Professor Andrew Prescott, Theme Leader Fellow

AHRC Digital Transformations Strategic Theme

Digital Transformations Theme

• How can we use the digital resources and tools now at our command to change the way in which we undertake research in the arts and humanities?

• What happens to our scholarly alignments, assumptions and roles when we start to use new digital resources and methods?

• How can we encourage new alliances in the arts and humanities: more cross-disciplinary working, new conversations, greater risk-taking, more imagination

• What is rolling down the hill towards us? What next, and how can we help drive that forward?

Digital Transformations Theme: Characteristics

• Pluralistic: no one approach or solution; encouraging experimentation

• The aim is to produce exciting research which is inspiring and transformative – not primarily concerned with infrastructure, standards, integrated tools, etc.

• Projects creating strong links between the arts and humanities, and also seeking out new cross-disciplinary alliances and forms of collaboration

• Wow factor: but how do we link that to high-quality research?

• Developing links with other themes (Translating Cultures; Science in Culture; Care for the Future)

Activities to Date• Initial research networks e.g.

– Data – Asset – Method: Harnessing the Infinite Archive at University of Nottingham http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/humanities/digital/dam.aspx

– Transforming Artists’ Books at The Tate: http://www.tate.org.uk/about/projects/transforming-artist-books

• Exploratory grants, e.g.– Ian Gwilt (Sheffield Hallam University) Enhancing the understanding of statistical data through

the creation of physical objects: http://www.shu.ac.uk/research/c3ri/projects/data-objects – David Gauntlett (University of Westminster) Community Powered Transformations: a research ‐

network exploring digital transformations in the creative relationships between cultural and media organisations and their users: http://www.digitaltransformations.org.uk/

– Tom Cheesman (Swansea University) Version, Variation, Visualisation: Multi-lingual crowd-sourcing of Shakespeare’s Othello: http://www.delightedbeauty.org/

– Bronwen Thomas and Julia Round (Bournemouth University) Researching Readers Online: http://www.researchingreadersonline.com/

• Large grants call

Further possibilities of mash-ups and visualisations

Other inspirations: http://www.data-art.net/ http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/interactive/index.html

http://spatialanalysis.co.uk/category/london/

(Take a look also at: http://mtchl.net/cex/)

Possible Future Activities

• Another round of exploratory grants• Calls relating to big data in the arts and

humanities• Possible round of larger grants (but maybe not as

big as the first call)• Further events showcasing the research being

undertaken as part of the theme • Other events and activities organised with theme

fellow

Role of Theme Fellow• Not programme director: providing scholarly input to enhance

transformative quality of work funded under theme• Building links between projects and encouraging synergy between

them• Ensuring wider academic and public awareness of work undertaken

in theme• Building links with other themes and theme fellows• Organising seminars, workshops and other events which will help

achieve aspirations of theme• Developing online presence of theme• http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/News-and-Events/Watch-and-Listen/

Pages/AHRC-Digital-Transformations-Podcast.aspx

Not a Programme or a Project but a Partnership

• A number of partners in developing theme• Theme Advisory Group• Theme Fellow• AHRC team• Previous and existing grant holders• One of the outcomes of the theme should be an active

and well-integrated community whose continuing work will reflect the vision of the theme