bodies (such as the Creative Industries Council) and government departments (DCMS, DIT, BEIS) to ensure that this new field of applied creative research is supported and sustained. However, the complex governance requirements, the differing timescales of the programmes and grants (CEC 2017-19; AotF 2018-2021, CICP 2018-2023) and the potential overlap of activities present both challenges and risks.
The objectives of this grant are:
- To build on the success of the initial CEC tenure by continuing to work to build innovative, impactful and sustainable relationships between the Creative Industries and Academic researchers.
- To enable the CEC to continue to provide thought leadership to the sector and to provide strategic advice to AHRC Senior Management and AHRC Council over current and future strategy and investments relevant to the Creative Industries
- To focus and refine the CEC workstreams into specific areas of need for the new period, with an acknowledgement that some areas of previous activity are now sustained by resources available under the CICP and AotF programme. The focus for the grant period will be particularly on developing partnerships with industry bodies for as yet unengaged sectors, developing a conceptual framework for creative research both in the UK and internationally and engagement and outreach to policy makers. Workstreams supported by this CEC2 programme will be completely distinct from activities of CICP and AotF
- To ensure strong cross-over and synergy with the activities of the two ISCF Programmes and the continuity in leadership of the Creative Industries Clusters across the years 2021-2023 that is required to ensure that AHRC can maintain its pre-eminent role within UKRI regarding the Creative Industries
Planned Impact
This project will benefit the following users: companies; creative industry sectors; policymakers and public professionals; communities and city regions. Each will be considered in turn.
COMPANIES across the Creative Industries will benefit from the CEC2 programme because they will be able to express their needs from R&D and be brought into contacts with university researchers across a range of disciplines with the insights, facilities and skills to devise research programmes that can address those needs. Companies will also benefit from understanding how successful collaborations with academic researchers have helped other companies through our knowledge exchange programmes and events delivered in partnership with sector groups.
It is important to recognise that within this programme the words "company" and "companies" is used to denote a legal entity within the Creative Industries. These could be conventional companies, not-for-profits or charities working in purely commercial fields within the creative Industries or in those areas such as the performing Arts or Galleries. Libraries and Museums that are seen as more distinctively culture, in their impact.
Particular CREATIVE INDUSTRY SECTORS such as publishing, marketing & communications and architecture, that have not been impacted to date by support for applied creative research from Creative Industries Clusters Programme or the Audience of the Future Challenge will benefit from targeted interventions to identify industry challenges and needs and an agenda for HEI/collaborative creative research programmes. These interventions will be designed to lead to well articulated business cases that can from the basis of structural interventions to meet the industry R&D needs identified.
POLICYMAKERS and PUBLIC PROFESSIONALS concerned with economic growth will benefit from greater understanding and evidence of how research partnerships between HEI's and the Creative Industries can deliver economic growth on local, regional and national scale. Greater evidence will lead to greater understanding and support for programmes that focus on the Creative Industries contribution to economic growth which will in turn increase impact on the companies and HEIs that deliver them.
Policymakers and Creative Industries sector bodies will benefit from reports from the structured engagement of the CEC2 international missions which will map similarities and differences between the UK implementation of HEI/Creative Industry partnerships and those of other territories, identify alternative strategies and new opportunities through comparative analysis.
COMMUNITIES and CITY REGIONS will benefit by the creation of more resilient and sustainable Creative Industries sectors arising from impactful relationships between HEI's and Creative Industry organisations. It is recognised that creative business and cultural organisations make significant contributions to place making and social cohesion beyond just their direct economic contribution - as do HEIs. . In alliance with universities and with new research partnerships targeting both local and sector needs this contribution can be maximised.
COMPANIES across the Creative Industries will benefit from the CEC2 programme because they will be able to express their needs from R&D and be brought into contacts with university researchers across a range of disciplines with the insights, facilities and skills to devise research programmes that can address those needs. Companies will also benefit from understanding how successful collaborations with academic researchers have helped other companies through our knowledge exchange programmes and events delivered in partnership with sector groups.
It is important to recognise that within this programme the words "company" and "companies" is used to denote a legal entity within the Creative Industries. These could be conventional companies, not-for-profits or charities working in purely commercial fields within the creative Industries or in those areas such as the performing Arts or Galleries. Libraries and Museums that are seen as more distinctively culture, in their impact.
