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 黑料网吃瓜爆料);  (Professor of Computer Science and Head of Engineering Research at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料); (Head of the Digital Development Team at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Library);  (Senior Software Developer in the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Library鈥檚 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料-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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 2035 ambitions."

Wendy Schmidt, co-founder of Schmidt Sciences, added: 鈥淥ur newest technologies may shed light on our oldest truths, on all that makes us human 鈥� from the origins of civilization to the peaks of philosophical thought to contemporary art and film, Schmidt Sciences鈥� 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.鈥�

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 鈥� as well as supporting researchers in a variety of disciplines through its science systems program.

Two award winners were announced on the evening:

Anne Boyd Rioux took The PFD Prize, an annual award for the most promising piece of fiction from the MA Creative Writing dissertation, as chosen by the leading London literary agency, . The winner receives a cash prize and the opportunity to work with an agent at PFD to develop their writing towards publication. 

Anne is a former English professor from New Orleans and a biographer specializing in American women writers. She is the author of three non-fiction books and the popular Substack newsletter Audacious Women, Creative Lives.  She is currently working on her upcoming first novel A War of Her Own, based on the real-life story of the New Yorker writer Kay Boyle. Trapped in France during WWII with her abusive husband, the artist Laurence Vail, and his ex-wife Peggy Guggenheim, she fell in love with an Austrian refugee who needed rescuing as much as she did. Many years later, however, the consequences of her decisions during the war continue to reverberate through the lives of her children.

Kieron Fairweather, Associate Agent at PFD added:

The MA Poetry Prize went to Ellie Grant. Ellie is a neuroqueer poet. She takes inspiration from childhood, the pockets of green in her local London, and the pockets of dark in urban places where green things tend to grow. She placed second in the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Micropoetry Competition in 2024 and was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize 2025.

Ellie commented:

The editorial team for this year鈥檚 anthology consisted of Samantha Graham, Tom Pyle and Dylan Stewart:

Samantha commented: "So many hours of work have gone into producing this Anthology, both from myself, Tom, and Dylan and from our peers whose brilliant writing is featured within it, and I couldn鈥檛 be prouder of the book that we have collectively created. Overseeing and managing this project has been the highlight of my postgraduate experience and I鈥檓 so glad to have been able to celebrate the completion of it at the launch event last month."

Tom added: "Being part of the editorial trio for The 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Anthology 2025 has been a challenge and a privilege. Seeing the work that it takes to get a book to print, having complete creative control over the process but most importantly being able to showcase the range of talent from the writers in this MA cohort; people who we鈥檝e sat in workshops with and watched develop throughout the year. To have this book as a marker in the sand feels appropriate and, personally, gives me a lot of satisfaction."

Past contributors to The 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Anthology have gone on to become successful established authors: Beth Underdown鈥檚 debut novel, The Witchfinder鈥檚 Sister, was a Richard and Judy bestseller; Alys Conran was shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize for her debut novel, Pigeon; Nat Ogle, author of In The Seeing Hands of Others, was shortlisted for The White Review Poet's Prize; Joe Carrick-Varty鈥檚 collection, More Sky, was shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize; Thomas D. Lee鈥檚 novel, Perilous Times, was a Sunday Times bestseller; Jessica Moor was named one of the ten best debut novelists of 2020 by Observer New Review, and was also shortlisted for the Desmond Elliot Prize.

Associate Dean for Business Engagement, Civic & Cultural Partnerships , Professor Richard Allmendinger introduced the nominees from each school.

The winners, announced by Maggie Gale, were: 

Alliance 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Business School 

• Prof Jian-Bo Yang & Prof Dong鈥慙ing Xu, for their KTP with Kennedys to develop and embed an intelligent data driven fraud prevention and detection service for insurance claim handling, utilising modern machine learning, text analytics and semantic technologies. 

School of Arts, Languages and Cultures 

• Prof Eithne Quinn, for work on racial bias in the judicial system enabled through a Simon Industrial & Professional Fellowship project undertaken by Keir Monteith KC, which  has received significant media coverage and follow-on projects in related areas. 

School of Social Sciences 

• Prof Emma Barrett for a Simon Industrial & Professional Fellowship with Limina Immersive 鈥淏uilding a safer Metaverse: Exploring the challenges faced by industry in developing safe, secure and ethical immersive experiences鈥�.  The project supported a successful 拢80K SPRITE+ funding bid for a deep dive expected to result in a step change in our industry engagement around XR and fostered new cross-disciplinary and external collaborations. 

School of Environment, Education & Development 

• Dr Emma Shuttleworth For collaborating with key stakeholders, including the Environment Agency, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and Groundwork Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料, to lead KTPs that have developed a data-driven framework for innovative sustainable water management in the Irwell catchment and optimised the long-term financial health of the Groundwork Trust. 

At the end of the Awards ceremony Richard Allmendinger announced the launch of a seed-funding call for academics across the faculty to submit bids for up to 拢7k to support early-stage development of collaborative projects with partners. Full information on the call available .

The full list of nominated projects: 

Alliance 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Business School 

• Dr Arijit De, Associate Professor in Management Science  For his work in establishing Maritime Engineering and Management as a new cluster theme at UoM, including work with Port of Dover, DFDS, Ship & Bunker, Sealand and Smart Green Shipping building a substantial portfolio of research in maritime, port, and freight logistics with these partners, a REF Impact Case Study in freight and maritime logistics is in development.
• Prof Yu-wang Chen, Professor of Decision Sciences and Business Analytics  KTP 鈥� - the largest KTP awarded by Innovate UK.
• Dr Pedro Sampaio, Senior Lecturer in Information Systems  KTP 鈥� - to design, develop and embed an Industry 4.0 inspired data driven business model and management information framework which will support the company's strategic vision of expansion.
• Prof David Hughes, Professor of Personality and Organisational Psychology & Nadia Papamichail, Professor of Decision Systems & Management Sciences  KTP - to create sustainable growth and productivity improvement by combining behavioural psychology profiling and emotional regulation with advanced data science techniques to tackle complex work processes and transform the way JLG engages, supports its clients and staff through the legal frameworks. DH was shortlisted for Academic of the Year at the 2025 KTP Awards.
• Prof Brian Nicholson, Professor of Business Information Systems & Dr Sung Hwan Chai, Lecturer in Accounting KTP: - To develop, embed and exploit advanced smart data driven technologies to deliver digital transformation within the audit function significantly increasing quality, productivity and capacity to deliver additional insight and value to clients.
• Prof Judy Zolkiewski, Professor of Marketing  KTP projects - . To create a smarter business that is both client-driven whilst also enhancing improved employee interactions, within a unified customer-centric framework that can support product and service innovation.
• Prof Jian-Bo Yang, Professor of Decision and System Sciences & Prof Ling (Dong鈥慙ing) Xu, Chair Professor of Decision Science and Systems  KTP - AMBS & Kennedys to develop and embed an i and detection service to support insurance claim handling utilising modern machine learning, text analytics techniques and semantic technologies, that can shape and add value to business. 

