Forming part of an Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded £7.2 million, five-year cluster programme between Birmingham City University (BCU), University of Birmingham, Coventry University, University of Warwick and the Royal Shakespeare Company, the initiative has a funding pot of £250,000.
Professor Lamberto Coccioli, Director of CreaTech Frontiers at BCU said: “These initial grants will give freelancers and small companies access to capital and to the research expertise and resources of CreaTech Frontiers to bring to life their most innovative ideas. It’s not just about developing new technologies, it’s about creating opportunities for companies to think about how they can have a cultural and social impact of the region.”
It is the first time the UK Research and Innovation’s creative industries cluster funding has been offered to the West Midlands and the project aims to develop the creative potential of the region through supporting research, innovation and skills development within local creative industries.
In addition to the £250,000 initial funding that is on offer, plans for a second round of larger grants have been made for later in the year, as well as a collaboration with the Birmingham Opera Company, demonstrations with the Royal Shakespeare Company and a new apprenticeship working group.
Recipients of the funding will not only gain financial backing, but also access to the facilities and academic expertise of the five partner institutions to aid their research and development efforts.
The focus areas for projects include, immersive experiences, live performance, gaming, enabling technologies, visual arts, as well as research into creative technologies.
Applications open from Monday 2nd June 2025.