UCA Summer Research Festival

Monday 15 June 12:00-13:00 | Online

Led by Professor Jane Pavitt.

This is the kick-off to our Festival programme! It will include a panel discussion celebrating the diversity and distinctiveness of UCA Research.

Open to all, this event is online, please sign up here.

Monday 15 June 13:30-17:00 | Online

External Workshop: 25 places, booking essential.

Led by the Young Foundation, this session will explore the principles and practice of participatory and community engaged research. This is a further session in the Young Foundation’s excellent training series for UCA. You do not need to have attended a prior session to book for this.

Open to all, this external workshop will be held online. Please register here.

Tuesday 16 June 10:00-13:00 | In person

PhD only, booking essential.

Led by Dr Stephen Knott, Director of the Crafts Study Centre.

Join us at the Crafts Study Centre to talk craft, what is it, and why does it make for such a compelling subject for research?

UCA has a strong track record in craft PhDs, with a particular focus on practice-based methods. The seminar will provide an opportunity for PhD students exploring craft to discuss a key craft theorist and practitioner - David Pye, as well as a chance to share their own research approaches.

The seminar will be led by Dr Stephen Knott, and there will be a small amount of reading and reflections to be engaged with before the session.

Open to PhD students, this event is in person at Farnham's Crafts Study Centre, please register here.

Tuesday 16 June 15:00-16:00 | Online 

More information coming soon - watch this space!

Wednesday 17 June 10:00-16:00 | In person

Led by Dr Caroline Molloy and Professor Nigel Ward.

Open to all, this event is in person, please register here.

10:00 -10:05 Introduction

10:05-10:20 Professor Sophy Smith – Executive Dean

10:20-11:30: Panel 1 Innovation in Gaming

Andy Bossom will discuss his current research that thinks through interactive gaming (more will be revealed ….)

Expanded Animation: Routes to Publication

In this presentation, Professor Birgitta Hosea will discuss her latest publication for Palgrave Macmillan. This book did not come out of the blue, but is rather the product of research networks and extensive previous activities. She will outline the journey of ideas that culminated in the Expanded Animation anthology from blog to conference presentation and organisation through to academic publication. 

11.50-12.20 Panel 2 Circularity, cricket gear and clothing

Professor Martin Charter & Dr Lilian Sanchez-Moreno

Cricket is the worlds 2^nd largest sport and is highly gear intensive producing significant waste. The presentation will discuss the findings and conclusions from multiple R&D projects completed on sustainability, cricket and clothing related to the PASIC. This includes live projects on circular design with Decathlon Cricket India and on place-based circularity with Spencer Cricket Club and other stakeholders in Wandsworth.

 12.20-12.45 Putting Ourselves in the Picture

Professor Anna Fox will introduce Fast Forward: Women in Photography and discuss the development and making of the AHRC project Putting Ourselves in the Picture

12.45-1 Panel discussion 

 1:00-2:15 Lunch & viewing of PhD research posters RG10

PM

2:15-2.30 Professor Jane Pavitt, Director of RKEI 

Just what is it that makes research at UCA so distinctive, so appealing?  

2:30-3:50 Panel 3

Laughter and tears: the joys and challenges of working with creative practitioners

On this panel our two speakers will share some of the challenges and successes of working with artists in the age of austerity, including the creativity and innovation this engenders.

Ali Clarke Programme Manager Surrey Hills Arts

Ali will discuss her role as Surrey Hills Arts programme supports residencies, projects and events in the Surrey Hills National Landscape. In her presentation she will discuss some of her recent projects.

Vickie Fear Public Arts Officer – Eastleigh Borough Council

Vickie works collaboratively with communities, commissions projects ranging from permanent sculptural pieces to murals, seating, audio and performance.

3.50-4:00 Closing Comments 

External Speakers’ biographies

Ali Clarke has worked in Surrey since 2000 initiating and delivering projects specific to the landscape. Often responding to the history or geology of a site, Ali works closely with the artist and land owner in developing a project. Her current Surrey Hills Arts programme supports residencies, projects and events in the Surrey Hills National Landscape. In her presentation she will discuss some of her recent projects.

Vickie Fear has been working with artists for over 15 years as both a curator and producer, including as Curator at Aspex Portsmouth prior to her current role at Eastleigh. She is currently co-supervising a PhD in socially-engaged practice with Winchester School of Art and John Hansard Gallery at the University of Southampton, and is on the Advisory Board for The Point, Eastleigh.

