Research Fellow - Immersive Arts

Immersive Arts is a national funding programme, led by UWE Bristol, supporting over 200 artists from across the UK to explore the possibilities of immersive technology. 

We are a UK-wide network, conducting world-leading research, providing accessible training for those looking to get started in the immersive arts sector, and supporting those already involved to extend their potential. The programme will be awarding £3.6m of dedicated grant funding to support over 200 artists to develop their practice, and will be hosting training, events and showcasing the best of UK creativity in all four Nations of the UK and beyond. 

Working within UWE’s Digital Cultures Research Centre (DCRC), alongside the Immersive Arts project team, the Research Fellow will support the research ambitions of the programme, contributing to reports, publications and events, alongside developing the research ecosystem within the project and its partnership network. 

You will be able to develop and conduct research on an individual basis and as part of the broader Immersive Arts team to achieve the objectives of the programme, including translating knowledge of advances in this area into research activity. You will be based within UWE’s Digital Cultures Research Centre and working closely with our production and academic partners, you will support the development of research outputs and activity that showcases the Immersive Arts programme. 

The post holder will work primarily with Immersive Arts Principal Investigator, Verity McIntosh (UWE Bristol) and Co-Investigator, Paul Clarke (University of Bristol) to consider one of the programme’s key research themes, ‘Artist and Audience Development’. 

Among the questions being explored in this theme are: 

What appeal do immersive realities hold for artists? What ambitions do artists have for these emerging forms? How do they evolve or diverge from existing artforms and ways of working? How do we design for diverse access requirements? What concerns artists about the impact of immersive artforms on the wider sector? 

How do audiences for immersive experiences differ from traditional arts audiences? Who is missing and why? What do audiences report about the impact and meaning of immersive works? What are the barriers to reaching an audience? What opportunities can the hybridity of immersive mediums offer to diverse and dispersed audiences? What models of best practice can be identified from the programme’s artist-led case studies? 

This post is based at The Pervasive Media Studio in our City Campus in Bristol city centre, which comprises Bower Ashton Studios, Arnolfini, Spike Island and Watershed, and is home to UWE Bristol's creative and cultural subjects, the DCRC and the Immersive Arts programme. Through a combination of University sites and partnerships with creative and cultural organisations in the city, we have developed a network of cultural and creative spaces. These enable our students and staff to develop their professional practice in inspiring learning environments as well as provide opportunities for creative collaboration and networking. 

Further information

If you would like an informal discussion about this opportunity please contact Verity McIntosh (Director: Immersive Arts) or Tom Abba (Co-Investigator: Immersive Arts) via email: verity.mcintosh@uwe.ac.uk or tom.abba@uwe.ac.uk 

This is a fixed-term post for two-years, working five days per week (1.0FTE). This post is available on a job share basis for applicants wishing to work part time

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