School of Arts, Languages and Cultures  

• Prof Eithne Quinn, Professor of Cultural and Socio鈥憀egal Studies  For work on racial bias in the judicial system enabled through a undertaken by Keir Monteith KC which has received significant media coverage and led to a follow-on project on mis-use of lyrics in rap music in criminal court cases.
• Prof Steve Scott-Bottoms, Professor of Contemporary Theatre and Performance - Finding the Story ARC: Engaging businesses with climate resilience in Yorkshire鈥檚 Aire valley  IAA 496 Advance - The Rivalry Project: Extending Stakeholder Engagement with Climate Resilience in the Catchment of the Aire
• Dr Kostas Arvanitis, Senior Lecturer in Museology  - Therapeutic Impact of Physical, Digital and Virtual Collections of Trauma.
• Dr Kostas Arvanitis, Senior Lecturer in Museology & Dr Andy Hardman, Senior Lecturer in Creative and Cultural Practices  KTP - SALC & Port Sunlight Village Trust - creating and embedding a framework and tool-kit underpinned by museological and critical heritage research to transform the ways in which PSVT manages and interprets its history, site and collections.
• Prof Sasha Handley, Professor of Early Modern History  Salford Community Leisure - - Sleeping Well Salford: Using Historic Sleep Practices to Support Health and Social Care Pathways. 

School of Environment, Education & Development 

• Dr Emma Shuttleworth, Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography  Working collaboratively with a number of key stakeholders on environmental sustainability projects including Environment Agency, and leading on KTPs with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and Groundwork Trust to create and embed a data driven catchment management framework that will drive innovative evidence-based sustainable water management within the Irwell catchment and optimise long-term financial health for Groundwork Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料.
• Dr Sophie van Huellen, Senior Lecturer in Development Economics   - Why Ghanaian farmers have been unable to capitalise on record cocoa prices with Fuad Mohammed Abubakar, Managing Head of the Ghana Cocoa Marketing Company (UK) Ltd.
• Dr Joanne Tippett, Lecturer in Spatial Planning  黑料网吃瓜爆料 UNESCO Creative City of Literature IAA 425 Secondment - Imagining sustainable futures: self-facilitated learning from heritage through art and play in UNESCO-designated sites. Shortlisted for 鈥楾ransformative Social Venture of the Year鈥� award at the KEUK Awards 2024. 

鈥淭he RoundView is a powerful way to activate and build capacity in UNESCO鈥檚 core competencies for sustainability leadership鈥�. James 脰mer Bridge, Secretary-General of UNESCO UK. 

鈥淭he Secondment demonstrated that the RoundView learning toolkit offers great promise to address a key challenge we experience as UNESCO sites, of linking our work to sustainable development鈥� and enabling us to translate SDG 13 Climate Action into an accessible activity. A key finding from the Secondment was that the 鈥榩oetry as pedagogy鈥� incorporated into the toolkit helps encourage sustainability learning through literature, a key need for both us as Cities of Literature and our library partners.鈥� Ivan Wadeson, Executive Director of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 UNESCO City of Literature.

• Dr Nuno Pinto, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning and Urban Design  For demonstrating exceptional leadership and innovation through the establishment and continued development of the MSc Data Science student industry-project programme. His dedication has transformed the initiative into a thriving platform for student engagement and real-world impact, with its success growing year on year. Nuno鈥檚 commitment to expanding the programme is evident in his active collaboration with fellow academics, fostering the creation of similar opportunities across other schools. His work exemplifies the spirit of business engagement and makes him a worthy nominee for the Faculty of Humanities Business Engagement award.
• Prof Sarah Marie Hall, Professor in Human Geography  with 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Central Foodbank  IAA 468 Relationship Development - Developing community-led, anti-poverty research capacity.  IAA 503 Proof of Concept - Developing 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 Anti-Poverty Research Community: Co-Producing Grassroots Collaborations for Positive Social Change. Winner of UoM in the Outstanding public engagement initiative: Local/civic engagement category
• Prof Nicola Banks, Professor of Global Development   - Activating citizen philanthropy for community-centred social justice: piloting a One World Together Global Citizenship curriculum for secondary schools.
• Prof Alison Browne, Professor of Geography   - the project brings together data analytics and social science insights to develop a Water Practices Analytical Toolkit for use in the water industry, offering a unique approach for managing the sustainability of water and influencing the UK鈥檚 long-term usage, average and peak water demands. 

School of Social Sciences 

• Prof Tine Buffel, Professor of Sociology and Social Gerontology  Age Friendly 黑料网吃瓜爆料 ( 黑料网吃瓜爆料 City Council)  IAA 401 Secondment - Developing age-friendly communities to support healthy ageing: Exploring the potential of a policy innovation partnership between public agencies and faith-based organisations in Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料.
• Prof Emma Barrett, Professor of Psychology, Security and Trust  Simon Industrial & Professional Fellowship with Limina Immersive 鈥淏uilding a safer Metaverse: Exploring the challenges faced by industry in developing safe, secure and ethical immersive experiences鈥�.  The SIF project supported a successful 拢80K SPRITE+ funding bid for a deep dive expected to result in a step change in our industry engagement around XR and fostered new cross-disciplinary and external collaborations. The work also informed EB鈥檚 presentation at the Home Office Digital Forensics Conference in June 2025, alongside Innovate UK. 

From January to July 2025 broadcaster and producer  carried out research as part of a Simon Industrial Fellowship with the  and the   at 黑料网吃瓜爆料.  

As part of the fellowship Karen Gabay produced a podcast series entitled 鈥�You Ought To Know鈥� that will be published across various platforms. 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料. 

The podcast premiers in early 2026 on various platforms. To be notified of new episodes subscribe to Karen Gabay鈥檚  and the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures鈥�  channel. 

The first podcast is a recording of Karen Gabay鈥檚 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Museum in June 2025.

The second episode explores the history of Black British Gospel Music and was recorded in  in Deansgate in May 2025.  黑料网吃瓜爆料 musician , gospel pioneer , Mancunian vocalist  and Kingdom Choir member and founder of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Inspirational Voices  star in this episode.

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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and , the iconic home of Granada Television in July 2025.

The final episode of this series was recorded in July 2025 it explores how 黑料网吃瓜爆料 singer-songwriter  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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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鈥檚 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鈥� British Pop Archive and is adding more diverse and nonetheless equally relevant archival artefacts to its catalogue. This work aligns with the University鈥檚 renewed strategic focus on archives and just archival practices to celebrate, document and bring to the fore the stories that make 黑料网吃瓜爆料 the city we know today. 

