Beyond the Campus research network at the AHRC Creative Economy Showcase
11 Mar 2014
The findings of a research network looking at collaborations and partnerships between universities and the creative sector will be showcased using a specially commissioned film, graphic illustration and results of an online debate at a national research dissemination event.
Researchers and creative practitioners working with the AHRC-funded network 'Beyond the Campus: Connecting Knowledge and Creative Practice Communities Across Higher Education and the Creative Economy' will be presenting at the AHRC Creative Economy Showcase event on 12 March at King’s Place, central London.
Led by Dr. Roberta Comunian (Kings College) and Dr. Abigail Gilmore (Manchester) the network has been exploring collaborative partnerships and relationships between Higher Education and the Creative Economy in the UK and internationally, and what policy makers, funders, local agencies and other stakeholders within the sectors think of them.
At the Showcase, the network will present the case studies, findings and debates identified during network activities in a number of ways. At the centre, is the launch of an animated film, A Love Story, by visual artist Alys Scott-Hawkins, which tells the tale of two protagonists in an academic and creative partnership - Claudio and Hedda - and their trials, tribulations and successes. The film explores the main themes of the network through the narrative of love, romance and relationships.
Abigail said: "This project was not just about presenting the Beyond the Campus research in different ways by using animated film - it allowed us to consider the different things that matter in the collaborative process, to both creatives and academics (and the institutions they work with), and discuss ways of making the process smoother and more productive.
"Work between the creative sector and universities isn't simply a case of getting the technicalities right: we also had to take into account different timetables and systems, as well as the different values we each bring to the creative process."
Still from 'A Love Story' - Alys Scott-Hawkins
The outcomes of a tweetchat themed around on the relationships between higher education and the creative economy, which took place on Valentine's Day, will be presented as concept visualisation and illustration produced by data illustrator Robin Schneider. Hosted by Claudio and Hedda (the two stars of the film), the tweetchat generated hundreds of tweets from targeted audiences.
The film and social media campaign proposes that the relationship between higher education and the creative economy is rather more human, both intellectual and emotional, than simply being a technical matter of knowledge transfer or exchange. Both of these creative elements have been commissioned specially for the AHRC Showcase and are themselves the product of collaborations between creatives and academics.
A breakout session at the Showcase will involve showcasing A Love Story and data visualisation from the tweetchat as the basis of an interactive workshop with delegates. It will further examine the emotional, intellectual and affective aspects of these relationships by hosting a conversation between the practitioners involved in the project, leading to a wider discussion on the priorities and pitfalls of collaborative work.
The outcomes of this breakout session will be written up in a summary report for the research network website and contribute to existing research findings.