Particular CREATIVE INDUSTRY SECTORS such as publishing, marketing & communications and architecture, that have not been impacted to date by support for applied creative research from Creative Industries Clusters Programme or the Audience of the Future Challenge will benefit from targeted interventions to identify industry challenges and needs and an agenda for HEI/collaborative creative research programmes. These interventions will be designed to lead to well articulated business cases that can from the basis of structural interventions to meet the industry R&D needs identified.
POLICYMAKERS and PUBLIC PROFESSIONALS concerned with economic growth will benefit from greater understanding and evidence of how research partnerships between HEI's and the Creative Industries can deliver economic growth on local, regional and national scale. Greater evidence will lead to greater understanding and support for programmes that focus on the Creative Industries contribution to economic growth which will in turn increase impact on the companies and HEIs that deliver them.
Policymakers and Creative Industries sector bodies will benefit from reports from the structured engagement of the CEC2 international missions which will map similarities and differences between the UK implementation of HEI/Creative Industry partnerships and those of other territories, identify alternative strategies and new opportunities through comparative analysis.
COMMUNITIES and CITY REGIONS will benefit by the creation of more resilient and sustainable Creative Industries sectors arising from impactful relationships between HEI's and Creative Industry organisations. It is recognised that creative business and cultural organisations make significant contributions to place making and social cohesion beyond just their direct economic contribution - as do HEIs. . In alliance with universities and with new research partnerships targeting both local and sector needs this contribution can be maximised.
Organisations
- Loughborough University (Lead Research Organisation)
- Victoria and Albert Museum (Collaboration)
- United Kingdom Research and Innovation (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF YORK (Collaboration)
- University of South Australia (Collaboration)
- University College London (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH (Collaboration)
- British Council (Collaboration)
Publications
Hitchen G.
(2022)
Mapping the Virtual Production Eco-system
Hitchen G.
(2023)
Virtual Production Eco-System Mapping
Radjabov Bakhrom
(2022)
Social Innovations in Post-Soviet Countries
| Title | Creative Industries R&D Timeline |
| Description | An interactive 3 dimensional timeline displaying public programmes to support innovation and R&D in the creative industries from 1998 to the present. Set within the context of creative industries and wider policy frameworks this interactive work, engaged with either online or in display environments, allows users to interrogate the growing history and dependency relationships of creative and policy programmes over the last 25 years. |
| Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Impact | Planned completion of prototype Q2 2024 |
| Description | This award is intimately tied to the roles of the PI as UKRI Challenge Director of the £100m ISCF funded Audience of the Future Challenge (incorporating Creative Clusters), representing the largest commitment of UK public funds to applied research for the creative industries. The Grant supports research into the impacts, methods and processes of Creatuve Research and the formulation of a conceptual and policy framework around further research and innovation in this sector. Covid has had an impact on the delivery of findings to date, not soo much in that Covid has directly prevented and/or delayed p[lanned work, though it has particularly in the still planned international comparison studies. Rather the need to devote more time (1§2months more than planned) to the management of the original investments, themselves severely impacted by Covid, has delayed the planned data capture and analysis. That said the early key findings are: • We have identified successful models for R&D driving Innovation in creative products and services • W can describe how R&D funding can drives Company Growth in small and/or early stage SMEs • We have identified a typology of 8 models for Universities and Creative Businesses to work together to deliver regional economic and cultural impact. • We have explored methods of using Innovation funding to de-risk private investment, draw new investors into the creative sector and/or bring them earlier into the firm lifecycle. • We have identified specific challenge models for R&D that supporting innovation across supply chains within creative clusters • We have evidence as to how large scale creative technology demonstrator projects can drive transformation beyond the partners to deliver wider sector impacts thru the adoption and defusion of technology. Separate work carried out as part of the award has identified how acces by Creative Industries firms to R&D Tax Credits could be increased and how creative R&D could significantly contribute to the UK Government policy of achieving and R&D spend of 2.5% of GDP and how policy and industries effort to understand the dynamic of the emerging Creative Technology (CreaTech) space require a framework for Creative Technology and a logic model for Creative R&D. |