One of the highlights was Professor John McAuliffe, Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 Platform Director, taking part in the panel discussion 鈥淐ivic, Creative and Cultural: University Collaboration鈥�. The session brought together members of the , including Professor Kirsty Fairclough (School of Digital Arts, 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Metropolitan University), Dr Sam Ingleson (University of Salford) and Professor Wiebke Thorm盲hlen (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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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鈥� PhD research and celebrated the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 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. 

Tell us a bit about yourself and the roles you have had at the University over the past 20 years

After I finished my master's degree, I worked as a Research Assistant for three years in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures. I then joined the Faculty of Life Sciences IT team in a projects and planning support role 鈥� it was during this time that I became a PRINCE2 practitioner and developed my project management skills. Following this, I came back to SALC as a project manager of research projects. In parallel, I spent 15 years in self-employed roles 鈥� firstly as a freelance web designer, and then 10 years as co-director of an events company. The company stopped operating during the pandemic and it was then that I turned my hand to writing children鈥檚 books. In 2022 I began working for Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料 in my current communications and engagement position which brought together the different skillsets I have gained over my career so far.

Looking to the future, what are your plans once you leave the University?

Once I leave the University, I will be taking some time to do the things I find fulfilling and that spur me on creatively 鈥� reading, walking, spending time in nature, letting my mind be calm and allowing it to wander. Of course, I hope to get a lot of writing done, and I will be working hard promoting my school and library visits.

After 20 years, what will you miss most about working at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料?

I am going to miss my Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料 colleagues so much! I feel very lucky to have spent the past few years with such a lovely group of people. I will also miss seeing the campus in the autumn, when I think it is particularly beautiful, and being able to have a quick look around 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Museum or the Whitworth Art Gallery on my lunch break.

What is your favourite Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料 memory?

That鈥檚 a tough question as there are lots of lovely memories. Event-wise, probably the Bicentenary weekend, which was a big team effort with a fun atmosphere (and lots of Diet Coke). Another highlight was attending the AMA conferences in Brighton and Edinburgh with the team. Lastly, I have enjoyed working with 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Museum and the Linguistic Diversity Collective on developing and promoting a language trail for children.

How has your time with Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料 prepared you for the next phase in your career?

I鈥檝e had the chance to refine my skills in communications and marketing during my time with Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料, which I will take forward in promoting my books and my school visits.

Finally, what literature is keeping you inspired at the moment?

I am currently halfway through book four of the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan 鈥� it's a very long series which I should finish in about a year or so. I like to read across different genres, but the world-building found in fantasy really tickles my imagination. I was also recently given a book on the history of vampires, which I know will inspire me for a future project.

ROGER LING, Professor of Classical Art and Archaeology

It is very sad to report that Roger Ling, a distinguished member of the Art History staff at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 for more than 50 years - as lecturer, senior lecturer, Professor, and emeritus - died at the beginning of November after a long illness.  During much of that time the Department had expanded to its maximum extent in terms of personnel and breadth of interests, which extended from the classical to modern periods. But early on it was Roger who for a number of years singlehandedly saw to the teaching of ancient and classical art at all undergraduate and postgraduate levels, until he was joined by colleagues with interests in early Greece and pre-Roman Italy, as well as in Minoan and Egyptian art, enabling him to concentrate more on the Roman world.                 

Roger was, in international terms, a leading historian of ancient Roman art and architecture. His deep knowledge of Pompeii originated from his PhD on stuccowork in Roman Italy, and he went on to publish many books on related topics, including Roman painting (on which he wrote the standard English textbook), and mosaics - he was also a frequent contributor to the journal Mosaic which focused on the rich material of Roman Britain. But Roger鈥檚 lasting monument is the four-volume Insula of the Menander at Pompeii published by Oxford University Press, to which his wife Lesley, who died three years before him, was a major contributor and was co-author of volume 2 (on the wall decorations). This housing block occupied a large residential space in the ancient town and encompassed a number of dwellings along with various service areas. As well as meticulous recording of archaeological detail, the Menander volumes offer a fascinating human history concerning the different social classes that inhabited the various parts of the insula at different periods, from the impoverished to families of the highest rank.    

For all the time that he worked at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, Roger and Lesley lived a characteristically austere life in beautiful but remote parts of the High Peak near Buxton. Internet receptivity could never be relied on. Without a television, Roger would go over to friends and neighbours, or the local pub, to follow his favourite team, Watford FC. Without a car, he would ski across the fields in winter to the local station at Chapel-en-le-Frith to catch the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 train in time for his early morning lectures. Occasionally he would sleep over in his office in the department if the weather got too bad for the return journey. But with a knowing smile, Roger remained cheerful and imperturbable in almost all circumstances. Only departmental meetings succeeded in disturbing his equilibrium.

The Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料-affiliated projects featured in the videos are:

• 鈥� with Dr Anke Bernau, Dr Aurora Fredriksen and Dr Ingrid Hanson
• 鈥� with Dr Riza Batista-Navarro and Dr Tom Flavel
• 鈥� with Prof Laura Black and Keisha Thompson
• 鈥� with Dr Ahu G眉mrah Parry

These short films provide insights into the world of interdisciplinary research, including project team composition, the participants鈥� experiences of interdisciplinary work and working with the Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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鈥檚 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料. 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 cultural industry. These recommendations make use of several 黑料网吃瓜爆料-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 鈥� this network should take a focus on including and developing minoritised leaders and organisations in 黑料网吃瓜爆料.
2. Create a formalised 黑料网吃瓜爆料 mentorship scheme 鈥� 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鈥檚 network and The 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Cultural Consortium 鈥� sharing skills, expertise, and building networks for emerging leaders from diverse backgrounds.
4. Mid to high-level training schemes/placements for emerging leaders 鈥� supported by 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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 鈥� creating frameworks for organisations to home in on and share expertise in specific areas of EDI and workforce support.

Curran-Troop, H (2025). . 黑料网吃瓜爆料/Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料.

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 黑料网吃瓜爆料.

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 拢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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 researchers through Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Combined Authority, this project draws on the history and legacy of 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 Co-Operative movement by using crafting methods to promote resilience, belonging and cultural engagement in diverse communities in Rochdale (which is Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 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 拢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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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 鈥� including the translation of the Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Creative Health Strategy into Japanese.

UK and Japan in conversation

黑料网吃瓜爆料 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 鈥� 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 鈥淗ello Future! 100-Year Museum鈥�, 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料, Julie McCarthy, Strategic Lead for Creative Health at Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Integrated Care (NHS GM) and Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Integrated Care Partnership, described the social prescribing infrastructure across GM鈥檚 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料, is to map interdisciplinary research feeds into creative health and facilitate new opportunities for further collaboration across Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 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!

This co-funded initiative responds to a critical shortfall in the digital infrastructure underpinning humanitarian and global health research. With a combined investment of 拢608k, this 12-month scoping and research programme will mobilise international partnerships, develop rescue mechanisms for endangered datasets, and conduct vital inquiry to establish ethical triage frameworks to safeguard records.

