Studio Innovation Fund creative tech supporting social causes

The Studio Innovation Fund
Awarded Projects in 2026

PLAY AND SEE
‘To develop a portable, hospital-safe version of Play and See, an interactive piano and live-visuals installation offering opportunities for creative expression and wellbeing for children in hospital.’
Charlie Hooper-Williams – Studio Resident
Francesca Simpkis – Royal United Hospital (RUH), Bath

GLITTER HEART IMMERSIVE LABS
‘A practice-based, tech-led sector support pilot for older female, trans&NB artists in BANES, exploring immersive media through autobiographical live art, and providing CPD, networks and resources.’
Naomi Smyth – Studio Resident
Liz Clarke – Liz Clarke & Company

SECOND CHANCE
‘To develop a multisensory social XR piece Second Chance, exploring loss, memory and connection for participants, inside and outside of VR. We’ll research death and grief, and co-design with local audiences.’
Eirini Lampiri – Studio Resident
Joseph Wilk – Studio Resident
Dr. Harry Wilson – University of Bristol

The Studio Innovation Fund
Awarded Projects in 2025

‘Immersive audiovisual content for staff and patient wellbeing in healthcare settings’
To promote wellbeing by developing an immersive experience that combines 360 narrative-based content, accompanied by 360 Dolby 5.2.4 classical music.
Emma Pauncefort – CRD Records Ltd.
Becky Bell – Video Producer, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust & Creative Director of Blue Light Creative
Darren Hart – Principal Clinical Scientist, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust & Ambassador to NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme

‘Using Data to Empower the Arts and Cultural Sector’
This project will explore the development of a prototype, data-driven platform that empowers Bath’s arts and cultural sector to better understand, advocate for, and strategically grow its impact.
Nigel Fryatt – POLYMATHIC
Jasmine Barker – Bath Arts Collective
Kate Abbey – Bath Arts Collective
Kate Hall – Bath Arts Collective

‘The Capitalism Escape Room’
The aim of the project is to create the first Capitalism Escape Room, an immersive, story-driven experience where teams work together to “escape” current economic systems before ecological collapse.
Stephen Hilton & James Martin – Slowmentum & City Global Futures
Kate Arthurs – freelancer and Bath Backpackers
Sunnie Martin – Hand in the Dark
Oliver Langdon – Kilter Theatre
Claudia Firth – University of Bristol & freelance

Listen to the SIF Podcast to find out more about each project:

Capitalism Escape Room | SIF Podcast
POLYMATHIC & Bath Arts Collective | SIF Podcast

The Studio Innovation Fund
Awarded Projects in 2024

The Un-Truths: Jack Stoddart, creative lead of Ramshacklicious, has partnered with Common Wealth Theatre, to empower people to access and create innovative, cutting edge visual, musical, and digital performance that supports alternative and unheard voices to be heard.

Waytego: James Levelle, filmmaker and adventurer, has partnered with web and brand designer, Joseph Lavington, to prototype a one-stop-shop web-tool to revolutionise volunteering. This project will explore building an interactive online map and use creative approaches to capture the stories and voices of grassroots groups, starting in the BANES area.

A Matter of Opportunity: Jenny Ford, founder of Materials in Mind has partnered with Nick James, Director of Sustainability at Futureground, to address the countless un(der)-used buildings in communities by exploring a new creative use of an increasingly common 3D space capture technology, to unlock increased social, environmental and economic value.

The Studio Innovation Fund
Awarded Projects in 2023

Deborah Beale worked with animated, motion sensitive puppet art/robots constructed from recyclable materials, to engage the wider community in Twerton for increased wellbeing and health support. Fran Chambers‘ project aimed to showcase and expand the use of technology, and specifically AI, in the creation of art, raising awareness and engagement with new audiences and participants. Lille Crabtree’s participatory music technology project sought to increase the engagement and wellbeing of young people at the Southside community centre, via the use of music with AI tools. The Egg Theatre’s project explored accessible creative technology in production design – such as digital puppetry, stage avatars and motion-capture – along with upskilling local disabled/neurodivergent associate artists. Antony Oxley’s sound art project worked to capture the ‘hidden’ sounds of Bath through community audio recordings of the electromagnetic field that’s all around us. Trigger Productions’ project aimed to raise awareness of the unethical patenting of botany and the indigenous communities affected through an outdoor performance piece with postable boxes and augmented reality.

Find out more about the 2023 projects, and watch our 2023 showcase video.

The Studio Recovery Fund
Awarded Projects in 2022

Nat Al-Tahhan developed Gimme Gargoyles, a browser game full of mini-games and activities that introduce the whole family to the idea of ethical use of NFTs. Emma Pauncefort, Phil D Hall, CRD Records and Elzware created a prototype of the world’s first classical music discovery assistant. Joseph Wilk used a custom built robotic drawing machine (pen plotter) to develop larger paint-based canvas work for exhibition and ran workshops, particularly for people with disabilities. Scarlett Mosnier expanded the reach, creative impact, and sustainability of Fringe Arts Bath by engaging with international curators and artists through innovative tech, and the development of a business plan. Silvia Carderelli-Gronau developed new user interfaces and approaches to support access to ‘Sonic Dancer’, a tool that uses movement and sound to enable connection in a virtual space for people that cannot rely on their vision or who are visually impaired. Dr Penny Hay and Dave Webb worked with Digital Wonderlab to prototype a ‘City of Imagination’ – an open source visual map of Bath’s creative ecology.

Find out more about the 2022 projects, and watch our 2022 showcase video.

The Studio Recovery Fund
Awarded Projects in 2021

Alyson Minkley and Dave Webb brought together artists, creative practitioners and scientists to explore how to create a virtual festival/club within the social distancing restrictions during the pandemic. Larkhall combined music and live algorithmic visuals in short concert performances that were live streamed through social media. Little Lost Robot researched and developed a ‘soft robot handbook’ and develop an affordable prototype posted kit, and series of accessible pre-recorded workshop video tutorials for primary aged children. Kilter Theatre developed an online Storyopathy, providing therapy through fiction. Silvia Carderelli-Gronau developed a sound-based framework called ‘Sonic Dancer’ that enables dancers to move and improvise with each other from different locations. Ximena Alarcon further developed her INTIMAL app, which reveals stories collected from Colombian migrant women living in Europe that change depending on the users direction of walking.

Find out more about the 2021 projects, and watch our 2021 showcase video.