We bring together pioneering companies and the best academic thinkers to explore the potential of something we are calling digital public space where anyone, anywhere, anytime can access, explore and create with digital content.

This unique consortium draws on the research excellence of interdisciplinary and complementary design innovation labs at three universities – Lancaster University, Newcastle University and the Royal College of Art – and connects it with public and private sectors, linking large and small-scale businesses, service providers and citizens. Together, our expertise in developing and applying creative techniques to navigate unexplored challenges includes designers, artists, curators, producers, broadcasters, engineers, managers, technologists and writers – and will draw on wider expertise from across the partner universities and beyond.

Project website: thecreativeexchange.org

The Creative Exchange responds to profound changes in practice in the creative and media-based industries stimulated by the opening of the digital public space, the ability of everyone to access, explore and create in any aspect of the digital space, moving from ‘content consumption’ to ‘content experience’. It will explore new forms of engagement and exchange in the broadcast, performing and visual arts, digital media, design and gaming sectors, by focusing on citizen-led content, interactive narrative, radical personalization and new forms of value creation in the context of the ‘experience economy’. The primary geographic focus is in the Northwest of England centred around the opportunity presented by the growth of MediaCityUK and its neighbouring economy. The three universities will act as local test beds with field trials in London, Lancaster and Newcastle prior to larger public facing field trials. This will support the Northwest regional strategy for growth in digital and creative media industries, whilst generating comparative research and development locally, nationally and internationally.

Project cluster topics:Public Service Innovation and Democracy; Rethinking Working Life, Making the Digital Physical; Performance, Liveness and Participation; Stories, Archives and Living Heritage; Building Social Communities: Structures for Growth