A Unified Response to a Growing Crisis

Recent funding shifts have triggered sharp declines in , including the recent disbanding of , the abolition of , and cuts to Sweden鈥檚 , which were essential supporters of the knowledge infrastructure of humanitarian aid. 

These funding cuts threaten access to essential records and archives, such as:

• Demographic health surveys covering 763 million people most at risk
• Records of attacks on healthcare and education
• Food security and other essential health-related datasets

Without urgent intervention, decades of digital archives and records that should be held and protected by UN agencies, NGOs, and faith-based organisations risk permanent erasure. This will not only significantly undermine the possibility of conducting future research but also threaten evidence-based operational decision-making and accountability.

Over the next year, HAE will deploy a global coalition of archives and essential records stakeholders to conduct a comprehensive scoping exercise of at-risk archives, records, and datasets. The team will also develop a crowdsourcing tool that serves as a resilient early-warning system using technical processes for digital recovery and preservation. 

The research agenda will consider how to address colonial power dynamics in the politics of humanitarian archiving. Their aim is for these activities to culminate in a roadmap for sustainable research infrastructure to ensure long-term preservation and protection beyond this initial phase.

鈥淧reserving Memory Is Preserving Humanity鈥�

, Principal Investigator and co-founder of the Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, commented:

Collaborative Expertise and Global Reach

The HAE consortium draws expertise from key international stakeholders, from leaders in the academic, NGO, digital preservation and humanitarian sectors. The group will collaborate via a coalition board to ensure the perspectives and expertise of all are reflected in the activities of the initiative. 

These stakeholders include:

•  (storage and redundancy)
•  and  (technical guidance)
• ,  and regional specialists (consultancy and field networks)
•  (curation and ethics)
•  (data rescue and access).

For further details on the project, please contact: 

• Professor Bertrand Taithe, Principal Investigator, HAE, Director of Research, Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute, University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料
• Dr Stephanie Rinald, Coalition Coordinator, HAE, Research Programmes Manager, Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute, University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料

(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 鈥楤lack and Asian: Definitions and Redefinitions鈥� in the British South-Asian grassroots publication, Mukti. Correia will discuss how Karimjee considered the terms 鈥楤lack鈥� and 鈥楢sian鈥� 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鈥檚 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鈥� Gallery, 16鈥�18 Ramillies Street, London W1F 7LW 
Thursday, 19 September 2025
12pm 鈥� 5pm
.

Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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鈥檚 interdisciplinary research communities with both University and external partners, to address strategic opportunities.

Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料 is pleased to announce that Dr Stephen Hicks has been re-appointed as Research Theme Lead for Creativity, Health and Wellbeing. Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 is looking forward to working with Drs Constance Smith, Stephen Hicks, Riza Batista-Navarro and Anke Bernau, and would like to extend a heartfelt 鈥榯hank you鈥� to Drs Claudia Henninger and Jenna Ashton for their important and impactful work as Research Theme Leads at Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料.

• Date: Wednesday 1st October 2025
• Venue: 18th floor, Hyatt Regency, 55 Booth St W, 黑料网吃瓜爆料 M15 6PQ
• Time: 13:00 鈥� 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 鈥� 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 鈥� 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鈥檚 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 since 2023, under its Creative and Civic Futures banner 鈥� 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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 鈥� a former Portuguese colony on the west-coast of India 鈥� during the 16th and 17th centuries, and will consider the possible impact of Goa鈥檚 Baroque ecclesiastical architecture on Souza鈥檚 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鈥檙e especially excited for the and partnership events:

The members鈥� presale is happening now 鈥� 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料. 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 Innovation Fellows who shared insights from their work with 黑料网吃瓜爆料 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鈥檚 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 鈥淔irst Breath鈥� 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 黑料网吃瓜爆料. As ENO prepares to establish a new base in Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 by 2029, Tuning into Opera is new research and engagement initiative from English National Opera and 黑料网吃瓜爆料, exploring what it means to have a national opera company based in Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料. 

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 黑料网吃瓜爆料-based electronic opera makers Devon Bonelli and Joshua Inyang (Space Afrika), as well as an interview with the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer of Angel鈥檚 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 鈥檚 theme to 鈥楧ream Differently鈥� the Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Showcase was a joyful celebration of the innovative and interdisciplinary research facilitated by the Platform and our partnerships with external stakeholders from across Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and beyond.

, lecturer of modern and contemporary British Art, has curated the first retrospective consideration of Mumtaz Karimjee鈥檚 career as an artist and curator.

is an open access online exhibition, published as part of the landmark special issue of British Art Studies, Queer Art in Britain since the 1980s, edited by Fiona Anderson, Flora Dunster, Theo Gordon and Laura Guy.

Trained as a linguist, Mumtaz Karimjee was a self-taught photographer and during the 1980s was a central figure in feminist and queer activism. She curated the first exhibition of female Indian photographers in the UK, was a key-member of Mukti, a grassroots feminist magazine produced by and for women of South Asian heritage, and her photography was included in exhibition of Black women artists curated by Lubaina Himid.

Her work was recently included in Women in Revolt at the Whitworth, but Correia鈥檚 exhibition, Mumtaz Karimjee: Making Visible is the first solo presentation of Karimjee鈥檚 work in over 30 years.

The Outstanding Student Citizenship award is unique in that it is not based on grades or academic work, instead allowing staff to nominate those individuals who have gone above and beyond in all aspects of university life.

Congratulations to this year鈥檚 awardees. We hear from the academics who nominated them, and the awardees, below:

Maisy Wood

Selim Iyidirli

Bradley Williams

Congratulations again to all of our student awardees, and the whole Class of 2025, who we at HCRI are extremely proud of.

We are pleased to announce that Dr Hannah Waterson will be starting her position as Research Associate 鈥� Knowledge Mobilisation in July 2025. This 24-month post is made possible by the Arts Council England (ACE) funded Creative Health Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Place Partnership and Civic University Board (CUB).

The three-year place partnership aims to create lasting ways for creativity and culture to be at the heart of communities鈥� health and wellbeing. This builds on the growing recognition that engaging with creativity and culture helps us to lead longer, healthier, happier lives - a relationship that is increasingly referred to as 鈥榗reative health鈥�. 

This role will play a central role in developing a framework to understand how the Creative Health GM Place Partnership embeds creative health sustainably across the system.

The post will work between the GMCA and NHS GM (Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Integrated Care), the Population Health team at NHS Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and 黑料网吃瓜爆料. Dr Waterson will be hosted by Dr Simon Parry at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and supported by an advisory group including colleagues from the Royal Northern College of Music, 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Metropolitan University and University of Salford. 

Dr Hannah Waterson has a background in Public Health and supported the development of an Arts in Public Health module at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, before leading on research and policy at the National Centre for Creative Health.

