The £7 million Digital R&D Fund for the Arts is a partnership between the Arts Council, the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Nesta. It will support research and development projects that use digital technology to enhance audience reach and/or explore new business models for organisations with arts projects. The fund is open for application 2012-15, Organisations with arts projects, Technology providers and Researchers or research teams are invited to form collaborative relationships and make joint funding applications. For further information visit: http://www.artsdigitalrnd.org.uk/

1. Briefing Event
artsdigitalrnd.org.uk #artsdigital

2. What is it?
£7 Million partnership:
To support
collaboration
between:
With no more than £125K per project
(including research)
In order to generate knowledge that is
beneficial to the wider arts sector

3. What is it?
The Fund supports new digital projects that enhance:
• Audience reach
and/or
• Develops new business models
Within one of the Fund’s thematic areas:
UGC & social media; Digital distribution & exhibition;
mobile location & games; data & archive; Resources;
Education & learning

4. How does it work?
• Fund accepting applications over the next 2 years until
March 2014 (with another year to complete projects)
• Stage 1: Expression of interest
– once submitted you will find out in 7 weeks if successful
or not
• Stage 2: Final application
– 5 application periods – you will find out if successful at
EoI stage

5. Participating organisations
The Organisation with an Arts project:
• Has to be an organisation based in England
• With a project that is based in England
The Research team
• Based in the UK
• Must be working with or supported by a UK Higher Education Institution or
an AHRC recognised Independent Research Organisation
• Must be actively engaged in postdoctoral research and be of postdoctoral
standing
• Must have demonstrable research expertise in one or more of the Fund’s
thematic areas
The Technology partner
• Can be based anywhere in the world

6. Expression of Interest (EoI)
3 Different Expressions of Interest

7. Group A vs. Group B:
What’s the difference?
Group A – arts, tech and research already combined
• Organisations with arts projects working with technology
providers and researchers
• Pre-existing relationships with researchers
Group B – just arts and tech – need a research partner
• Organisations working with a technology provider but have
NOT yet identified a researcher.
• For organisations without a relationship with researchers
• EoI exactly the same except does not contain researcher
questions
No advantage given for applying to either A or B

8. Groups A&B: Application form
Group A
• Proposition
• Project research and learning/wider impact
• Collaboration
• Project delivery
• Research
Group B
• Proposition
• Project research and learning/wider impact
• Collaboration
• Project delivery

9. Group A&B: Eligibility Criteria
An organisation based in England
You must have an arts project located in England
working with digital technologies to:
• expand its audience reach and engagement and/or explore
new business models
Your proposal must include:
• Group A: a three way partnership arts, tech, research
• Group B: a two way partnership arts & tech
Your proposal must fall under one (or more) of the
Fund’s thematic areas
Your proposal must demonstrate clear benefit to the
public

10. Group A&B: Selection Criteria
Proposition:
• How innovative is the digital proposition insofar as it relates to
the Fund’s audience reach/engagement & new business model
objectives?
• How important is testing the digital proposition for the wider
arts sector?
Project research and learning/wider impact:
• What potential does the project have to deliver data/research
findings that are of relevance and value to the wider arts
sector?
• What potential does the project have to deliver new
products/services that can be shared and used by other arts
organisations?
• How will the project disseminate the knowledge (research, data
and learning) generated by the project?

11. Group A&B: Selection Criteria
Collaboration:
• Arts partner: does the organisation have a track record in the
arts and arts projects?
• Technology provider: does the organisation identified as the
technology provider have the relevant skills/track record to
deliver the work?
Collaboration just for Group A
• Does the researcher/team have a good track record of
research, especially in the subject area of the proposed
project?
• What is the researcher/team’s track record of collaborating
with arts organisations/technology organisations?

12. Group A&B: Selection Criteria
Project delivery:
• How well do the applicants demonstrate their ability to deliver
the project?
• What is their capacity to engage in the R&D?
• Do they have buy in from senior management/CEO?
Research: Just for Group A
• Does the proposed research methodology match the project
proposal?
• How will the research proposed benefit the arts sector more
widely?

13. Group C – Selection criteria
Research discipline
• Main areas of research expertise/interest
• Previous research relating to the fund’s thematic areas
Expertise and experience
• Previous experience of research collaborations with arts
organisations and/or technology providers
• Please briefly highlight what research methodology was
used
Research impact
• How would your involvement benefit the fund’s objectives
• Anticipated benefits to the wider arts sector to your
research/research discipline
• How would you support the dissemination and wider impact
of the fund's research outputs?
CV/Biography

14. Finding a Partner
Collaborative Workshop
• If successful at EoI stage Groups B&C are required to attend
one of a number of Collaborative Workshop to meet potential
partners on the project
Website
• Collaborative platform on R&D Fund website to help you find a
project partner
• Search by region, specialism, partner type

15. Final Application
Only those successful at EoI can apply
If you are successful at EoI stage, everyone:
• Has 12 months to submit an application or by 12noon on the
10th of March 2014
• Take time to develop the project – get the right people and
commitments in place
Group B&C:
• MUST work with partners that have already been successful
at EoI stage or the project will be invalid.
• Does not have to have been at the same workshop

16. Further Information
• Website: artsdigitalrnd.org.uk
• Contact: Angela Pugh
• Email: digital-rnd@nesta.org.uk
• Address: Nesta, 1 Plough Place, London EC4A
1DE