Immersive arts

An opportunity to apply for a funded full-time PhD in the College of Arts, Technology and Environment, UWE Bristol.

Ref: 2425-JAN-CATE01

The expected start date of this studentship is 1 January 2025.

The closing date for applications is 16 September 2024.

We invite applications to undertake a three-year funded PhD, acting as a complementary track to the Immersive Arts programme of funding awarded to 200+ artists across the UK.

PhD proposals are invited that explore areas related to an element, or combination of elements drawn from the Immersive Arts research themes:

Artists and audience development

What appeal do immersive technologies hold for artists? What ambitions do artists have for these emerging forms? How do they evolve or diverge from existing artforms and ways of working? How do we design for diverse access requirements? What concerns artists about the impact of immersive artforms on the wider sector?

How might audiences for immersive experiences differ from traditional arts audiences? Who is missing and why? What do audiences report about the impact and meaning of immersive works? What are the barriers to reaching an audience? What opportunities can the hybridity of immersive mediums offer to diverse and dispersed audiences? What models of best practice can be identified from the programme’s artist-led case studies?

Infrastructure and ecosystem

What business models exist globally that support the development of immersive works? What are the dominant and emerging approaches to exhibition, distribution, touring and franchising artworks? What persistent issues and challenges obstruct a diverse and sustainable practitioner network? What are the gaps in the training and development ecosystem that can lead to the talent drain and innovator drop off described in the House of Lords report ‘At risk: our creative future’? What can this programme do to address these gaps? What else is needed, now, and next?

We are particularly interested in practice-led research, and would be interested in both traditional, research-based PhD proposals, and proposals that involve developing a standalone, creative body of work, complementing, or in critical dialogue with the Immersive Arts programme.

Candidates are invited to develop their own research question (related to one or both of the above research themes) and UWE Bristol will build a supervision team in response to the interests of the successful applicant. 

The PhD student can be based anywhere in the UK, with the option to situate the research in the stimulating interdisciplinary environment of the Pervasive Media Studio, the Immersive Arts Lead Hub in Bristol. The successful applicant will work in close collaboration with the Immersive Arts research team and our national network of production partners on this exciting programme of work.

The successful candidate is likely to be supervised by members of the Immersive Arts team at UWE Bristol, and will benefit from a range of support services that the university offers to our Doctoral Researchers, including professional skills and career development support.

We invite proposals for PhD study from home (UK) and international students.

For an informal discussion about the studentship, email Dr Tom Abba at tom.abba@uwe.ac.uk.

The studentship is available from 1 January 2025 for a period of three years, subject to satisfactory progress and includes a tax-exempt stipend, which is currently £19,237 (24/25 academic year) per annum.

In addition, full-time tuition fees will be covered for up to three years (Home or International).

Applicants must meet our minimum criteria.

A recognised English language qualification is required.

Please submit your application online. When prompted use the reference number 2425-JAN-CATE01.

Supporting documentation: You will need to upload your research proposal, all your degree certificates and transcripts and your proof of English language proficiency as attachments to your application, so please have these available when you complete the application form.

References: You will need to provide details of two referees as part of your application. At least one referee must be an academic referee from the institution that conferred your highest degree. Your referee will be asked for a reference at the time you submit your application, so please ensure that your nominated referees are willing and able to provide references within 14 days of your application being submitted.

The closing date for applications is 16 September 2024.

It is expected that interviews will take place in October 2024. If you have not heard from us by October, we thank you for your application but on this occasion you have not been successful.