| Exploitation Route | We work closely with the Creative Industries Council and Sector Bodies (PACT, CreativeUK, Design Council, Design Business Association), UKRI partners and DCMS to disseminate as widely as possible the outcomes of our work. In 2022/23 we will deliver a series of symposia around the practical application of our research findings an their relevance to policy, not only in the Creative Industries but as contributors to regional economic and industrial policy, issues of EDI and workforce development and in aspirations towards' levelling up' |
| Sectors | Creative Economy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Education Leisure Activities including Sports Recreation and Tourism Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
| Description | My work as AHRC Creative Economy Champion has significant impact to policy and innovation infrastructure in the UK through research and cultural brokerage between Creative businesses and the academic research base and through my 'other' role as UKRI Challenge Director, leading the two most significant applied research programmes that the UK has ever supported. In these dual roles I have contributed over th past year, inter alia, to: * HMG and Dept BEIS "UK R&D Roadmap" (Crown Copyright 2020) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-research-and-development-roadmap * The Creative Industries Council "Covid-19 Transition and Recovery Plan" (2020) https://www.thecreativeindustries.co.uk/download-hub/cic-covid-19-transition-and-recovery-plan and was a contributing interviewee for * The National Audit Office Report on UKRI's Management of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (Feb 2021 HC1130) * The Industrial Strategy Council Report "Effective Policy Approaches to Sectoral Policy" (https://industrialstrategycouncil.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/Effective%20Policy%20Approaches%20-%20Research%20Paper.pdf) which reviewed the Creative Industries Sector Deal (crown copyright 2018) , a component of the UK Governments 2018 Industrial Strategy to which I had also been a contributor. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/695097/creative-industries-sector-deal-print.pdf |
| First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
| Sector | Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Government, Democracy and Justice,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal Economic Policy & public services |
| Description | CRAIC Essay: How much does the UK invest in publicly supported R&D in the Creative Industries? Written in the context of the enquiry by the Prime Ministers Council for Science and technology (CST) into R&D in the creative industries this responsive online essay by PI Chitty set out a methodology to derive an estimate of the proportion of public research and development funding devoted to the Creative Industries as expressed as a percentage of the overall Research and innovation spent by UKRI and its predecessor councils. This essay was prompted by a series of enquiries from CST as to whether there was empirical evidence for the belief that the UK Creative industries received far lower shares of R&D proportionate to the GVA of the sector than other innovation rich sectors. The estimate produced by AC of 0.9-1.0% of UKRI spending was quoted at the launch of the CST report and prompted the councils first recommendation to the Prime Minister that public funding for Creative Industries R&D should be reassessed in the light of the sectors continued contribution to UK GVA (est 6%) |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-council-for-science-and-technology-publishes-advice-on-harnes... |
| Description | Contributions to the House of Lords Select Committee "Creative Futures" |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | Evidence provided to the Select Committee through written submission and through a workshop convened by the PI with Storyfutures (RHUL) lead to high prominence within the report of both the importance and effectiveness of the Creative Industries Clusters Programme. The report suggested that UKRI and DCMS urgently extend this programme as the one innovation programme providing the greatest evidence of successful impact of R&D in the Creative Industries. This was followed by public engagement between the Select Committee Chair and Ministers, by joint ministerial meetings which I was asked to attend and by the announcement in the 2023 Budget Statement of an inquiry lead by the PM's Council on Science and Technology into innovation in the Creative Industries for which i provided the initial briefing. |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/work/6881/a-creative-future/publications/ |
| Description | Creative Industries. Council submission to the HMT and HMRC consultation on R&D Tax Relief published in March 2021 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | The policy research work undertaken result in a submission by the Creative Industries Council to the HMT and HMRC consultation on R&D Tax Relief published in March 2021. This consultation has not officially reported but changes to the. R&D Tax Relief system announced in budget 2021 and the promise to consider further amendments to the Relief System have lead to subsequent meetings with DCMS and HM Treasury. We are working with Creative Industries Council to gather further evbicdence with the expectation of effecting greater access to R&D Tax Credits within the current spending review period, possibly as part of the Creative Industries Sector Vision to be published be DCMS/BEIS during 2022. |
| URL | https://craic.lboro.ac.uk/essays/rd-tax-credits-wider-bigger-better-2 |
| Description | Policy input into the development of UK Investment Zones |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| Impact | Investment Zones are intended to deliver significant economic impact but the exact basket of economic/fiscal tools to be employed are not yet decided. |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/news/levelling-up-at-heart-of-budget |