In May and June 2025 , and came together to host the CreaTech 2025 event series, exploring Creativity and AI in Music, Publishing and Fashion. 

This series brought together creatives, tech professionals and researchers from Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and beyond to explore how AI is impacting the creative industries, sharing research from within 黑料网吃瓜爆料 with expertise outside of it. 

We began at exploring the use of AI in the Music industry. The sessions began with lightning talks from Ricardo Climent, Professor of Interactive Music Composition at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and Director of the NOVARS Research Centre. Professor Climent was followed by Pete Woodbridge, R&D Innovation lead for the Music Futures AHRC Creative Cluster at the University of Liverpool.  Our panel discussed the challenges and opportunities of AI applications in the music industry, production and dissemination.  

The second event was held Oddfellows Hall and focused on the role of AI in the Publishing Industry. The panel brought together CEO of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 University Press, Simon Ross, Poet and CEO of the Faber Academy, Joey Connolly, writer, Michelle Collier and Neil Sprunt, from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Library. We heard concerns about the use of AI to replace the role of the writer or poet, but potential uses in other areas of the industry like finance and managing stock. 

The event series rounded up at , with a heated panel discussing the use of AI in the fashion industry. The panel was chaired by Dr Charlene Gallery, and had representation from researchers in Fashion Technology, Business and Marketing, alongside Gemma Gratton from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Fashion Week and Joe Darwen, founder of CircKit. The panel discussed concerns about the use of AI in the design process, but more positive potential uses in analysing trends or helping small business owners to grow their fashion businesses.  

Throughout the series, the issue of sustainability was raised along with an urge throughout all industries for there to be ongoing analysis on the sustainability impact of using AI within their businesses. Overwhelmingly, across all sectors, there was a call to keep creative work in the hands of humans, but potential for many ways AI might influence how organisations operate including finance, marketing, production and materials.  

Hi, my name is Shiyuan Huang. I recently completed a placement with 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Camerata as part of my Master's in Arts Management at 黑料网吃瓜爆料.

My placement experience has been both rewarding and eye-opening. It allowed me to engage with the organisation across multiple areas - from concert support to library work and music therapy - each offering a unique perspective on how a cultural institution can enrich lives beyond the concert hall.

One part of my role involved assisting with concert operations, including helping during rehearsals and performances. This gave me valuable insight into the backstage logistics that make live events possible, from stage setup to coordinating with musicians and technical staff. I also worked closely with Zoe, the music librarian, in preparing and organising sheet music. I learnt how essential this often-overlooked work is to the smooth running of concerts - it requires precision, efficiency, and great attention to detail.

A particularly meaningful aspect of my placement was my involvement in Music in Mind, a music therapy project designed for people living with dementia. I joined several sessions of the Music Caf茅, where music-making became a space for connection, expression, and joy. It was deeply moving to witness how music could unlock memories, spark conversations, and bring comfort to participants and their families. The warmth of the volunteers, staff, and attendees made this an incredibly human and humbling experience.

Throughout the placement, I鈥檝e gained practical skills in arts administration, project coordination, and community engagement, but more than that, I鈥檝e come to appreciate the role of music as a tool for wellbeing and social connection.

I鈥檇 like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Max Thomas, my supervisor, for his guidance and encouragement throughout the placement. I鈥檓 also very grateful to Zoe and Amy, and to all the wonderful people I met through the placement. Their kindness, passion, and commitment to making music accessible to all have left a lasting impression on me.

This placement has reaffirmed my belief in the power of the arts to transform lives. I鈥檓 excited to take these insights forward into the next steps of my journey in the cultural sector.

It offered a platform to highlight the collective reach of 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 humanitarian sector, which has supported more than 6.5 million people in the past year alone through landmine clearance, emergency medical aid, disaster preparedness, peacebuilding, and more.

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Opening the evening, MAG CEO Darren Cormack reflected on 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 unique role in global humanitarianism: 

The evening included powerful speeches from the University鈥檚 President and Vice Chancellor, the CEO of Action for Humanity, and MAG鈥檚 Nika Kokareva, demining team leader in Ukraine. Nika delivered a first-hand account of the situation on the ground and the scale of humanitarian need caused by the ongoing war, particularly the threat posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance to families and farmers.

The event served as a timely reminder of 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 deep-rooted legacy of social justice and global solidarity. While MAG and its partners operate in diverse contexts and specialise in different areas, the values driving their missions 鈥� dignity, justice, and hope 鈥� are shaped by the spirit of this city.

In a world facing increasing humanitarian challenges, the need for sustained partnership, collaboration, and funding has never been greater.

The Global 黑料网吃瓜爆料 event demonstrated what is possible when organisations, institutions, and communities come together in common cause 鈥� and why continued, united action is vital to creating a safer, fairer world.

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The daytime programme formed part of the conference Neither Factory Records Nor Madchester: Rethinking 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 Musical and Subcultural Histories, hosted in collaboration with the at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Metropolitan University. After a morning of sessions in 黑料网吃瓜爆料, attendees travelled to UNESCO World Heritage site, Jodrell Bank, for an afternoon of thought-provoking discussions on 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 rich musical legacy, led by University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 experts. 

A panel, chaired by Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 Simon Industrial Fellow Karen Gabay, featured Alison Surtees, Basil Clarke, Debra Burns and Yvonne Ellis, and discussed the subcultural side of Stockport鈥檚 well-known Strawberry Studios. Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics Associate Director Prof Tim O鈥橞rien delivered a keynote on 鈥榤oonbouncing鈥�, exploring when Kraftwerk鈥檚 performance was transmitted to the moon, bounced off the surface and transmitted back to Jodrell Bank at .  

The research conference concluded with a panel discussion on the science and politics of togetherness in music cultures. The panel was led by Dr Roddy Hawkins (Lecturer in Music) with Dr Kamila Rymajdo (Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料/ENO Research Associate), Dr Christabel Sterling (RCM London), Dr Michelle Phillips (RNCM) and Dr Paul Martin (New Buckinghamshire University). 

The evening event was part of Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料's Solstice and Equinox series, which brings innovative creative artists to 黑料网吃瓜爆料's four cultural institutions. Each of our unique cultural institutions 鈥� the Whitworth, the John Rylands Research Institute and Library, 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Museum and Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement 鈥� focus on building civic, national and international partnerships to advance the social, environmental and individual wellbeing of our communities. 

The Solstice event began with a fascinating and important conversation between Soul II Soul founder Jazzie B OBE and acclaimed historian, broadcaster and Professor of Public History David Olusoga OBE, chaired by Dr Sophie Everest, Lecturer in Film Practice at 黑料网吃瓜爆料. Set against the backdrop of the Grade I listed Lovell Telescope, the discussion explored the intersections of music, cultural heritage, and identity, and how the enduring influence of British Black music and subculture has shaped today鈥檚 cultural landscape. 

