is a British-German creative technologist with over 25 years at the intersection of music, technology, and art. As CTO of and founder of , he has spent his career building the infrastructure that connects creative practice to emerging technology, from pioneering work on one of the world's first artist websites with David Bowie in 1999 to encoding Massive Attack's Mezzanine into synthetic DNA with ETH Zürich. 

Andrew advises the UK government's Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s Working Groups on AI and copyright, representing coalitions of over 30,000 artists through the Music Managers Forum, Featured Artists Coalition, and AFEM. He is a leading voice on artist provenance, AI transparency, and the future of creative rights in the age of generative AI. 

At the heart of the visit was the major public lecture Proof of Human: AI, Copyright, and the Fight for Creative Authorship, which took place at the heart of the Innovation District at SISTER. 

In this special lecture and discussion, Andrew Melchior presented a compelling case for strengthening creative authorship in the era of generative AI. 

Drawing on his experience advising UK government technical working groups on AI and copyright, Melchior explored how large-scale AI systems trained on vast datasets of copyrighted material, often without consent or compensation are disrupting established frameworks for protecting creative work. He argued that the challenge facing artists today is not only legal but infrastructural: without reliable systems to verify authorship and trace creative lineage, existing rights regimes cannot be effectively enforced. 

Following the lecture, he was joined in conversation by John McGrath, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Factory International, and responded to audience questions. 

Earlier in the day, Melchior lead an interactive masterclass for undergraduate and postgraduate music and composition students. 

The session focussed on practical workflows for producing and releasing music while maintaining provenance and control of intellectual property in a rapidly evolving AI landscape. Students engaged directly with Melchior and explored the real-world implications of emerging technologies on their creative practice. 

The visit also included a roundtable discussion bringing together academic experts and policymakers. They examined the relationship between music, culture, technology, and ԰������’s creative heritage; the impact of AI and other technologies on the creative industries and mechanisms to protect the rights and livelihoods of creative practitioners. 

This visit was part of Creative ԰������’s ongoing commitment to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and critical debate at the intersection of culture, technology, and society.

My name is Callum, and I am a master's student studying Creative and Cultural Industries at the University of ԰������. Since December 2025, I have been on placement with Creative ԰������, where I have supported and learned about the wide range of activities the platform undertakes. This has included gaining insight into how Creative ԰������ operates as a research platform within the University, and how this work translates into exhibitions and public events.

My decision to return to university was driven by a strong interest in how creative practice and the arts can contribute to health and community regeneration and particularly how communities can work collaboratively to create meaningful change. I have worked in different organisations around Community Collaboration and wanted an insight into what the University does to engage with the community and different engagement approaches. When the opportunity to apply for a placement with Creative ԰������ arose, I recognised it as an ideal way to explore how academic research and cross-sector collaboration can influence community development both within the University and across the wider region. The organisation’s strong network of community and arts partners made the placement feel like a perfect fit.

During my time at Creative ԰������, my role focused on supporting the delivery of events and exhibitions developed through both internal research and external partnerships. I contributed to audience engagement evaluation, assisted with social media promotion in the lead-up to events, and supported the organisation of activities from early planning stages, such as researching venues, coordinating catering, and drafting event briefs, through to acting as an ambassador on the day.

Two particularly memorable projects that demonstrate the depth and impact of Creative ԰������’s work were the International Women’s Day event held in collaboration with and the Hulme Nannas' exhibition of (in)visibility, community and urban change.

The Hulme Nannas' exhibition of (in)visibility, community and urban change was a community-focused project involving women over the age of 50 living near the University. Created by author and artist Anthea Cribbin, and led by researchers Tina Cribbin and Niamh Kavanagh, the exhibition explored The University of ԰������'s position within Hulme, an area historically marked by deprivation but now undergoing significant regeneration and gentrification. The project provided a platform for local residents to share their perspectives, raising important questions around place-making, identity, and community voice during periods of substantial change.

, was the largest event during my placement and highlighted Creative ԰������’s commitment to inclusivity and accessibility. Thoughtful considerations, such as providing takeaway food options during Ramadan, helped ensure all attendees could fully participate. The event featured a panel discussion on inequalities in employment for women over 50 in ԰������, from the project Uncertain Futures, alongside contributions from local residents involved in the research. Performances from artists within Muslim and Turkish communities added a celebratory dimension, showcasing the strength of collaboration between the University and its wider community. It was a diverse, inclusive, and genuinely collaborative event, and a great example of Creative ԰������ at its best.

These examples are just two of the activities I was able to get involved in during my time at Creative ԰������. There where lots of other events that took place from AI in Music through to Creative Inspiration from Plants, Memorial Launches and research symposiums. Alongside this, I supported a diverse range of exhibitions from Moss Worlds, through to Biblical Women. The diversity of activities that took place where really interesting and showed different approaches delivery, teaching me a great deal

This placement has helped me develop both my confidence and my commitment to working collaboratively with communities to address challenges around health, equality, and access to the creative industries. I have gained valuable insight into how meaningful partnerships can bridge the gap between academic research and real-world impact. The work undertaken by Creative ԰������ is vital in fostering these connections, and it has provided me with approaches and perspectives that I will carry forward in my future work.

I am extremely grateful for my time at Creative ԰������. The team were welcoming, supportive, and deeply passionate about their work. I would strongly encourage anyone who has not yet attended one of their events to do so, they cover a wide range of topics and are consistently engaging and inspiring. The exhibitions in the Samuel Alexander Building’s glass corridor are also not to be missed; having worked with the team, I now appreciate the care and effort that goes into curating and regularly updating this space.

For anyone considering a placement that offers genuine insight into community engagement, academic collaboration, and creative approaches to complex social challenges, Creative ԰������ is an opportunity not to overlook. It has been an incredibly valuable and rewarding experience, and I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the entire team for hosting me.

Dr Alberto Esu, Lecturer in Classical Greek History in the Classics, Ancient History, Archaeology and Egyptology Department at the University of ԰������, has been awarded a prestigious fellowship to participate in research activities for the Phyle Project: Revitalizing Democracy in Theory and Practice. The project explores the history of civic offices in ancient Greek democracies and their relevance to contemporary republican and democratic theory.

One of only 12 fellows worldwide, Dr Esu was awarded the fellowship of 24,000 USD through nomination and competitive selection by an international committee of senior scholars. The fellowship is funded by the , which was awarded to Professor Josiah Ober for his leading contribution to the history of Athenian democracy.

As an award-holder, Alberto will support the research activities of the Phyle Project over the next three years until 2028, including participating in a workshop at Stanford University and a final conference in Athens. His studies will explore how Greek democracies structured civic offices, arguing that institutional design—especially limited and well-defined authority—was central to democratic resilience.

Reflecting on the award, Alberto said:

.

The award-winning festival, which is supported by Arts Council England, features a vibrant programme that highlights the library network’s full offer, across wellbeing, culture and creativity, digital and information, and, of course, reading.

Festival of Libraries won Best Event at the ԰������ Culture Awards 2024 and was named the second Most Inclusive Literature Festival by Inclusive Books For Children in 2025.

 has curated a series of four free events for the Festival programme, showcasing our research, in partnership with the  and the .

Writing for Wellbeing workshops will see poets from the Centre for New Writing run two sessions at Stockport and ԰������ libraries, exploring how creative writing can positively impact wellbeing.

The Linguistic Diversity Collective will present  which will explore how dictionaries define words and will take place at the . This interactive event will explore the meanings, uses, origins, and evolution of Jamaican Patwa. It draws on research from Dr Serge Sagna, of the Linguistic Diversity Collective and is aimed at all generations of people of Jamaican descent living in ԰������ along with members of the wider public who would like to learn more about Jamaican Patwa / Patois. All are welcome.

