Home of innovation, research & enterprise

Professor Pullinger is a writer: her 2009 novel The Mistress of Nothing won Canada’s Governor General’s Award for Fiction, and her smartphone story, Breathe, was shortlisted for the 2018 New Media Writing Prize. At Bath Spa University, she is the Director of CCCI – the Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries – one of the university’s strategic research centres. She is the university lead on the Bristol and Bath Creative R+D partnership which is supporting creative technology R+D through funding fellowships and prototypes; and the screen industries Strength in Places research project, MyWorld. Kate has also received the 2021 Electronic Literature Organisation (ELO) Marjorie C. Luesebrink Career Achievement Award.

Professor Pullinger is the academic lead on The Studio and has overseen its development from the start. Kate sees The Studio as key to developing the creative technology ecosystem in Bath, connecting us with each other as well as the rest of the world.

Caroline Anstey has been with Bath Spa University for over a year, working on a variety of projects including, Creative Producer for The Studio working closely with Studio Residents, the AHRC-funded Bristol + Bath Creative R+D programme as well producer for artist in residence, Abigail Hunt.

With over 25 years experience of working in TV broadcasting and production, both in the UK and internationally, Caroline brings a wealth of experience and networks to the Studio. She will help grow new partnerships and build on The Studio’s strong foundations, supporting growth of the sector in the region and beyond.

To enquiry about becoming a Studio Resident, or for any other information, please email Caroline on thestudio@bathspa.ac.uk or call +44 (0)1225 876 785.

Having worked in university administration in and around Bath and Bristol for around 20 years, Louise Chapman now finds herself in The Studio as part of Bath Spa University’s Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries where she works on a range of projects including MyWorld, Bristol+Bath Creative R+D and House of Imagination.

Louise deals with all sorts of project management tasks for the University and for The Studio, from keeping track of finances and contracts to supporting events.

Naomi Smyth is an immersive theatre writer, director and performer with experience as an independent filmmaker and freelance videographer. She is responsible for researching, facilitating, training and the booking out of the immersive media kit owned by MyWorld and The Studio, and supporting projects that use it.

Naomi helps Residents learn how to use immersive media in their work.

Rachel Pownall is Bath Spa University’s Innovation Manager for MyWorld, a five year UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Strength in Places (SIPF) funded programme to turn the South West into an international trailblazer in screen-based media. She was previously Knowledge Exchange (KE) Manager on the South West Creative Technology Network (SWCTN) that promoted the use of creative technology across the South West. Rachel’s background is in documentary filmmaking and outside of her role on MyWorld she is currently scripting and developing a variety of creative projects from podcasts to immersive theatre, particularly looking at how creative technology can broaden and enhance the live theatrical experience.

Stacey Pottinger is investigating the feasibility of Counting House – a radical new approach to financial support for the arts and culture sector in the city region; and is developing a model for evaluating the impact The Studio has within the city.

Stacey has worked in arts and community development for over 9 years and prior to that she worked in advertising, marketing and business development in the engineering and environmental science sector.

She also runs the Social Art Network B&NEs and is a poet, a filmmaker and a curator.

Nik Rawlings is a singer, sound artist and composer. With a background in choral singing, queer club music and sonic arts, their work addresses the voice’s relationship with technology, queer embodiment and collectivity through spatial sound performances and system design.

Nik received Bristol+Bath Creative R+D’s Expanded Performance Prototype grant, and led the project ‘breathing.systems’ which developed a wireless & wearable multichannel sound system. Most recently Nik was a Down The Wire Live resident with exhibitions in Glasgow and Egypt. They teach spatial sound composition at UWE, and won an Arts Council England DYCP grant to open an immersive studio in Bristol. Nik has shown performance work and DJ’s across Europe and the UK, with shows on NTS and Noods Radio.

Nik will help Residents and business partners to develop projects through grant applications, business development, networking and events, as well as working with university colleagues to engage students in Resident activities and internship opportunities.

Nigel is the founder of POLYMATHIC, a creative technology agency dedicated to empowering individuals, teams, and organisations to understand and leverage emerging and future technologies. His marketing approach is predominantly informed by his fascination with the unique stories, interactions, and experiences found in interesting spaces, and how best to authentically share them.

In his own artworks, Nigel (released under the moniker datarav3) utilises creative programming to craft fine art and immersive generative abstractions imbued with nostalgic surreal qualities. Grounded in themes such as spectacle, environmental concern, technology ethics, nostalgic technologies, and criticisms of capitalist technocracy, his body of work draws inspiration from a diverse range of critical areas.

Nigel heads up the marketing department at The Studio, sharing news about resident successes, funding opportunities, Studio events, and news from the local creative tech community.