University News Last updated 27 November 2024
Birmingham City University (BCU) has joined forces with the Royal Shakespeare Company and three other West Midlands universities to lead a £6.75 million project to support the growth of sectors such as gaming and creative content across the region.
The CreaTech Frontiers collaboration, which also includes Coventry University, the University of Birmingham, and The University of Warwick, will involve high-profile industry partners such as Vodafone, Digital Catapult, Rebellion, Holosphere, Reach plc, and Hollywood Gaming.
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) believe the creative content and gaming sectors have the potential to generate £65m and create 1,500 jobs by 2030.
CreaTech Frontiers is funded by investment from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) on behalf of UK Research and Innovation, which has designated the West Midlands a Creative Industries Cluster.
Lamberto Coccioli, Professor of Music and Technology at BCU’s Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and project lead, said: “CreaTech Frontiers will bring together the most valuable assets of this region – a young and diverse talent pool, world-class research, outstanding arts organisations, and a budding tech sector – to spark innovation and stimulate growth.
“We’re delighted to support creative technology companies in the West Midlands with a comprehensive programme of grants and skills development led by industry needs. It’s fantastic news for the people and businesses of Birmingham and beyond.”
The project demonstrates BCU’s commitment to developing knowledge for good and nurturing talent by providing real-world opportunities for students, as outlined in its 2030 strategy.
Creative SMEs will be able to apply for grants from a £1.8 million fund, access academic R&D expertise, mentoring and training, and use world-class research and development labs to create new products and services.
AHRC Executive Chair, Professor Christopher Smith, said: “AHRC is delighted to announce a new wave of Creative Industries Clusters that will create vital support for technology and innovation in the UK’s world-leading creative industries and expand our regional investment.
“They will support artists and creators so they can benefit from new technologies across a wide range of platforms, and develop their innovation and business skills.
“The remarkable projects made possible through our Creative Industries Clusters span sustainable fashion, game design and extended reality, and have attracted major co-investment. They have helped solve real-world problems and they deliver commercial benefits to the UK economy in line with the Government’s Industrial Strategy.”
More than 70 paid internships and 16 funded PhDs will also be made available through the initiative to nurture talent and drive innovation among creative professionals of the future.
“It will also transform the way we teach,” added Professor Coccioli. “Our students will learn from live business briefs and gain applied skills that are aligned with the needs of employers.”
The list of industry partners also includes Capture Ltd and Elemental Compute, with support from sector bodies WMCA, TechWM, Create Central, and Culture Central.
Meanwhile, Birmingham Opera Company will engage young people from deprived areas in the West Midlands in co-creating performances and discover potential careers in the sector.
Cultural partners will also run R&D demonstrators, including experimental performance projects utilising creative technologies curated by RSC and showcased at SXSW – an annual event in Austin, Texas that combines film, media, and music festivals and conferences.
Image credit: Holosphere (CreaTech Frontiers project partner)