‘Tasting Children's Literature - An Edible Readathon’ will provide a family-friendly, immersive session exploring foods in children's literature. The workshop will engage children in drawing pictures of and telling stories about the foods that come to life in their favourite stories, as well as the foods that mean most to them and their communities.

Find out more about the University’s Festival of Libraries workshops and book your free places by visiting .

Organised with help from the ,&�Բ�����;‘ addressed the city’s contributions to electronic music from an interdisciplinary perspective. The event explored the themes in computer science, musical composition and history, and asked what ԰������’s past can tell us about the future of machine‑assisted creativity. 

԰������’s influence on popular music has long been celebrated, with bands such as Oasis, The Smiths and Joy Division/New Order cementing the city’s reputation. Furthermore, ԰������’s contributions to computing are well known, with the University of ԰������ celebrating 75 years since the development of the Turing Test this academic year. However, far less attention has been afforded to the intersection of these two histories, the city’s contributions to electronic music.  

The event addressed three main components of this musical relationship: the early development of electronic music and Turing's work in ԰������; electronic music facilities and research at The University of ԰������ throughout the years; and contemporary human-machine collaborations shaping the future of electronic music.  

The event began with a welcome address by Creative ԰������ Director, Professor John McAuliffe, before  (Senior Lecturer in Text Mining and Creative ԰������ Theme Lead for Creative Industries and Innovation/CreaTech) introduced the aims and speakers for the day.  

The first lightning talk was delivered by , a former mathematical biologist and author of Alan Turing’s ԰������. Dr Swinton highlighted that Turing himself was not especially interested in musical composition. Instead, it was the need to market computers that encouraged early experiments in using machines for entertainment. While Turing did not compose electronic music, contemporaries such as Christopher Strachey were instrumental in developing some of the earliest computer-generated works. 

(Research Software Engineer, Centre for Interdisciplinary Methodologies, University of Warwick) then turned to the representation of sound in computing, drawing on the archive of Eric Sunderland, a maintenance engineer on ԰������’s Atlas machine who created polyphonic music using the computer. Dr Emsley highlighted the challenges of researching such archives, which are often incomplete: while numerical data survives, the sounds and voices those numbers once represented are frequently lost. 

԰������’s electroacoustic heritage was explored further by (Professor of Electroacoustic Music Composition and Director of the Electroacoustic Music Studios and MANTIS). Professor Berezan traced the history of the University’s electroacoustic studios, founded in 1967, from sparse archival records in the 1980s through a period of rebirth from the early 1990s to the present. These developments led to the founding of the and the in 2007, with a strong emphasis on taking electronic music out of the studio and into live performance. 

Subsequently,  (Professor of Innovation and Sustainability, The University of ԰������; Professor of Political Economy of Sustainability, Maastricht University) reflected on his personal journey with electronic music. Drawing on Zen Buddhist teachings from Shunryū Suzuki, he described a ‘second beginning’ with music later in life. Professor Boons considered the concept of the ‘musical centaur’, a human musician assisted by a machine, alongside the risk of ‘reverse musical centaurs’, where humans become appendages of uncaring machines. 

The final lightning talk was delivered by  (Bicentenary Fellow in Music), who offered a glimpse into the future of machine involvement in music. Discussing her research project , an immersive opera with live audience interaction, Dr Huang-Kokina explored the artistic and technical challenges of integrating AI into performance. She also previewed her forthcoming project, ‘Emotion Engine’, which creates a real-time feedback loop between audience response and stage design, concluding with the question: “If the stage can finally listen, what will audiences say?” Dr Huang-Kokina’s work will be further discussed at the forthcoming research café, , on 19 May 2026.

Following the lightning talks, a panel discussion featuring Dr Alexandra Huang-Kokina, Dr Iain Emsley,  (Professor of Natural Language Processing) and  (Professor of Electronic and Produced Music at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama) and chaired by  (Professor, Department of Computer Science). The panellists discussed what the role of machines should be in music production.  

Following the event, attendees were invited to view Turing – Machine, a sound installation by Professor Frank Boons that articulates the evolving ways in which humans and computers interact, and an interactive two-player musical Turing test by PhD student . 

To stay informed about Creative ԰������’s work in the Creative Industries and Innovation/CreaTech theme, as well as our other events and activities, please .

This notable three-way partnership is centred on creative health and will help to foster a deeper academic and cultural exchange between Japan and the UK in this area of research. It will form the basis for future research collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Greater ԰������ (GM) is recognised as a national and world reference for creative health. Building on a long history of arts and health work, GM launched its Creative Health Strategy in 2022, with ambitions for GM to become the world’s first Creative Health City Region. The GM Creative Health Place Partnership continues to support the development and delivery of creative health activity across Greater ԰������.

As part of this MoU, the three partners (UoM, the ART-based Platform for Co-creation, and NCAR), will work collaboratively with the Greater ԰������ Combined Authority (GMCA) GM Place Partnership, to strengthen international research collaborations.

The agreement will be formally signed in Tokyo on 23 May 2026, following the , at The National Art Center, Tokyo, where colleagues from The University of ԰������ will present on creative health initiatives in Greater ԰������.

Whilst in Tokyo, The University of ԰������ and GMCA colleagues have been invited to speak at the , alongside academics from TUA and NCAR.

The University of ԰������ is proud to work collaboratively with a number of renowned teaching institutions across the globe, with several partners located in Asia including ԰������-Chinese University of Hong Kong, ԰������-Ashoka University, ԰������ O.P. Jindal Global University, ԰������-IISC Bangalore and ԰������-Manipal Academy of Higher Education.

The University collaborates with other institutions around the world at a faculty level through impactful MoUs, ensuring colleagues can collaborate with global peers in their field and access the resources they need to co-create cutting-edge research.

The Faculty of Humanities was a founding member of the Global Humanities Alliance, a partnership that includes the University of Melbourne, University of Toronto, University of Nairobi, Ashoka University, Mahidol University, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universitas Gadjah Mada and The University of ԰������.

The University of ԰������ is globally renowned for its pioneering research, outstanding teaching and learning, and commitment to social responsibility. We are a truly international university – ranking in the top 50 in a range of global rankings – with a diverse community of more than 44,300 students, 12,800 colleagues and 585,000 alumni. 

Harriet Hillier, a second-year undergraduate student in Music at the University of ԰������, has been awarded the Stuart Hall Essay Prize for 2026. The prize, worth £2,000, is open to UK-based academics, students, journalists and other writers aged 18-30, and aims to stimulate new contributions to the areas of political, cultural and educational research pioneered by the Jamaican-British cultural theorist and sociologist Stuart Hall.

Harriet’s essay, ‘Choosing a Nation: Identity, Belonging, and Representation in International Sport’, was the unanimous choice of the judging panel. The essay focuses in particular on fencing, a sport at which Harriet has represented Great Britain in international competitions.

The judges, Professor Catherine Hall, Professor Jo Littler and Professor Kennetta Hammond Perry, gave the following comments on the prize-winning essay: “This essay applies Hall’s conjunctural method to read culture at the intersection of political, economic and ideological forces. The case study is of fencing as an international sport and the author applies their experience of it as a participant to discuss what it means to represent a nation at this time, in a post-Brexit world in which borders have become ever more problematic, where sport is transnational yet aims to figure as a key symbol of national unity, and athletes adopt strategic nationalities in order to gain funding enabling them to compete. The essay is beautifully written and engages throughout with different aspects of Hall’s thinking – put to work in relation to the specificity of now. The moment – it is argued – is one of both crisis and opportunity: it raises the question as to what kind of nation we want to be, and insists that the nation’s story can be retold. We appreciated its extrapolation of the hybrid histories of the sport, its grasp of the neoliberal dynamics shaping its present, and its deft threading through of personal experience to tell the story on multiple levels”.

The winning essay has been published on the .