Jazzie B, a pioneering figure in UK music and founder of the legendary Soul II Soul collective, shared reflections on his journey from pirate radio to Grammy-winning global success. The Solstice event also featured the film premiere of , which documented his involvement in a University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 research project and was produced in association with the British Pop Archive and Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料.

In the film, Jazzie B takes viewers on an immersive journey through his personal archive. Rifling through papers and artefacts, Jazzie uncovers his family鈥檚 Caribbean heritage and move to the UK, school days, sound system culture, employment history, business ventures and the story of Soul II Soul - from their ideological foundations to warehouse parties and global critical and commercial success. In doing so, Jazzie traces a vital and under-told history of post war Black British music, creativity, enterprise and collectivity.

This film was made by Dr Sophie Everest (Lecturer in Film Practice) and music documentarian Matt O鈥機asey in collaboration with Jazzie B and aims to trial new models of shared collecting and storytelling in association with the British Pop Archive (BPA). The BPA is a University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 national collection dedicated to the preservation and research of popular culture, counter-culture, and youth culture. The film output is shared with Jazzie B and the footage from the shoot will enter the collection of the British Pop Archive for future research and public engagement with the collections. 

The evening concluded with an exclusive DJ set by Jazzie B with his signature sound in the First Light Pavilion, spinning classic tracks and contemporary hits that embody the spirit of Soul II Soul. 

The trail will feature artworks, exhibitions and installations that celebrate the people, places, moments and instruments of 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 music scene. It runs from Monday 7 July 鈥� Sunday 31 August.

We鈥檒l be celebrating two of 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 most famous alumni 鈥� Ed Simons and Tom Rowlands, also known as The Chemical Brothers. The dance music duo met while studying history in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and went on to achieve massive chart success with six No. 1 albums and two No.1 singles in the UK.

Why not pay us a visit when you鈥檙e out and about in 黑料网吃瓜爆料 exploring the trail? For more info, visit the , where you can also .

Hamad Butt: Apprehensions at the Whitechapel Gallery, London, is the first major survey of Hamad Butt (b. 1962, Lahore, Pakistan; d. 1994, London, UK). Butt was one of the most innovative artists of his generation. His work spanned intermedia art, science, and alchemy, whilst also referencing his Queer and diasporic experiences. He offered a nuanced artistic response to the AIDS crisis in the UK, taking a conceptual rather than activist approach.

Alice Correia contributed an essay titled 鈥淧roblem Spaces: Hamad Butt, South Asian Identities, and British Art鈥� to the catalogue published to accompany the exhibition.  

Alice Correia鈥檚 talk will be held on Thursday 24 July, 6.30-8pm, at the Whitechapel Gallery, London. Tickets can be booked via the.

In praise of Hamad Butt: Apprehensions at the Whitechapel Gallery:

鈽呪槄鈽呪槄鈽�&苍产蝉辫;鈥�Beauty and violence from a lost and dangerous YBA鈥�
&苍产蝉辫;鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

鈽呪槄鈽呪槄鈽�&苍产蝉辫;鈥�This late genius puts you a breath away from death鈥�
&苍产蝉辫;鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

鈽呪槄鈽呪槄鈽呪�榗ool, calm and potentially lethal鈥�
&苍产蝉辫;鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

The Festival, which takes place in spaces and partner venues throughout the city, including Factory International鈥檚 home Aviva Studios, is for the first time venturing further with events in locations across Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料, including Rochdale and Wigan. Festival attendees are invited to 鈥榚xperience art that pushes boundaries, addresses the big questions of our time and creates hope for the future鈥� with a varied programme of free, low-cost and ticketed events. 

黑料网吃瓜爆料 is proud to be a long-standing Senior Supporter of the Festival and its organiser Factory International, who are continuing to build on the MIF legacy with a varied programme of groundbreaking world premieres and local events, co-created with local communities, students and partners. The Festival celebrates 黑料网吃瓜爆料 as a global hub of creative innovation and features homegrown artists returning to the region with many of the artists programmed originally coming from the North West. 

The Whitworth, one of The University鈥檚 four cultural institutions, is also part of the MIF25 programme. From 4 July 2025 to 4 January 2026, Santiago Yahuarcani鈥檚 鈥楾he Beginning of Knowledge鈥� will be on show at the gallery and is the result of a project by the artist, Indigenous activist, and leader of the Aimeni (White Heron) clan of the Uitoto people. In his first international solo exhibition Yahuarcani showcases large-scale, narrative-rich paintings exploring the relationship between the Uitoto people and the natural world. 

Throughout July MIF25 is looking to inspire fresh perspectives, challenge conventional thought and invite audiences to 鈥榙ream differently鈥� - envisioning new possibilities, brighter futures and utopian spaces. Presenting some of the most exciting creative minds of our generation, the programme champions indigenous artists and creators from the Global South, expanding the Festival鈥檚 renowned international impact as well as fostering deep connections with local artists and communities in the North West of England.  

Creative Director at Factory International and member of the Research Platform Advisory Board, Low Kee Hong says:

On the opening weekend hundreds of participants, including students and staff from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, joined puppeteers in for a public artwork on an unprecedented scale. This monumental migration of life-sized puppets, some of which have been made in 黑料网吃瓜爆料, took over the streets of Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 to open the Festival and raise awareness of the climate crisis and the collective effort needed to fight it. 

Across Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 boroughs residents will also be able to enjoy local community showcases featuring cabaret, performance and comedy on each Festival weekend, or join the free programme of events at MIF鈥檚 outside Aviva Studios. 

Across Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 boroughs residents will also be able to enjoy local community showcases featuring cabaret, performance and comedy on each Festival weekend, or join the free programme of events at MIF鈥檚 outside Aviva Studios. 

I am Beisi Wang, now studying at the university of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, majoring in Digital Media, Culture, and Society. Over the past few months, I have had the pleasure of completing a placement with Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料, a research platform based at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 that supports interdisciplinary collaboration between the arts, culture, and academia. 

As a postgraduate student in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, I have always been interested in health communication and the power of creative practices in raising public awareness. This placement gave me the valuable opportunity to explore how cultural events can promote meaningful community engagement as well as improving my own communication and organisational skills in a UK working environment.

Throughout my placement, I undertook diverse responsibilities that related to cultural events and digital communication. I participated in the full delivery of events, from internal meetings and external partner coordination to on-site logistics, such as setting up venues, preparing materials, and supporting guest registration. I also had chances to engage in digital communication planning, including managing and scheduling social media content across a variety of platforms (e.g. Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky), creating digital visual material (eg. posters and promotional videos) and monthly analysing social media performance. These experiences enhanced my understanding of how to tailor content to specific platforms and different audiences, while strengthening my skills in English writing, and professional workplace communication.

One of the most memorable and significant events throughout my placement is Silent Skies exhibition. It is an engaging temporary exhibition hosted at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Museum, looking at both the historic and modern contexts of air quality in the city of 黑料网吃瓜爆料. It brought together researchers, local campaigners, and members of the public to reflect on environmental injustice and collective action. 

