CCW Accelerator for New Digital Practices in the Arts

We are really pleased to announce Digital Maker Collective Awarded 5k by the UAL Teaching and Learning Fund 2017-18 to Develop Tech Accelerator. This project fund will support the acceleration of new digital practices based on the findings from the up-coming Tate Exchange 'Arts Work of the Future' 6-11 March event, where we aim to build on our knowledge of new technologies within the arts/creative industries and create new collaborations and partnerships across the sector.

Project Summary:

Camberwell, Chelsea & Wimbledon (CCW) are located in the heart of a fast moving & rapidly growing UK digital economy, yet from the outside looking in how relevant is the digital sector & new technologies to our disciplines?

“Digital tech businesses are at the heart of the UK economy and are playing an important role in driving growth. Digital tech businesses are transforming the employment landscape, driving productivity, and reimagining traditional industries”[1]

Over the past two years CCW has worked hard to develop its profile in digital innovation and have subsequently experienced a welcome increase and growing interest from industry and sector in our specialist arts technology communities.

However, most of our work across the colleges has been focused on encouraging student participation, raising awareness and making new technologies and new digital practice more accessible. To the extent that we now have a large number of students and staff currently engaged in new digital practices, moving forward at varying levels, but mostly at a basic level.

The current model of learning for new digital practices at CCW includes student led, informal and peer supported communities of interest, which has proven very successful, although is understandably difficult to sustain long term and slow to progress.

The growth of interest and participation in new digital practices at CCW is encouraging, although it does mean we need to explore new models and strategies for supporting more advanced innovation, development and research in this area.

For this project, we aim to pilot new models for advancing Innovation, Incubation and Acceleration of New Digital Practices in the Arts.

• Build understanding and relationships with industry and the sector
• Accelerator specialist workshops and residencies for students & staff
• Develop a case study, sustainable model and plan for the college

Advancing New Digital Practices in the Arts.

Very few students and staff have the opportunity, time or place to undertake intensive research and development in New Digital Practices or engage with the Tech Industries.

This fourth industrial revolution is of a scale, speed and complexity that is unprecedented[1].

Industry insights & engagement (Innovation):

We will work with staff and students across CCW to build relationships with industry and the sector partners and share these experiences with others:

• Students will gain experience and insight into industry, sector and Tec Economy landscape.
• Explore & develop practice & research into Tech start-ups, crowd funding.
• Negotiate with industry partners knowledge exchange opportunities and experimentation and road testing of new technologies.
• Industry led workshops
• Explore tech industry internships (education & industry mix)
• Develop collaborative bids and funding opportunities.
• Explore Social Enterprise opportunities

New Digital Practices (Incubation and Acceleration):

Offer arts accelerator workshops and short residencies for students, in collaboration with industry partners to undertake and share (with UAL staff & students) advanced research & development in areas such as:

• Immersive Environments
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Big Data
• Creative Computing
• Robotics

College Case Study (Sustainability):

Develop a case study, sustainable model and plan from the pilot for the college to consider for future development and integration.

The project will generate new resources, cross college/course debate (hopefully create new space/s) and integration of technologies, digital learning practice and innovation. As well as a better understanding of the tech industries relationship to CCW arts practices and vision.

Project progress will be documented online and shared via social media. We will create a New Digital Practices & Innovation group where we will evaluate our direction and progress each term, and share with others.

Students involved in short residencies and/or workshop development will be required to document and evaluate their progress.

• Increased engagement with Industry
• Student & staff awareness of Tech Industries
• Generated new funding possibilities
• College support for the project by increased internal investment
• Clarity of tech industry processes and funding strategies 
• Introduce the tech industry and tech city cultures into CCW practice & curriculum
• New opportunities for students
• New resources
• New training and workshops for specialist digital learning
• Develop a new innovation spaces for this work within the colleges
• Students become experts and future teachers of specialist digital learning
• College has the capacity to apply for tech industry funding opportunities e.g Audience of the future, up to £33m*– Immersive technologies such as virtual, augmented and mixed reality are changing how we experience the world around us – from entertainment and art to shops and classrooms[1].