| Description | CoSTAR Insight and Foresight Unit |
| Amount | £7,500,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2023 |
| End | 04/2029 |
| Description | Collaboration with Creative Informatics (University of Edinburgh) and Data City on developing creatuve business strategies for the use of data assets |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Provision of CRAIC Research Associate for development of a workshop series with creatuve industries businesses in Edinburgh/Lothian to describe their current strategies for conception and utilisation of data and toolkit to develop more sophisticated data strategy. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provision of Data Scientist/Researcher, recruitment to seminar series, co-design of workshops and development of toolkit. |
| Impact | Data Strategy Toolkit for Creative Industries Businesses |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Collaboration with UCL and Here East Ltd to conceptualise and develop Creative Experience Lab London (CELL) a new centre of excellence for the Experience Economy on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park |
| Organisation | University College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Andrew Chitty (AC) as lead for the partnership has lead ideation for this proposed industrial and enterprise innovation laboratory which will bring together academic researchers across loughborough university (particularly Loughborough London) and UCL schools and UCL East. AC has lead business planning; technical specification and lab design. |
| Collaborator Contribution | UCL Innovation : developing strategy, academic and industrial community Here East Ltd: developing concepts and plans, spatial requirements and business model |
| Impact | Creative Experience Futures Lab - a 12 month programme of community building, challenge events and R&D prototyping delivering across three core areas of CELL interest: Galleries and Museums, Performance and Built Environment. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Collaboration with UKRI over Seminar Series for policymakers and analysts on insights and evidence from recent Place- and Sector-based programmes in Creatuve Researh and Innovation |
| Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Analysis of UKRI data on Creative Industries Clusters Programme (CICP) and Audience of the Future Challenge (AOTF) Insights from PI (Andrew Chitty) who served as Challenge Director forthese Programmes. Recruitment to seminar of attendees from business, academic researchers and consultancies. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Inishgt from Perogramme Evaluation. Recrutiment to Seminars from UKRI, DCMS, BEIS and HMT policy staff |
| Impact | 3 x seminar presentations and transcripts which will feed into future publications. Plans for second series of seminars. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Collaboration with University of York over research into uptake and diffusion of Advanced Media Production technologies in Screen and Perfromance Sectors |
| Organisation | University of York |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Hosted a jointly funded RA to use our previously developed Creative Technology Framework to develop a survey instrument for companies across the Sccreen and Performance sector to establish their adoption, utilisation and roadmap across a range of technologies |
| Collaborator Contribution | Specialist knowledge of Creative Technologies. Recruitment of Research Assistant. Development of survey instrument. Recruitment to survey |
| Impact | Initial Baseline survey of 60 UK creative businesses and their current and future use of Creative Technologies |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Creative Research and Innovation Group |
| Organisation | University of South Australia |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The Creative Research and Innovation Center (CRAIC) has been established through the Creative Economy Champion grant to bring together a group of academics, policymakers and industrial innovators to develop, discuss, explore and develop models and frameworks for the relatively new field of Applied Creative Research and to posit a logic model for rinterventions to promote research and innovation in the Creative Industries. Rationale: After more than 20 years of sector advocacy and evidence building, the economic importance of the Creative Industries is now widely understood within UK policy. The contribution of Research and Innovation, however, is not. There is now considerable investment flowing into Creative Industries R&D through UKRI's Creative Clusters and Audience of the Future programmes. These, together with evidence from an array of international programmes and some local and regional initiatives, are beginning to provide a body of data and information from which we can start to convene a programme of collaborative research to explore the new field of Applied Creative Research Convening that programme os the objective of CRAIC; its research will be a work in progress. we are seeing to bring together a mix of insights, projects and deliberations which - between them - will start to shed light on the nature, mode of operation, effectiveness and impact of applied research and innovation in the Creative Industries and the wider economy |