The Nanjing Hydropolis Spring School took place between 22-31 March and was organised by the School of Architecture and The Confucius Institute at the University of ԰������. It aimed to offer an insight into the historic city of Nanjing and people’s life through its water infrastructure to help participants’ understanding of relationships between urban space, ecological processes and social activity.

The programme, which was open to students and recent graduates of the University of ԰������, took 16 participants into the deep ends of water infrastructure in the historic city of Nanjing. Students observed and discussed water infrastructure with planners, designers, government officials and NGOs for an exploration of the relationship between water, the city and its people.

The group was taken to many sites designed by faculty of the hosting institution, Southeast University. This included drainage pump stations on Jiangxin Island, renovation projects on Qinhuai River in Nanjing, Little Qinhuai in Yangzhou and a café on top of the pump station that allows the public access to an important infrastructure of the island. The renovation projects along the Little Qinhua River also provide public spaces like an exhibition hall, a hotel and office buildings. 

Prior to the site visits, participants had the chance to hear from the designers about their design concepts and the consideration of the historic landscape and eco-system. They also visited ecological sites such as the Apricot Blossom Lake from the recycled water from Nanjing Iron and Steel Works and a small animal farm on-site. The Jiangbei Water Source Heat Pump station uses river water to provide heating and cooling to thousands of households and businesses. Seeing the river dolphins (known as Finless Porpoise) returning to the world’s third largest river, the Yantze, after extinction was the highlight of the trip for many.

Inspired by these innovative projects with the smart design and humanistic approach to water infrastructure, participants, together with their Chinese teammates, created models to reflect their observations and presented their analysis to the expert panel on the final day. 

The programme attracted the attention of local media and received coverage in the Nanjing Express and the Nanjing Morning Post – with millions of views on Chinese social media.

Nanjing Hydropolis was funded by , China and the .

From January to July 2025 broadcaster and producer Karen Gabay carried out research as part of a Simon Industrial Fellowship with the  and the   at The University of ԰������. 

As part of the fellowship Karen Gabay produced a podcast series entitled ‘You Ought To Know’ that will be published across various platforms, with the first episode premiering on 23 March 2026. Each podcast captures a conversation with musicians that have had and continue to have a significant impact on British popular music. These conversations were recorded at public engagement events as well as in intimate one-on-one settings across ԰������.

You can listen to and watch the podcast episodes on various platforms. To be notified of new episodes subscribe to Karen Gabay’s  and the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures’  channel.

The first podcast is a recording of Karen Gabay’s panel event on Reggae and Dub-Poetry in the UK with Lovers Rock legend , Dub Poetry great  and Reggae and Hip Hop artist  in the ԰������ Museum in June 2025. This episode will premiere on 23 March 2026 at 3pm. 

The second episode explores the history of Black British Gospel Music and was recorded in  in Deansgate in May 2025. ԰������ musician , gospel pioneer , Mancunian vocalist  and Kingdom Choir member and founder of ԰������ Inspirational Voices  star in this episode to be released a few weeks later.

The third podcast episode features a conversation with renowned Soul singer-songwriter and former Ikette  known for her work with Paul Weller, Peter Gabriel, and Jimmy Cliff. The recording took place across three sessions at The University of ԰������ and , the iconic home of Granada Television in July 2025.  

The final episode of this series was recorded in July 2025 and features ԰������ singer-songwriter  It explores how the musician’s alternative soul and R&B sound is influenced by Black British musicians and led him to pursue collaborations with soul great Jill Scott and UK artist Marsha Ambrosius of Floetry.

These episodes form the beginning of a series of conversations around the unsung legends and influential artists in the UK music industry. Future episodes will be released on Karen Gabay’s channels in the coming months. This bonus content includes in-depth conversations with the Queen of Northern Soul  (Tainted Love) and earlier podcast guests Sylvia Tella and Luke Smith on their lives and work in the Black British music industry. It also features an intimate one-on-one discussion with  who is considered a musician’s favourite and trailblazer in redefining Soul for British audiences.

Throughout her fellowship, Karen was able to build on her interest in uncovering and showcasing forgotten artefacts of Black music history and gained access the  in the  for further archival research. This allowed her to amplify the voices of those working within the UK music sector, in particular Black vocalists, and industry professionals, who have heavily impacted popular music in the UK and globally. She explored how different cultural spaces in ԰������ have played a significant role in the lives of these musicians and their path in the music industry over the decades. 

Secondary outputs of the project include Karen Gabay’s reading list and a playlist providing the musical soundtrack for exploring the recent past and present of Black British music and its influences, which can be accessed .

This Simon Industrial Fellowship laid the foundations for documenting alternative music histories in the UK. It explored and applied ethical and collaborative methods of archiving personal stories of a demographic, who have suffered from experiences of institutional exclusion, absence of fair accreditation and missing commercial opportunities due to their race or geographical location. It is taking steps towards righting wrongs of the recent past and gives talented but previously overlooked creatives a platform to tell their stories on their own terms. 

As such it reasserts the relevance and significance of the John Rylands’ British Pop Archive and is adding more diverse and nonetheless equally relevant archival artefacts to its catalogue. This work aligns with the University’s renewed strategic focus on archives and just archival practices to celebrate, document and bring to the fore the stories that make ԰������ the city we know today. 

 were delighted to host , an event addressing the opportunities and challenges that AI presents to researchers and practitioners working with archives, how AI can drive greater accessibility and utility of archives for new groups of users, and what future archives might look like as a result of further developments in AI.  

Hosting speakers from The University of ԰������, the ,  and , the event aimed to generate interdisciplinary and cross-institutional conversations about AI’s place in the present and future of the archival sector. 

With the University celebrating 75 years since Alan Turing’s seminal paper Computing Machinery and Intelligence this academic year, Creative ԰������ also hosted the  in the Samuel Alexander Glass Corridor. Attendees of ‘Unlocking Historical Archives with AI’ were invited to attend a private viewing of the exhibition, which spotlighted 20 early career researchers from across the University exemplifying creative research approaches to AI.  

The event began with an introduction by Creative ԰������ Deputy-Director, . A round of lightning talks commenced with  (Senior Lecturer of History and Library & Archive Studies), who provided an overview of how AI-powered tools such as , a cooperatively run transcription tool, are transforming the accessibility of archives, though with significant consequences for climate, data scale and research practice. 

Subsequently,  (Senior Lecturer in Text Mining and Creative ԰������ Theme Lead for ) presented her research on how natural language processing (NLP) can help to make ‘community-generated digital content’ (CGDC) more searchable and queryable. Focusing on the , Dr Batista-Navarro presented an approach to CGDC which uses NLP to recover valuable information often lost in its metadata. 

 (Professor of British History) then gave a historian’s perspective by highlighting the work of the OHOS/԰������ Histories . The ongoing project seeks to reinstate Moss Side’s Champs Camp, the UK’s first Black-led boxing gym, as a significant chapter in Black British history. Prof Barker highlighted the ethical considerations of using AI in approaching CGDC, with there being both opportunities to uncover hidden histories alongside ethical risks regarding copyright and data protection. Overall, Prof Barker concluded that researchers must take an informed, empathetic approach to using AI in archives.  

An interdisciplinary perspective was once again provided by  (Creative ԰������ Research Associate), who gave a demonstration of the methodological approach used in the Creative ԰������-supported . Dr Flavel gave insight into how AI models can be used to annotate multimodal data in the form of TV shows. By analysing audio, video and subtitles, researchers can conduct large-scale analysis of on-screen representation (such as Bechdel tests) with greater accuracy than simply analysing screenplays.  

The round of presentations was concluded by  (Professor of Italian and Director of the John Rylands Research Institute and Library), Principal Investigator of ‘’. Prof Armstrong presented takeaways from this ongoing project, which uses cutting-edge machine learning computational technologies and image matching to study the material features of the early printed page for almost the entire body of prints of Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’. 