The event was structured in three parts: an immersive exhibition, a drinks reception, and a lecture with interactive elements. During the drinks reception, some students moved through the crowd wearing gas masks and carrying trays of jelly with toy cars embedded inside, a striking metaphor for how exhaust fumes may affect the human lungs. The lecture also began with a powerful artistic moment: several performers held umbrellas adorned with recycled bottle caps, turning everyday objects into a symbol of environmental awareness. Throughout the talk, interactive activities encouraged attendees to reflect and participate in the discussion.

I was involved from the early planning stages to final promotions. I drafted and scheduled promotional content tailored to each stage of the campaign - writing teaser posts, designing digital assets, and managing cross-platform posting using Hootsuite. I also prepared targeted email updates for attendees and edited a video reviewing the whole event for our Instagram and Facebook account. Silent Skies showed me how storytelling, design, and creativity can come together to convey complex environmental issues in engaging and memorable ways.

Beyond practical digital communication skills, such as design and copywriting, this placement helped to grow as a communicator and team member. I became more confident to deliver a speech in team meetings, and coordinate audiences in events. I also improved my written English and became more familiar with the tone and branding of public-facing communication. More broadly, this placement allows me to realize how creative practices can bridge the gap between social issues and the public.

I鈥檓 incredibly grateful to the Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料 team for their support and encouragement throughout the placement - especially my supervisor Kate, whose guidance helped me grow in confidence and independence. This has been a valuable and inspiring experience that has shaped both my academic journey and professional goals.

To any students considering a placement in Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料: go for it! It鈥檚 a great chance to apply your skills in a real-world context, meet inspiring people, and explore how creativity can drive change.

Titled, "South Asian Artists and British Collections", her paper will introduce research into the acquisition and interpretation of artworks by FN Souza and Avinash Chandra by UK public collections, including Tate. She will introduce the ways in which Souza and Chandra were considered 鈥渆xotic鈥� by British critics and curators during the 1950s and 60s, and how such perceptions informed institutional framings of their work.

Archival research has revealed ambivalences on the part of collections to regard modernist painters of South Asian heritage active in London during the post-war period as part of the story of British art. Correia will present how those ambivalences have informed subsequent understandings and misunderstandings with reference to Souza鈥檚 painting Crucifixion (1961) in the Tate Collection. 

She argues that significant biases and blind-spots about Souza鈥檚 work found in Tate鈥檚 acquisition documents continue to ripple through the gallery鈥檚 online texts and display captions. 

You can view the artwork on the Tate website.

Alice Correia鈥檚 talk is organised by the , University of Leicester, and will be held on Friday, 20 June 2025, 1.00pm to 2.30pm.

After winning the race in Liverpool last year, the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 team didn鈥檛 manage to finish in the top three. Congratulations to Lancaster who came first, followed by Edge Hill and Liverpool.

The event, hosted in 黑料网吃瓜爆料 for the first time since the pandemic, was opened with a speech from Professor Nalin Thakkar, Vice-President for Social Responsibility at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, who highlighted the importance of unity and the spirit of collaboration.

Dragon boat racing has been a traditional Chinese paddled watercraft activity for over 2000 years and began as a modern international sport in Hong Kong in 1976. For competition events, dragon boats are generally rigged with decorative Chinese dragon heads and tails. For races, there are usually 18-20 people in a standard boat, and 8-10 in a small boat, not including the helmsman and the drummer.

In this year's competition, eight finalists took part in the Business Innovation category and ten students took part in the main Chinese Bridge competition. Sandy participated in both.

The "Chinese Bridge" International University Student Chinese Competition is an international competition organized by the Center for Language Exchange and Cooperation of the Ministry of Education of China aiming to strengthen academic and people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries through language and culture.

Sandy is from Gibraltar and has been studying Chinese for nearly four years. She studied in China for a year, living and communicating in a real language environment, which significantly improved her language skills.

Her research focuses on the impact of cultural activities on students' physical and mental health, which not only reflects her interest in education and culture but also reflects her desire to connect Chinese and other cultures, and benefit society.

Want to improve your Chinese so you can compete next year? Check out our .

The day concludes with Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 Solstice and Equinox event and an exclusive DJ set by Jazzie B himself. 

The summer solstice event brings together two remarkable cultural figures against the backdrop of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Jodrell Bank, home to the iconic Lovell telescope. This unique combination of research and public engagement events contributes to Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料's ongoing mission to foster dialogue between different creative disciplines and cultural perspectives.

The conversation, chaired by Dr Sophie Everest, Lecturer in Film Practice and Filmmaker, will explore the intersections of music, history, and cultural heritage in a setting of scientific discovery and innovation.

Coach transport to and from Jodrell Bank and admission to the Solstice and Equinox event are included in the conference ticket. 

Celebrating Jazzie B's legacy

Trevor Beresford Romeo OBE, known as Jazzie B, is a DJ, music producer, entrepreneur and founding member of the iconic music collective, Soul II Soul. Born in London to parents of Antiguan descent, Jazzie began DJing in the 1980s on pirate radio and holding parties adapting the reggae sound system. This evolved into the formation of the Soul II Soul Collective and signature sound, a number one single, global success, two Grammy Awards, and the sale of millions of records.

Soul II Soul and Jazzie B have left an indelible mark on British culture, not only through their music but also via legendary club nights, fashion lines, retail ventures, and radio shows on both pirate station Kiss FM and the BBC. Jazzie was awarded an OBE in 2008, and in 2024, Soul II Soul received the MOBO Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of an enduring impact on British music and culture.

Archival Collaboration with 黑料网吃瓜爆料

The event is part of an ongoing collaboration between Jazzie B and researchers at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, who are working together to document his extensive personal archive. This archival project represents an important effort to preserve and study the cultural impact of Soul II Soul and the broader musical and cultural movements they influenced.

Following their conversation, the evening will culminate in a special DJ set from Jazzie B himself, bringing his signature sound to the First Light Pavilion鈥攁 rare opportunity to experience his musical artistry in such a unique scientific setting.

The Solstice and Equinox Series: Bridging Arts and Sciences

The evening event is part of Creative 黑料网吃瓜爆料's Solstice and Equinox series, which brings innovative creative artists to 黑料网吃瓜爆料's four Cultural Institutions. Each of our unique cultural institutions 鈥� the Whitworth, the John Rylands Research Institute and Library, 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Museum and Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre 鈥� focus on building civic, national and international partnerships to advance the social, environmental and individual wellbeing of our communities.

The award-winning series follows the pair as they retrace the steps of the Grand Tour across Europe, exploring art, culture, and identity with warmth and wit. The programme has been praised for its engaging storytelling and emotional depth, earning widespread acclaim and now, one of television鈥檚 highest honours.