| Collaborator Contribution | Initial activities to establish the centre through CY 2020/21 Partners have participated in a series of activities * Participation in monthly policy roundtables to map current programme in Applied Creative Research/Creatiuve Industries Innovation in the UK, US, RSA and Australia in order to develop a comparative Framework * Contributing think pieces, blog posts and policy insights to be published in the CRAIC website * Participating in discussions, interviews and debates as part of a regular CRAIC Podcast to commence in spring2021 YR1 contributing partners include Glasgow University Centre for Cultural Policy, Univ of Witwatersrand Department of Cultural Policy and Management, University of South Australia Dept Cultural Economy, Ruttgers University School of Communication, Anagram Ltd, KTN Ltd, BOP Ltd, StoryFutres Academy, Central Ltd, Brunel University department of Social Science and Communications CRAIC partnerships will be formalised across 2021 |
| Impact | Monthly policy roundtable sessions for creative research scholars, policymakers and industry innovators to map current programme in Applied Creative Research/Creatiuve Industries Innovation in the UK, US, RSA and Australia in order to develop a comparative Framework. * Establishment of a publication strategy for commissioned think pieces, blog posts, essays and policy insights from the CRAIC community through the CRAIC website * A series of discussions, interviews and debates as part of a regular CRAIC Podcast to commence in spring2021 |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Partnership with British Council as Partner of Beyond Conference 2023: Beyond... Global |
| Organisation | British Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Beyond Conference Ltd is a Social Enterprise (Company Limited by Guarantee) established by the Creative Economy Champion to produce and promote the annual Beyond Conference which brings together the creative industries research and innovation community spanning business, university researchers and creative and cultural organisations. Beyond offers a main stage conference programme curated around a specific theme with parallel tracks for innovation projects and partners, for young innovators and researchers and a showcase for early stage prototypes of new creative products services or experience The 6th instalment of Beyond was staged at the Royal Institution in London 21st-22nd November 2023 to address global opportunities for creative research and innovation, bringing together creatures and researchers from the UK, Gulf Co-operation Council states, Tajikistan, western Balkans, Malaysia, Japan a total of 23 countries. PI on this Grant Andrew Chitty chairs the conference and curates the main stage programme working with colleagues (Creative Economy Team Ltd) to manage and produce the event and schedule partner programming. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The British Council partnered with the PI and with beyond Conference Ltd to firstly identify speakers and delegates to the conference through their global Creativity Economy programme. British Council then provided funding support to Beyond Conference for travel and accommodation, supporting expenses of 10 speakers and 25 delegates to the conference and marketing Beyond through its online channels. BC Director of Creative Economy Rehana Mughal joined the editorial team for the conference, proposing and producing sessions in the programme with her team as a contribution in kind in addition to the direct financial support. It is anticipated that this partnership will continue with the potential for Beyond events in collaboration with British Council mounted internationally |
| Impact | Multidisciplinary partnership: Creative Industries, Creative Economy, Live and Performing Arts, Film, TV and Computer Games, Digital technologies. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Preserving, Collecting and Archiving XR content and experiences; brining together industry and institutions |
| Organisation | Victoria and Albert Museum |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | As AHRC Creative Economy Champion and the current Director both of UKRIs major creative industries programmes (Audieince fo the Future and Creative Industries Clusters Programme) we have access to more than 200 of the UK's leading companies in the field of XR, working across, games, screen industrieslocation based experiences and sports/esports. Within this rapidly developing sector we can convene the industrial voice on the challenges of preserving XR content as both an industrial archive and an aid to training. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners at V&A Research Institute (VARI) can convene the collecting institutions, both their archives and their curators, and the challenges of collecting as well as preserving and curating XR content in the cultural context. |
| Impact | Our initial (2022) workshops and symposia will focus on the challenges of collecting, preserving and archiving XR content and experiences in three contexts. XR live performance, XR narrative and location based or site specific XR. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Then application of creative technology to the renewal of festivals and live events post Covid |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The aim of this partnership is to bring multidisciplinary research methods to an investigation of the application of creative technologies (AR, VR, XR, Projection mapping, data visualisation, haptics, show control etc) in the festivals sector as largely. scale festivals and live. events return after the 2 year hiatus of Covid. This is a paving study for a large grant application in partnership between CRAIC, colleagues in business and management studies at Loughborough University London (LU LDN) and colleagues in Design Informatics at the University of Edinburgh. The paving study will focus on the creatuve development of the 10 projects which make up Unboxed 2022 - Creativity in the UK, a new >£100m festival for 2022. The paving study will be undertaken by a PDRA supported by LU LDN. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners at Edinburgh provide expertise in design probe methodology, allowing us to interrogate the ideation and creative propositions emerging from Unboxed through Design methods. Our partners Unboxed 2022 provide access to the creative, design and technology teams undertaking the 10 projects that make up the festival, from Siemens R&D division developing new lighting systems to the poet Oliver Jeffers. |