The lightning talks were followed by a panel discussion featuring Dr Ben Wiggins, Dr Riza Batista-Navarro, Prof Hannah Barker, Prof Lorna Hughes (The University of Glasgow) and Rachel Hetherington (԰������ Histories), chaired by Dr Constance Smith. The panellists responded to some of the provocations raised in the lightning talks and further discussed what the future of archives might look like. An audience Q&A followed the panel discussion.  

 (Head of ) concluded the day’s programme with a talk on how the Library’s digital archives and digitisation services could enable further research innovation in this rapidly developing interdisciplinary field. 

To stay informed about Creative ԰������’s work in the CreaTech theme and our other events and activities please . 

 and , Lecturer in Composition at the University of ԰������, both spent their formative years in rural East Lancashire, Oswaldtwistle and Bacup respectively, and their shared Lancastrian heritage and dialect inspired them to work together on new music that celebrates this region. The Wanderer – the commissioning of which was funded by the Vaughan Williams Foundation – is a song cycle for bass soloist, orchestra, and choir setting four poems by 19th century writer Edwin Waugh, who was often referred to as the .

Edwin Waugh wrote poetry in the distinct dialect of East Lancashire. Each song paints a picture of a wandering figure reflecting on first love, city versus rural life, the pain of loss, and the healing power of nature.

Sir John Tomlinson and the Hallé Youth Orchestra and Choir, conducted by Euan Shields, will premiere The Wanderer at Bridgewater Hall in ԰������ on Sunday 22 March.

Information about the upcoming premiere can be found here: 

Find out more about Josh Brown’s works here: 

The CreaTech Network series returns in 2026, led by  in collaboration with  and the . This three-part event series, running between February and June 2026, is designed to strengthen connections across the CreaTech ecosystem in Greater ԰������ and the North West, and to support collaboration between the University and the wider creative and cultural industries community.

The theme of this year’s series is Creativity and AI, exploring how artificial intelligence is shaping creative and cultural practice. Across a series of in-person events, the programme brings together researchers, creatives, technologists, and industry partners to examine emerging opportunities and challenges. The 2026 series will focus on AI in entertainment, cultural heritage, and free and open-source tools.

If you’re curious about what’s coming in 2026, take a look back at previous CreaTech Network events from 2024 and 2025, which explored AI across music, publishing, fashion, and other creative areas. Those past programmes show the exciting mix of ideas, collaborations, and experiments that have shaped the Network and give a hint of the conversations and creativity to expect this year.

Creativity and AI: Entertainment

🗓️🕒 Thursday 26 February l  14:30 - 17:00 
📍Contact Theatre, Space 0, Oxford Rd, ԰������ M15 6JA

The first event of the 2026 CreaTech Network Series will focus on how AI is currently being used across the entertainment sector, particularly in film, television and games. It will look at practical uses of AI in areas such as animation, screen production and creative workflows, alongside some of the challenges this raises for creative practice.

Hear from academic and industry speakers in short lightning talks, followed by a panel session and an open Q&A inviting audience participation.

!

Creativity and AI: Cultural Heritage

🗓️🕒 Thursday 30 April  l  14:30 - 17:00 

The growing use of AI in cultural heritage raises important questions around data, ethics and partnership. This event examines how galleries, libraries, archives and museums are working with AI, and the implications for practice.

Creativity and AI: Free and Open-source AI Tools and Platforms

🗓️🕒 Thursday 25 June  l  14:30 - 17:00 

What role do free and open-source AI tools play in creative and cultural practice today? This event examines how open technologies enable collaboration and shared innovation.

This year will be the 10th International Mother Language Day observed in Greater ԰������, a celebration of the cultural diversity and vast number of languages spoken across the city region.

, one of the University’s research platforms, will offer a series of events to mark the occasion in collaboration with partners and colleagues. All events are free to book, and all are welcome. 

• 19^th February 2026 - - Join the Language Society and the International Society in the Student’s Union to celebrate International Mother Language Day with an international language exchange! This event will be a great chance to meet new people whilst speaking together in a new or familiar language. There will be optional activities including zine making for you to join in with, centred around the theme of languages and the linguistic diversity of our community. The event will take place from 2pm in The Nest.
• 21^st February 2026 -  - Join the  for a talk by Dr Serge Sagna, Prof. Tine Breban and Dr Simone de Cia to mark International Mother Language Day 2026. This talk centres around the multilingual public signs found across towns and cities, and what they tell us about language domination and language policy in ԰������ and beyond. This event will be held in ԰������ Museum from 11am – 12pm.
• 21^st February 2026 -  The invites you to a free, family-friendly language themed trail around ԰������ Museum to celebrate International Mother Language Day 2026. Grab your activity sheet and follow the language-themed trail around the museum’s enchanting collections, thinking about your own language(s) along the way. 

To find out more about International Mother Language Day and the city’s celebrations, visit the . 

The conference will host workshops on how the classical past can help us address the challenges and pressing problems facing our planet and global society. The conference Presidential Address from ancient historian and broadcaster Professor , and Keynote Interview with the scholar Professor Jo Crawley Quinn, will showcase our commitment to knowledge exchange and public engagement. 

In December 2025, Alex Shaw, Arts Administration Manager at the Martin Harris Centre, received a certificate celebrating her 10^th Anniversary volunteering as a Dementia Friends Ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society. 

In that time, she has created 632 Dementia Friends, and run 40 Dementia Friends Information sessions at the , the Faculty of Science and Engineering, ԰������ Royal Infirmary, Chorlton Park Primary School, the 6th Chorlton-cum-Hardy Brownies and 6th Chorlton-cum-Hardy Guides, and in her local community. Alex has also held a cupcake sale, raising over £560 for the Alzheimer’s Society. 

The University’s new fundraising and volunteering campaign, Challenge Accepted, encourages colleagues to get out into the local community and make a difference - every action helps build momentum. Alex has used some of her  to deliver Dementia Friends info sessions in her community. 

Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends initiative is all about increasing people’s understanding of dementia and inspiring everyone to make a difference for people affected by the condition in their communities. To become a Dementia Friend you'll learn more about dementia, how it can affect someone and the small ways you can make a difference in your communities. If you are interested in learning more or would like to join the existing 3,865,882 Dementia Friends in the UK, please visit  or email Alex at alex.shaw@manchester.ac.uk. 

Working with the Mayoral Authorities Creative Health Network (MACHN), convened by Greater ԰������ Combined Authority and Greater London Authority, the network will map policy alignment and challenges across mayoral areas and establish a first of its kind framework for embedding creative health for growth into devolved strategy.  The project is titled ‘’.

2026 Co-Lab Policy Network Awards

The  programme based at  has today announced the results of the 2026 : an ambitious intervention to reorientate place-based cultural policy making in a new context of  and the .

The awards mark a pivotal opportunity to deliver devolution and community-led innovation not just as buzzwords, but as practical tools for better place-based policymaking. Together, the four awards mark a timely shift in how we understand innovation, community, and collaboration across the UK. 

The programme will fund 4 new  to support innovative cross-sector cultural policy networks in devolved nations and regions of the UK.

Co-Lab Policy Network Awards 2026

The Co-Lab Policy Network Awards will create new spaces for deliberation on complex cultural challenges and opportunities—from culture-led regeneration to creative health—building devolved policy infrastructure that will enable better outcomes. The networks will work across sectors to ensure that people in devolved settings become not just participants in policy but the co-creators of it. 

The AHRC Creative Communities programme will bring the four networks together to host a devolution and cultural policy summit in December 2026. The programme will publish a Policy Priority Paper from each network award in March 2027. The papers will make new policy recommendations direct to devolved administrations to strengthen delivery and create new capacity for devolved policy exchange within and between the nations and regions of the UK.