Rob Rinder studied at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, graduating with a double first in Politics and Modern History, a joint honours degree spanning both the and the . His academic achievements laid the foundation for a distinguished career in law, broadcasting, and public engagement.

The success of Rob and Rylan鈥檚 Grand Tour has seen it renewed for a second series, where the duo will travel to India and retrace the steps of Rob鈥檚 favourite author E.M. Forster.

We are proud to celebrate this achievement and to count Rob among our inspiring alumni.

Moonraking Festival Committee Member and Project Organiser, Sky Burton-Smith says:

Slaithwaite (called 鈥淪lawit鈥� by locals) is a semi-rural Pennine village in the Colne Valley, West Yorkshire, with a rich history dating back to the Romans and Anglo-Saxons. The Industrial Revolution鈥檚 canals and railways brought mills, industry and textile workers. 

Today it retains historic industrial buildings, including mills, churches, and stone cottages. The Huddersfield Narrow Canal remains a central feature, with scenic walking routes attracting tourists. The local economy has diversified, with independent shops, cafes and small businesses. The village is now a thriving community with traditions of creativity, ethical cooperatives and the handmade. We will tell this story of change in the project.

The 17-month programme focuses on participatory community heritage activities, researching, archiving, interpreting and celebrating local histories. It marks two significant anniversaries: 40 years of Slaithwaite Moonraking Festival in February 2025 (an extraordinary community light-festival based on a local legend) and 100 years of Slaithwaite鈥檚 Carr Lane central parade of shops. These anniversaries will bring people together, with shops and shopping as a theme for the programme exploring changing social and economic history. 

The project aims to conserve and revitalise Slawit鈥檚 heritage through multi-generational learning activities, developing skills and increasing capacity to sustain heritage of local traditions and stories.

Slaithwaite Moonraking Festival was established in 1985 by Satellite Arts with Slaithwaite Community Association. It was run by Satellite Arts鈥� Gill Bond until 2023, and is now sustained by a dynamic committee of local residents and artists. The biennial festival retells a humorous legend of quick-thinking smugglers, illicit barrels of moonshine, the canal and outwitting authorities. It is renowned for its parade of candle-lit willow and paper lanterns, and the 鈥渞aking out鈥� of a giant moon from the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Previous Moonraking Festival themes have included circus, forest, pantomime, mythical beasts, and space exploration - with shops this year鈥檚 festival theme.

The Carr Lane Parade of shops is in the centre of the village opposite the canal. They were built in 1925 in an art deco style by entrepreneur John Jagger after the council had demolished previous buildings to widen the road. This element of the project focuses on the story of the eight units in the centre and memories of a century of shopping.

The intangible cultural heritage is uplifted through a combined approach of uncovering cultural and commercial heritage together, exploring oral histories, accents and dialogue, and ephemera and memories. Plus, celebrating the folk traditions and craft skills of the incredible Moonraking Festival.

Jenna first met the Moonraking Festival Committee during research in the Colne Valley for the project, Creative Adaptive Solutions for Treescapes of Rivers (CASTOR). She says:

To find out more about the project and its activities, visit the .

On 29 April 2025, and the hosted a compelling in-conversation event featuring Professor (Harvard University) and Professor (University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料), at the Alliance 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Business School.  

The afternoon began with a welcome address from Professor , Vice Dean for Research in the Faculty of Humanities, who introduced the speakers and highlighted the significance of the discussion in today鈥檚 political climate. 

In a wide-ranging dialogue, Professors Lamont and Younge explored the politics of recognition and multiculturalism in the context of Trump鈥檚 second presidency, drawing comparisons between the US and UK. Their conversation focused on the experiences of working-class communities and racialised groups, and the cultural shifts occurring amid political backlash.

Professor Lamont, currently a Leverhulme Visiting Professor at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, shared insights from her new book project, which investigates recognition claims across different social contexts. Her reflections were enriched by her interdisciplinary work in sociology, African and African American studies, and European studies at Harvard. 

Professor Younge, known for his incisive journalism and sociological commentary, brought a sharp lens to the discussion, highlighting the role of media, memory, and political backlash in shaping public discourse around identity and belonging. 

The event concluded with a lively audience Q&A and a drinks reception, offering attendees the opportunity to continue the conversation informally. 

This event was part of Professor Lamont鈥檚 Visiting Professorship, hosted by Professor Andrew Miles and the Department of Sociology.  

was delighted to host the inaugural event in a new series examining the critical role of arts centres across the UK and Ireland, in at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 on 29 April. 

Led by Honorary Research Fellow Dave Moutrey in partnership with , the event brought together cultural leaders, researchers, and policymakers to explore the funding landscape and future potential of these vital community institutions.

Arts centres have long served as dynamic spaces for creativity, inclusion, and local engagement. Often operating outside the spotlight of larger cultural venues, they have nonetheless played a transformative role in shaping artistic practice and fostering social cohesion. Their significance was particularly evident during the Covid-19 pandemic, when their adaptability and deep community roots proved essential.

The event commenced with a networking lunch, followed by a presentation of new research by Ray Morrison, Research Associate to Dave Moutrey. Morrison鈥檚 analysis of Arts Council England (ACE) funding data offered a detailed view of how arts centres are resourced and the implications of current funding models.

A panel discussion followed, featuring Gavin Barlow of Future Arts Centres and Dr Jennifer Cleary of Arts Council England. The panel engaged in a robust dialogue on the findings, considering how funding structures influence the sustainability and reach of arts centres, and what strategic changes might be necessary to support their continued evolution.

This event marks the beginning of a wider programme of research and public engagement led by Moutrey during his fellowship. With the support of Future Arts Centres, the series will continue to investigate the development, impact, and future trajectory of arts centres, particularly in the context of ongoing political, social, and economic challenges.

Kenneth delivered a well-received session titled "Ethical AI in Information Governance: Shaping the Future of Information Management." His presentation focused on the growing importance of ethical considerations in the deployment of AI technologies within the field of information governance. 

He addressed key concerns such as transparency, accountability, and compliance, as well as strategies for ensuring that AI tools are implemented responsibly to enhance efficiency, decision-making, and organisational effectiveness.

During the session, Kenneth also explored current and emerging AI regulatory frameworks from the EU, the US, and other regions, offering practical guidance on mitigating risks related to bias, data privacy, and data integrity. 

The session sparked meaningful dialogue among attendees and emphasised the importance of maintaining human-centred values as we continue integrating AI into complex information ecosystems.

Reflecting on the event, Kenneth said:

This engagement not only highlights Kenneth鈥檚 emerging leadership in the evolving discourse around responsible AI in Information Governance and Compliance but also showcases our university鈥檚 commitment to contributing to cutting-edge developments in digital transformation and ethical innovation.

We congratulate Kenneth on this achievement and look forward to seeing the continued impact of his work on the future of ethical information governance.