| Impact | Work is multidisciplinary across Arts & Humanities, Design, Social Sciences Introductory essay to the paving study: Creative innovation in live experiences and festivals - Unboxed: Creativity in the UK By Dr Lora Markova, Loughborough University. Available at https://craic.lboro.ac.uk/essays/creative-innovation-in-live-experiences-and-festivals-unboxed-creativity-in-the-uk/ |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Towards a conceptual framework for Creative Technologies |
| Organisation | University of York |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | In 2020 the PI and COI identified that there was increasing use in the creative and technology policy areas of the term "Createch" to mean (at least) the intersection between the creatuve industries and advanced computing technologies. However the term lacked definition and was subject to multiple, sometimes contradictory interpretations. The PI and CoI worked with BOP consulting to develop thinking in this area by developing a tentative framework for creative technologies, publishing this open the CRAIC website. In this new collaboration. the PI and CoI will supervise a PDRA from University of York's Digital Creativity Labs to elaborate this framework and to undertake a series of engagement with industry and researchers to validate and develop it. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Univesity of York are providing support for a PDRA, joint supervision of the project and access to the >50 creative technology companies within the XRStories Creatuve Cluster which York leads. |
| Impact | Project only initiated Feb 2022 |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Beyond Conference: Chair session on the Creative Industries in the New Industrial Strategy |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Chaired session exploring the policy implications and opportunities for Creative Cities of the HMG 2024 "New Industrial Strategy" for the creative industries with. particular focus on Skills, , devolution and research and innovation. Contributors to the session included Tom Adeyoola, advisor to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, renowned theatre director and chair or "one Creatuve North" Jude Kelly and Chief Executive of Birmingham Ormiston Academy Trust , Kate Tague |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://beyondconference.org/b24/ondemand/ |
| Description | CRAIC Research Symposium: Agents of Change How R&D drives transformation in Creative Clusters. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A half day research symposium featuring papers from each of the nine AHRC Creative Cluster projects grouped around 4 themes - R&D programmes and processes, Transformed Ecosystems, Creative Technologies and STEM, Reconfigured Universities. PI AC curated and introduce ed the event, selected and framing presentations and contributed a concluding paper 'towards a toolkit for a Creative Cluster', CoI Hitchen contributed an opening paper on the impact of the overall programme. Following discussion and feedback from the symposium papers are being revised and presented as chapters for a book to be published to coincide with the announcement of the next Clusters Programme |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | CRAIC Website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | CRAIC website is a growing repository of the outputs of the Creative economy Grants. In 2021/22 we have published 15 Essays, from PI, CoI, PDRA and invited guests from University of Edinburgh, BOP Consulting, Bayes Business School, The Open University, Industry and policymakers. We have also publicised our first series of podcasts with practitioners and researchers across the creative industries, covering the future of live performance, EDI in XR, new business models and copyright, opportunities for the creatuve industries in the Internet of Things *(IoT), as well as essays and other material on our new research initiatives and partnerships. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://craic.lboro.ac.uk |
| Description | CRAIC engagement activities |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | * Monthly policy roundtable sessions for creative research scholars, policymakers and industry innovators to map current programme in Applied Creative Research/Creatiuve Industries Innovation in the UK, US, RSA and Australia in order to develop a comparative Framework. * Establishment of a publication strategy for commissioned think pieces, blog posts, essays and policy insights from the CRAIC community through the CRAIC website * A series of discussions, interviews and debates as part of a regular CRAIC Podcast to commence in spring2021 In 2022 the CRAIC website hosted a series of ~Essays from the PI, CoI, Research Associates supported on this Grant and collaborators from other institutions allowing them to test early stage thinking an gain feedback from other CRAIC contributors and audiences. CRAIC ran live events at SXSW 2022 (Austin Texas USA) and Beyond 2022 (Cardiff UK) to promote these essays and engage with live audiences |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021,2022,2023 |