About Creative Communities  

 is a major multi-million pound research programme based at Northumbria University in Newcastle. The investment builds a new evidence base on how cultural devolution can enhance belonging, address regional inequality, deliver devolution, and break down barriers to opportunity for communities in devolved settings across all four nations of the UK.

With representatives from theatre, music, orchestral production, and music education, the event began with a roundtable discussion that examined routes to finding a home within a community. Presentations covered a breadth of topics spotlighting current initiatives and relocations in arts organisations; experimental AI in collective practice; festival partnerships; the positioning of the arts within (and by) universities; civic capital in classical music outreach projects; ethics, rights, and regulations in the University of Sheffield’s Access Folk’s participant-led research; and preliminary findings from the University’s research partnership with English National Opera. 

This symposium was the third in an ongoing series of Think Tank events, in which themes emerging from a collaborative PhD project are discussed and interrogated by a diverse range of voices and disciplines. The Think Tank series will continue in 2026 with an event focusing on the theme which was considered the most urgent for further interrogation: community. 

This event was funded by the North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership, part of the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Thanks also to Creative ԰������ for their generous support. 

For more information on the Think Tank series, please email Rebecca.parnell@manchester.ac.uk

The researchers aim to develop AI tools that can understand the differences between multiple versions of prints throughout history, allowing scholars to understand how early imagery was made and circulated, along with the practices of printers and their workshops. 

The team consists of (Professor of Italian and Director of the John Rylands Research Institute at the University of ԰������);  (Professor of Computer Science and Head of Engineering Research at the University of ԰������); (Head of the Digital Development Team at the University of ԰������ Library);  (Senior Software Developer in the University of ԰������ Library’s Digital Development Team); (Senior Researcher in Digital Humanities at the University of Oxford); (Royal Society Research Professor and Professor of Computer Vision Engineering at the University of Oxford); and (Software Engineer at the University of Oxford).

Professor Richard Curry, Vice-Dean for Research and Innovation in the University's Faculty of Science and Engineering, said: "It's fantastic news that the ԰������-led project Envisioning Print with AI Computer Vision, has been selected for this Schmidt Sciences award. This project is an exemplary, highly interdisciplinary collaboration between humanities researchers and computational experts, and its cutting-edge mixed methodologies will shape future innovation  with real-world impacts in line with the University's ԰������ 2035 ambitions."

Wendy Schmidt, co-founder of Schmidt Sciences, added: “Our newest technologies may shed light on our oldest truths, on all that makes us human – from the origins of civilization to the peaks of philosophical thought to contemporary art and film, Schmidt Sciences’ Humanities and AI Virtual Institute (HAVI) is poised to change not only the course of scholarship, but also the way we see ourselves and our role in the world.”

Schmidt Sciences has awarded $11 million to 23 research teams around the world who are exploring new ways to bring artificial intelligence into dialogue with the humanities, from archaeology and art history to literature, linguistics, film studies, and beyond. As part of the Humanities and AI Virtual Institute (HAVI), these interdisciplinary teams will both apply AI to illuminate the human record and draw on humanistic questions, methods, and values to advance how AI itself is designed and used.

Schmidt Sciences is a nonprofit organisation founded in 2024 by Eric and Wendy Schmidt that works to accelerate scientific knowledge and breakthroughs with the most promising, advanced tools to support a thriving planet. The organisation prioritises research in areas poised for impact, including AI and advanced computing, astrophysics, biosciences, climate, and space – as well as supporting researchers in a variety of disciplines through its science systems program.

One of the highlights was Professor John McAuliffe, Creative ԰������’s Platform Director, taking part in the panel discussion “Civic, Creative and Cultural: University Collaboration”. The session brought together members of the , including Professor Kirsty Fairclough (School of Digital Arts, ԰������ Metropolitan University), Dr Sam Ingleson (University of Salford) and Professor Wiebke Thormählen (Royal Northern College of Music). Together, they demonstrated how universities are helping to create a more connected, creative and equitable city-region through strategic partnerships and cultural engagement.

Creative ԰������ also invited three PhD students and their supervisors along to BEYOND for their CreaTech Student Research Showcase. The showcase, located among many other exciting product and research demos in the Immersive Futures Lab, featured the students’ PhD research and celebrated the University of ԰������’s vibrant postgraduate research community. These projects show how creative technology can tackle real-world challenges across diverse industries:

•  - PhD in Electroacoustic Music Composition
  Stream of Strings explores embodied music cognition, blending cultural heritage with creative technology to create motion-responsive performances and visual works. The project reimagines the ancient Chinese Guqin as an interactive instrument for live performance and public engagement. She is supervised by .

•  - PhD in Electroacoustic Music Composition
  Data Sonification for Algorithm Behaviour uses sonification, the mapping of non-auditory data into sound, to better understand how optimisation algorithms work. This approach advances mathematical research while inspiring educational tools and musical compositions. He is also supervised by Professor Ricardo Climent.

•  - PhD in Computer Science
  ReflectanceFusion is a neural text-to-texture model that generates editable, relightable materials from text prompts. It enables precise control of physical attributes, producing highly accurate textures for rendering and material design. He is supervised by . 

The showcase sparked lively conversations among attendees, with many playing the Guqin virtually via a Leap Motion Controller and others listening to the beats generated by algorithms being solved in real time. Not only did the students get to practise their pitching skills, but they also found partners for onward collaboration and learning. It was great to see how the next generation of researchers and business partners can come together and seize opportunities for R&D.

More content from BEYOND 2025 will be shared soon, but  to get an idea of the atmosphere at this special conference. 

The Creative ԰������-affiliated projects featured in the videos are:

• – with Dr Anke Bernau, Dr Aurora Fredriksen and Dr Ingrid Hanson
• – with Dr Riza Batista-Navarro and Dr Tom Flavel
• – with Prof Laura Black and Keisha Thompson
• – with Dr Ahu Gümrah Parry

These short films provide insights into the world of interdisciplinary research, including project team composition, the participants’ experiences of interdisciplinary work and working with the Creative ԰������ platform. They are designed to inspire potential interdisciplinary pump-priming applicants who are looking to find out more about successful interdisciplinary research projects.

Through 25 interviews, and two stakeholder roundtables with senior leaders, emerging leaders, and employment support practitioners from cultural institutions of different sizes, the research sought to highlight the perspectives of the sector, whilst identifying sector-needs in terms of building a more equitable and diverse leadership cohort.

The study’s key findings reveal that despite the widespread uptake of EDI initiatives and workforce development interventions, there are still stark inequalities around diversity and leadership in ԰������. The issues range from challenges diversifying the leadership cohort; to problems attracting, recruiting, developing and retaining emerging leaders from diverse backgrounds; to widespread experiences of isolation in leadership; to skills gaps relating to fundraising, digitalisation, and pastoral support; to mental health issues and the wider care crisis; to challenges around responding to polarised political debates. 

The study highlights how this is a sector which not only acknowledges these problems, but they are also pushing forward numerous initiatives, policies, and workstreams in their endeavours to cultivate workplaces where minoritised groups can thrive. Yet, the conversations also indicate how the sector is faced by innumerable wider structural and cultural barriers, as detailed in the report.

This is a difficult context. However, despite the ongoing structural challenges facing the sector, something needs to be done. This report puts forward five key recommendations which offer a route to broadscale positive change in ԰������’s cultural industry. These recommendations make use of several ԰������-specific opportunities - namely, the close-knit ties between organisations, the context and tone of the new cultural strategy, and the desire for deeper cross-institutional collaboration around EDI.

Recommendations

1. Encourage a new network of cultural leaders – this network should take a focus on including and developing minoritised leaders and organisations in ԰������.
2. Create a formalised ԰������ mentorship scheme – to focus on including leaders from diverse backgrounds, and facilitated by collaborative efforts between the new network of cultural leaders, the Always Everywhere Arts HR Working Group, and the Oxford Road Corridor culture network.
3. Facilitate joined-up coaching provision across cultural organisations - as part of the commitments of the new cultural leader’s network and The ԰������ Cultural Consortium – sharing skills, expertise, and building networks for emerging leaders from diverse backgrounds.
4. Mid to high-level training schemes/placements for emerging leaders – supported by ԰������ higher education providers and skills development providers in the city, including Factory Academy and others. Training should take a focus on supporting leaders from diverse backgrounds, understanding their specific development needs, and creating bespoke and tailored programmes of support.
5. Develop a joined-up EDI model – creating frameworks for organisations to home in on and share expertise in specific areas of EDI and workforce support.

Curran-Troop, H (2025). . The University of ԰������/Creative ԰������.

The prize recognises the celebrates the achievements of outstanding researchers whose work has already attracted international recognition.  

Dr Pulford, who has been awarded £100,000, was selected for his multilingually-grounded ethnographic and historical research in East Asia and the former-Soviet Union. Building on degrees in both modern languages and anthropology, Ed’s work has explored everyday experiences of socialism and empire across national and ethnic borders in different parts of Eurasia. He has published extensively on China-Russia relations and cross-cultural understandings of time, ethnicity and 'friendship', including in two books entitled Mirrorlands (2019) and Past Progress (2024).  

Professor Maggie Gale, Vice-Dean of Research, Faculty of Humanities added: “We are extremely proud of Ed and his achievement and look forward to the advancement of his research and impact.” 

Professor Anna Vignoles, Director of the Leverhulme Trust, said: “We continue our centenary celebrations with the announcement of this year’s prize winners. The Trust is delighted to support them through the next stage of their careers.  

The breadth of topics covered by their research is impressive, from landscape archaeology to biomolecular mass spectrometry, applied microeconomics to adaptable wearable robotics, and pyrogeography to critical applied linguistics. Selecting the winners becomes increasingly challenging year-on-year due to the extraordinarily high calibre of those nominated.  

We are immensely grateful to the reviewers and panel members who help us in our decision-making.” 

We are delighted to share this Special Issue on video art, the first Special Issue brought together by art history students as part of our art history blog, Dispatches in Art History, here at the The University of ԰������.

The theme was chosen by students, and was also shared in a 'video art showcase' event in February this year, organised by then-third year art history student Francesca Boulad.

Fran introduces the Special Issue here:

It features four posts:

1)
Second year Art History student Leni Cadle considers an undersea dystopia in digital video work by Migues Soares

2 )
Fran investigates the strange argument that seems to unfold as this iconic video work progresses - how should we feel in the encounter with this video artwork?

3)  
Second-year student Leni Cadle grapples with fast food realities and manipulated desires in video work by Ed Atkins

4)
Digital Humanities Lecturer (and editor of Dispatches in Art History) Claire Reddleman reflects on treasuring 'crap' content from the early internet (with music from Cutting Crew)

The , funded by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and led by Northumbria University, has extended its signature award, the , for a new 2025-26 cohort. This represents an investment of nearly £500,000 to catalyse place-based innovation across all 4 nations of the UK research ecosystem.

The AHRC Creative Communities programme examines the role of culture and devolution in unlocking cross sector co-creation and place-based innovation across all 4 nations of the UK.

AHRC Executive Chair Professor Christopher Smith said:

Ruth Flanagan is an artist who has been working with Creative ԰������ partner organisation, Cartwheel Arts, with diverse communities in Rochdale to deliver craft and heritage projects. During 2025-2026, Ruth will work as Community Innovation Practitioner (CIP), along with University of ԰������ researchers through Creative ԰������ and the School of Arts Languages and Cultures to introduce a research framework to her work finding connections through diverse communities through craft traditions.

is one of six new UK CIPs across a spectrum of projects that represent the rich cross-sector community research and inclusive innovation that is catalysing growth.

In partnership with Cartwheel Arts and national organisation Heritage Crafts UK, and working closely with Greater ԰������ Combined Authority, this project draws on the history and legacy of ԰������’s Co-Operative movement by using crafting methods to promote resilience, belonging and cultural engagement in diverse communities in Rochdale (which is Greater ԰������’s Town of Culture 2025).

Ruth Flanagan said of the award:

About the Community Innovation Practitioner Awards

This is a major investment in place-based innovation and cross-sector research partnerships across the devolved nations and regions of the UK. Each CIP will work in their devolved policy context to explore how co-created cultural innovation can enhance belonging, address regional inequality, deliver devolution and break down barriers to opportunity.

The CIPs will generate vital new knowledge about co-creation and the unique role played by their communities and partnerships in growth through new research, development and innovation (RD&I).

Each CIP will produce a , and an episode of the to share learning from their community and cultural partners. Together, the CIPs will form a Community of Practice network with the aim of fostering new relationships and sharing innovative practice.

Funding has been awarded to six new CIPs across a spectrum of projects that represent the rich cross-sector community research and inclusive innovation that is catalysing growth in all 4 nations of the UK.

About Creative Communities

is a £3.9m major research programme based at Northumbria University in Newcastle. It builds a new evidence base on how cultural devolution can enhance belonging, address regional inequality, deliver devolution and break down barriers to opportunity for communities in devolved settings across all four nations of the UK.

For more information you can also visit the .

In September, coinciding with Japan Week 2025, we had the opportunity to hear an international perspective on creative health as we welcomed colleagues from the from the Art & Wellbeing aa-TOMO programme - an innovative and ambitious 10-year creative health and cultural prescribing research programme led by the National Centre for Art Research in Japan and the Tokyo University of the Arts. Aa-TOMO is currently rolling out cultural prescribing programmes across local government areas in Japan, in partnership with a range of organisations including museums, universities, healthcare providers and private industry.

This visit builds on previous exchange of ideas between Greater ԰������ and aa-TOMO, exploring the innovative ways in which museums and galleries are using their collections and expertise to support health and wellbeing and how this can be supported by research and in policy – including the translation of the Greater ԰������ Creative Health Strategy into Japanese.

UK and Japan in conversation

԰������ Museum hosted a public panel discussion where we were able to hear more about the creative health work taking place in Japan. Sawako Inaniwa, Senior Curator of Learning, National Centre for Art Research, introduced Creative Ageing ZUTTOBI – a pioneering collaborative project led by Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum and Tokyo University of the Arts supporting people of all ages to stay connected to art and museums, in response to the challenges of an ageing society. 

ZUTTOBI brings health and welfare professionals into museums to codesign participatory opportunities for older adults and people living with dementia. The programmes provide participants with enjoyment and a sense of purpose, a chance to share feelings and memories inspired by the artwork, and the opportunity to connect and interact with others, helping to prevent isolation and cognitive decline.

The concept of cultural prescribing was introduced to a wider audience through the “Hello Future! 100-Year Museum”, exhibition at EXPO 2025 in Osaka. Takashi Kiriyama, Dean of the Graduate School of Film and New Media at Tokyo University of the Arts, described how the exhibition not only provided an opportunity for the public to engage with the concept of cultural prescribing, and to explore their own use of arts and culture to support wellbeing, it also demonstrated the innovative use of technology in creative health. The exhibition employed NFC tagging to allow visitors to instantly upload pictures from their smartphones to the exhibition, also providing the research team with metadata to support subsequent analysis.

From Greater ԰������, Julie McCarthy, Strategic Lead for Creative Health at Greater ԰������ Integrated Care (NHS GM) and Greater ԰������ Combined Authority (GMCA) introduced the GM Creative Health Place Partnership, a 3-year programme that will deliver the aims of the GM Creative Health Strategy through a series of test-and learn programmes and a focus on embedding creative health within the health and social care system. Charlotte Leonhardsen, Programme Manager for Social Prescribing within the Greater ԰������ Integrated Care Partnership, described the social prescribing infrastructure across GM’s ten boroughs and the potential for creative and cultural prescriptions to support people with complex or long-term health conditions, or at risk of social isolation.