| URL | https://craic.lboro.ac.uk |
| Description | CRAIC newsletter |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | CRAIC newsletter distributes news and content from the CRAIC website to researchers, industry engaged R&D staff and policymakers |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://craic.lboro.ac.uk |
| Description | Chair: Beyond Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Over the last 5 Years Beyond has become the UK National conference for Creative Research and Innovation, drawing natinal an international audiences. It now comprises a three day event with a central conference programme sitting alongside an Industry Showcase, ERC Research expo and partner track events. Beyond;s 5 editions have toured the UK (London, Edinburgh, Online, Belfast Cardiff) drawing a love audience of 500 delegates and an online audience of double that size, in 2023 Beyond returned for the first time to London, delivering Beyond Global in partnership with The British Council, bringing together more than 500 delegates from 23 countries to explore creative innovation and R&D opportunities in the UK, western Balkans, Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Central-, South- and South-East Asia. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019,2020,2021,2022,2023,2024 |
| URL | http://www.beyondconference.org |
| Description | Creative Technology workshop with "Cages" |
| 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 | This workshop, held in collaboration with Scenario2, an innovation lead theatre production company, allowed research practitioners across the creative industries to meet the creative team and technologists behind "Cages", a striking demonstration of the possibilities of new theatrical technologies and old stage magic. The workshop involved a behind the scenses tour, discussion of production methods and technologies and a performance of the show. It created new dialogues and partnerships highly relevant to the ongoing development of the CoSTAR creatuve R&D infrastructure. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Industry and policy engagement work as AHRC Creative Economy Champion (international) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Speaking at International oriented Industry/Policy fora around Creative Research and Innovation Keynotes and panel chairs includes (Not exhaustive) SXSW 2020 and 2021 (online) - SXSW Main programme, UK House, Audience of the Future Live Programme CogX 2020 Createch Stage Beyond 2020 - Conference Chair, Meet the Makers track , Creative China track UK-Japan: The Future of Arts and Technology |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | http://www.beyondconference.org |
| Description | International presentation, Philippines |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation at the Philippines Creative Nation Summit in Manila, giving the keynote speech to a room of industry and policy partners across the Philippines. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.dti.gov.ph/archives/news-archives/philippine-creative-industries-take-center-stage-creat... |
| Description | Keynote presentation at international film event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Keynote presentation to When East Meets West, a major European Film showcase and conference event |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.wemw.it/ |
| Description | Metaverse Round Table |
| 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 | Round Table event with 15 industry leaders to debate 'What is the point of the Metaverse?', hosted by Here East and Plexal on the Olympic Park in London. Participants were senior policy and industry leaders. This was then opened out to a much bigger debate, involving c.50 practitioners. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://hereeast.com/news/what-point-metaverse/ |
| Description | Presentation of a paper |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Participation on a symposium at a major R&D Conference (Beyond) - presenting a paper on the emerging impact of the AHRC Creative Clusters programme and, in particular, the forms of evaluation used. The session was called: Agents of Change, How R&D drives transformation in Creative Clusters. The talk was co-hosted by the AHRC and included a presentation from the AHRC Executive Chair. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://beyondconference.org/b23/schedule/ |
| Description | Presentation to Philippines Department for Trade and Investment |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presentation to delegates from the Philippines Department for Trade and Investment, and other Government departments, on a study visit to the UK (via the British Council) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | St Benhilde talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Talk to St Benhilde University, Manila. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | UK Policy engagement public and consultation activities |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Multiple engagements to espeak and present at UK National policy focussed events Particularly Westminster Media Forum (open, public, published) Creative Industries Council Working Groups (industry, policy, private), Creative Industries Federation Conference (open, public) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | http://www.westminsterforumprojects.co.uk |