As a panel we discussed with the audience the benefits to individuals and communities when we can provide opportunities for people to engage with creativity and culture across their life-course. We also recognised common challenges such as measuring and demonstrating impact of the work, developing a shared understanding across health and cultural sectors and ensuring that creative health addresses rather than reinforces health inequalities.

International knowledge exchange opportunities

It was clear from our conversations throughout the visit that although the national contexts may be different, our approaches to creative health research have much in common. Creative health brings together interdisciplinary research fields and cross sectoral partners and can be a catalyst for developing new approaches to collaborative research with strategic partners and alongside cultural institutions and community-based organisations. 

In Japan, Tokyo University of the Arts co-ordinates over 40 partners as part of the Arts-based Communication Platform for Co-Creation to Build a Convivial Society, which aims to foster a society where everyone can express themselves through art communication that integrates welfare, healthcare, and technology. The National Art Research Centre is working with museums and cultural institutions, as well as health and welfare groups and local governments to explore how cultural resources can become spaces that support wellbeing and social change.

Similarly, in Greater ԰������ a wide range of stakeholders are involved in creative health research, policy and practice. A key function of the new Research Associate in Knowledge Mobilisation post, based at the University of ԰������, is to map interdisciplinary research feeds into creative health and facilitate new opportunities for further collaboration across Greater ԰������’s universities and with policymakers and communities. We are working closely GMCA to evaluate the GM Creative Health Place Partnership and to identify the conditions necessary to sustainably embed creativity and culture into the health and social care system.

We will continue our relationship with our colleagues from Tokyo University of the Arts, pushing forward creative health research through international collaboration. Specifically, we discussed working together to explore opportunities for createch in creative health, drawing on Greater ԰������’s expertise in social prescribing to inform the cultural prescribing model, and sharing experiences around knowledge mobilisation across research, policy and practice. 

We hope to arrange a reciprocal visit to see creative health in action in Japan next year. Watch this space for further updates!

Research Staff of the Year

From the ,  was named Research Staff of the Year. A leading voice in urban feminist geographies, Kapsali’s work has introduced new frameworks such as transversal solidarities and critically examined philanthrocapitalism’s role in urban governance. Alongside securing major research grants and publishing in top journals, Kapsali has nurtured a thriving research culture by founding a Feminist Reading Group and mentoring colleagues through collaborative workshops. 

Best outstanding contribution to research impact 

 from the  received the award for Outstanding Contribution to Research Impact. Doran’s leadership in organising the  brought together over 300 policymakers, practitioners, activists, and researchers from 20 countries. Their work has strengthened links between research and public policy, advancing global debates on age-friendly cities. 

Reflecting on the award, Doran shared:

Best outstanding interdisciplinary research

School of Environment, Education, and Development researcher,  was recognised for Outstanding Interdisciplinary Research for their innovative work on green infrastructure. Li’s NERC-funded project, ‘’, has been cited over 700 times and shaped urban greenspace policy through collaborations with local councils and international partners. 

Speaking on the award, Dr Lei Li, noted:

Best outstanding output

Also, from the School of Environment, Education, and Development,  received the Outstanding Output award for his publication record and contributions to urban health research. With 21 peer-reviewed articles in just four years, Benton’s work has informed both academic debate and policy, including the ’s evaluation framework for health interventions. 

Benton credited ԰������’s collaborative research environment for his success:

From advancing feminist geography to shaping age-friendly policies, influencing urban health frameworks, and integrating ecology with planning, the Faculty of Humanities awardees demonstrated the breadth and societal relevance of ԰������ research. 

(lecturer of modern and contemporary British Art) will introduce how Mumtaz Karimjee engaged with the politics of the photographic image while documenting queer Black feminist activism.

In 1987, the photographer Mumtaz Karimjee published an article titled ‘Black and Asian: Definitions and Redefinitions’ in the British South-Asian grassroots publication, Mukti. Correia will discuss how Karimjee considered the terms ‘Black’ and ‘Asian’ in relation to her own identity and the ways in which these terms were used inclusively and exclusively according to different contexts and settings. 

Correia will introduce how Karimjee utilised photography as a mode of social activism while moving between South-Asian and politically-Black contexts to express her social and political concerns and solidarities. Correia will highlight Karimjee’s groundbreaking work picturing anti-racist campaigns for social justice and queer Black activism amidst Section 28 and the AIDS crisis.

Expect thought-provoking discussions, critical perspectives, and inspiring insights into visual culture, identity, and representation.

Visualising the Histories of Black Britain

The Photographers’ Gallery, 16–18 Ramillies Street, London W1F 7LW 
Thursday, 19 September 2025
12pm – 5pm
.

Creative ԰������ Director, Professor John McAuliffe, said of the appointments:

The newly appointed Deputy Director, Dr Constance Smith, will work closely with Director, Professor John McAuliffe, the broader Creative ԰������ team and management board to develop and coordinate activity across three core research themes, with a focus on internal stakeholders, advancing and coordinating interdisciplinary research and cross-School working.

is a Senior Lecturer in Social Anthropology at the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures in the Faculty of Humanities. Her research focus is the anthropology of architecture, time and urban change. She is interested in shifting landscapes of buildings, planning and infrastructure and how their materialities inflect ways of engaging with the past and anticipating the future.

Professor John McAuliffe commented:

The Research Theme Leads will work with the senior leadership team to further develop and help coordinate activity across their respective core research themes. They will convene and grow the Platform’s interdisciplinary research communities with both University and external partners, to address strategic opportunities.

Creative ԰������ is pleased to announce that Dr Stephen Hicks has been re-appointed as Research Theme Lead for Creativity, Health and Wellbeing. Creative ԰������ are also thrilled that Dr Riza Batista-Navarro will formally take up the Research Theme Lead role for Creative Industries and Innovation, following her work as maternity cover for former Research Lead Dr Claudia Henninger. Finally, Creative ԰������ looks forward to welcoming Dr Anke Bernau to the academic team as Research Theme Lead for Civic and Creative Futures.

is a Senior Lecturer in Text Mining at the School of Computer Science in the Faculty of Science and Engineering. Her research focusses on the development of natural language processing methods for information extraction, explainable text classification, machine reading comprehension and language modelling. She has led a number of inter-disciplinary text mining projects, in which she developed computational approaches together with collaborators from various domains such as biomedicine, biodiversity, sustainability and online safety.

is a Senior Lecturer in Social Work (FBMH) and also a member of the Morgan Centre for Research into Everyday Lives. He has been the Creativity, Health and Wellbeing Research Lead for Creative ԰������ since 2022 and has a professional background in child care/protection as a qualified and registered social worker. Steve has been involved in research projects on: LGBTQ parenting; social care and housing needs of older LGBTQ people; communities, neighbourhoods and belonging in modernist housing; and an interdisciplinary project on concerns about air quality/pollution and impact on local communities and environments. He has also been a volunteer in HIV/Aids services; homelessness support for young men and LGBTQ people; and LGBTQ adopters and foster-carers.

is a Senior Lecturer in Medieval Literature and Culture at the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures in the Faculty of Humanities. She has worked on a diverse range of topics, including female virginity, poetics, aesthetics, material culture and environmental humanities. She is particularly interested in recent work emerging out of Critical Plant Studies and is co-editing a special issue on 'Plant Temporalities', as well as a volume on the global cultural history of 'nature' in the Middle Ages.

Professor John McAuliffe reflects:

Creative ԰������ is looking forward to working with Drs Constance Smith, Stephen Hicks, Riza Batista-Navarro and Anke Bernau, and would like to extend a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to Drs Claudia Henninger and Jenna Ashton for their important and impactful work as Research Theme Leads at Creative ԰������ since 2022.

The and the are delighted to invite you to a landmark event marking eight decades of research, training, and impact in Occupational Health at The University of ԰������.

• Date: Wednesday 1st October 2025
• Venue: 18th floor, Hyatt Regency, 55 Booth St W, ԰������ M15 6PQ
• Time: 13:00 – 20:00 BST (multi part event - see important info below)
• Register: Register on Eventbrite

From lightning talks and panel discussions to the prestigious Lane Lecture — delivered this year by Professor Malcolm Sim on The Artificial Stone Silicosis Epidemic: Lessons Learned for More Effective Prevention, and introduced by Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of ԰������ — this is a unique opportunity to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and shape the future of occupational health.

Secure your free place now: (registration closes 24/09/2025)

Important: 

• The event is divided into multiple sessions. Please ensure you select tickets for each part that you wish to attend.
• Due to capacity, attendees without a valid ticket for a specific session may be asked to leave that part of the event.
• View the Full Programme (PDF):
• Accessibility & Queries: If you have any queries, or need to discuss a PEEP (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan) or other adjustments to support your attendance, please email: ashton@manchester.ac.uk

Keir was appointed as a SALC in 2022.

Along with Eithne Quinn, SALC’s Professor of Cultural and Socio-Legal Studies, Keir was lead author of the report . A follow-up report this year will coincide with the end of the 5-year Judicial Inclusion & Diversity Strategy.

Keir has worked closely with Creative ԰������ since 2023, under its Creative and Civic Futures banner – particularly in relation to the AHRC project, on which Keir was Lead External Advisor.

He was recognised as newspaper earlier this year.

Keir is a part time Criminal Court Judge, a judicial tutor and is a leading silk who represents clients facing heavyweight criminal allegations. He has been instructed in numerous murders, industrial scale Class A drug importations and conspiracies, escape from custody cases and appeals against conviction and sentence. Keir is ranked for criminal law in Chambers UK and the Legal 500 and was shortlisted for Financial Silk of the Year at Legal 500 Bar Awards 2024. He practices from Garden Court Chambers, is a SHiFT trustee and a member of the JUSTICE Council. Keir acted as counsel for Ade Adedeji in the historic ԰������ 10 appeal, leading to the quashing of Ade's wrongful conviction. He also drafted the CCRC application for the Moss Side miscarriage of justice case.

Keir is a founding member of Art Not Evidence campaign, launched to advocate for a limitation on the use of creative expression as evidence in criminal trials. 

Keir and Professor Eithne Quinn, jointly authored the ground breaking report . In early 2025, they both made a submission to the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts on the issue of racial bias. A follow-up report this year will coincide with the conclusion of the 5-year Judicial Diversity and Inclusion Strategy. Keir also assisted in advising on aspects of the University of ԰������ report 'Compound Injustice' authored by Professor Eithne Quinn, Erica Cane, and Will Pritchard.

(Lecturer of modern and contemporary British Art) will lead a conversation about the Goan artist Francis Newton Souza at Bradford Cathedral on Friday 3rd October 2025.

In Conversation: F N Souza in Focus has been organised to accompany the exhibition Jesus- Guru, Avatar, God? at Bradford Cathedral, organised by the Methodist Modern Art Collection (5 September -12 October 2025). 

The exhibition features two works, The Crucifixion by Francis N Souza, and Dalit Madonna by Jyoti Sahi, and considers Christianity from South Asian perspectives.

Born in Goa in 1924, FN Souza lived and worked in London during the 1940s and 50s, before moving to New York in 1967. Alice Correia will introduce his work with the context of British modernist painting and consider his preoccupation with Christian imagery.

Throughout his career, Souza painted multiple Crucifixion scenes, including the work acquired by the Methodist Modern Art Collection in 1962. 

Correia will reflect on the hybrid Catholic visual culture that developed in Goa – a former Portuguese colony on the west-coast of India – during the 16th and 17th centuries, and will consider the possible impact of Goa’s Baroque ecclesiastical architecture on Souza’s work.

Event Details

• Name: In Conversation: F N Souza in Focus
• Location: Bradford Cathedral
• Date and Time: Friday 3 October, 6-9pm
• Reserve your spot on the website.

The 2025 programme is here, featuring global bestsellers, radical thinkers and powerful poets.

We’re especially excited for the and partnership events:

The members’ presale is happening now – set your alarm for 10am on Thursday 14 August, when tickets go on general sale.

The interns were tasked with creating a short documentary about community arts projects in North ԰������. This year's focus was on a mural project, where shop shutters and walls in Moston and Harpurhey were transformed into vibrant pieces of art. The goal was to reframe the negative perceptions of the area and highlight the resilient and positive community spirit.

During the project, the students faced various challenges, including technical issues and the need to quickly learn new skills. Despite these hurdles, they found the experience rewarding and gained valuable insights into filmmaking and community engagement. The documentary aimed to showcase the positive aspects of the community and what can be done to further support it.

The students expressed their gratitude to the Moston and Harpurhey communities for their cooperation, and to the SICK! team for their guidance. They also acknowledged the support of their mentors, Fresh RB who played a crucial role in the project's success.

The documentary was presented to staff and students from the University of ԰������ and members of the SICK! and Fresh RB teams. The interns received positive feedback for their commitment and the quality of their work. The project not only provided them with practical skills but also a deeper understanding of the importance of community and storytelling.

One of the interns reflected:

Each student intern was asked at the presentation to choose one word to describe their experience:

• Enlightening
• Lesson
• Collaborative
• Meaningful
• Hopeful
• Inspiring

The SICK! continues to be a platform for creative collaboration, and this project exemplifies the positive impact that such partnerships can have on both students and the local community.

Dr Claire Fox, SoSS EDI Director, expressed her enthusiasm:

Dr Sheena Kalayil, SALC EDI Director, also praised the interns:

The event, held at Aviva Studios, featured three sessions exploring the intersection of research and the arts and brought together researchers, artists, and cultural leaders.

The showcase opened with a session on the research of Creative ԰������’s Innovation Fellows who shared insights from their work with ԰������ City Council and Factory International. 

Dr Hannah Curran-Troop addressed workforce diversity and talent development in the creative industries, alongside representative Sarah Elderkin. Dr Tasos Asonitis and Gabby Jenks () presented their work on a CreaTech project in collaboration with Factory International’s Digital Team, which researches digital skill gaps for artists and people working in the creative industries and will result in a toolkit for new digital artists that facilitates access to new technology supporting creative processes.

The second session spotlighted the “First Breath” PhD research project.

Postgraduate researchers Leanne Cook and Lizzie Lagan, alongside their Principal Investigator Prof Pamela Qualter, discussed the impact of arts-based activities on the emotional and social development of preschool children and their parents.

The final panel, , marked the launch of a new initiative between and The University of ԰������. As ENO prepares to establish a new base in Greater ԰������ by 2029, Tuning into Opera is new research and engagement initiative from English National Opera and The University of ԰������, exploring what it means to have a national opera company based in Greater ԰������. 

The session explored the future of opera in the region through community engagement and cultural dialogue. It began with a welcome by ENO Artistic Director Annilese Miskimmon and an introduction to the research plan of Tuning Into Opera by Research Associate Dr Kamila Rymajdo. 

This was followed by an in-conversation with ԰������-based electronic opera makers Devon Bonelli and Joshua Inyang (Space Afrika), as well as an interview with the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer of Angel’s Bone, Du Yun.

The event concluded with a poetic summary and reflections of the afternoon, delivered by artist Saf Elsenossi (SAF-S2E).

In keeping with ’s theme to ‘Dream Differently’ the Creative ԰������ Showcase was a joyful celebration of the innovative and interdisciplinary research facilitated by the Platform and our partnerships with external stakeholders from across Greater ԰������ and beyond.