 Open to all, this event is in person, please register here.

This is an all-day conference; booking essential.

Thursday 18 June 10:00-13:00 | Online (max. 20 participants)

Led by Elly Clarke.

A 2-hour artist statement writing workshop with artist, researcher and educator Dr. Elly Clarke. Through collective and independent writing exercises, we will unlock new, creative approaches to writing about your work for websites, grant applications and so on - but also as a means of exploring and (re)encountering your working processes in new ways.

The workshop is both collaborative and participatory, with all attendees strongly encouraged to join in with the collective editing of others' work.  

Bring a 250-300 word artist statement you already have, to work on. Sharing your statement with the group is encouraged, but not compulsory.

The workshop will include one hour of integrated ‘Shut Up & Write’ time, creating a shared space for you work on your artist statement, incorporating what you've learnt within the session.

Open to all, this event is online. Booking is essential, with a maximum of 20 places. Please register here.

Thursday 18 June 15:00-16:00 | In person

Professor Jane Pavitt

Want to understand more about the REF? This session will look at how you can develop research outputs for REF 2029. With a specific focus on REF criteria and how to create practice-research outputs and their supporting documentation (portfolios), this session is essential for those new to research/REF and for those currently engaged in output preparation.

Open to all staff, this event will be held in person in Farnham (room Y24).  Please register here.

Booking essential.

Friday 19 June 10:00-17:00 | In person

Led by Dr Ewan Kirkland and Gavin Lewis

This one-day event explores the historical, creative, and technical connections between animation and digital games.

This conference seeks to explore the neglected relationship between these art forms, media industries, and branches of popular entertainment.

It will bring together critical perspectives incorporating videogame consoles, computer games, mobile apps, animation, cartoons, illustrations, and comics.

See the conference website for further details.

Monday 22 June 10:00-17:00 | In person

Led by Ezinma Mbeledogu.

Showcasing the amazing work being carried out by UCA’s Early Career Researcher Network, the summer symposium creates space for ECRs to share their ideas, and collaborate with fellow researchers in a creative and inspiring environment.

Open to all, this event will take place in person, at the Wells Building in Epsom. Please register here  to let us know you're coming.

Tuesday 23 June 14:00-15:00 | Online (staff only)

Led by Professor Jane Pavitt.

Want to understand more about the REF? This session will look at how you can develop research outputs for REF 2029. With a specific focus on REF criteria and how to create practice-research outputs and their supporting documentation (portfolios), this session is essential for those new to research/REF and for those currently engaged in output preparation.

Open to all staff, this event is online, please register here.

Booking essential.

Wednesday 24 June 10:00-13:00 | Online (max. 20 participants)

Led by Elly Clarke.

A follow-on workshop focusing on writing about key works or projects. Includes one hour of ‘Shut Up & Write’ time integrated into the session. Designed as a follow up to Elly Clarke's Artist Statement Writing workshop, this session focusses on writing about key works or projects as a means of better understanding your practice.

Think about 3 key works to focus on in this session. Please have images of these works available to share with others.
The workshop is collaborative and participatory, with all participants strongly encouraged to feed in and feed back to works being discussed and described. The session will NOT be recorded.

Open to all, this event is online, please register here.

Max 20 places, booking essential.

Thursday 25 June 10:00-11:30 | Online

Led by Dr Abby Whittall.

This amazing session focuses on overcoming common ‘blocks’ in the research journey when writing and creating.

It will consider causes, such as encountering problems within the research or overcoming perfectionism, and take participants through a range of exercises to work through such problems.

Participants should bring an idea of what they want to work on, have access to pen and paper as well as a laptop, and be prepared for discussion and interaction.

This session is primarily intended for research degrees students, but could be useful for any colleagues working on a research project. This event will be held online, please register here.

Booking essential.

Thursday 25 June 14:00-17:00 | In person

Led by Ben Minchell.

Join us for an inspiring afternoon of Publication Talks and a Creative Publishing Workshop at our Epsom Campus, designed for PhD researchers, early career academics and established scholars interested in developing their publishing futures. In a rapidly changing publishing landscape, the event explores how ideas become influential books, journals and lasting scholarly contributions, and how publishing shapes disciplines, cultural debate and research impact.

Hear from distinguished scholars Pamela Church Gibson and Professor Dominic Janes as they reflect on their experiences as authors, editors and international academics, sharing insights into writing, journal development and building enduring intellectual careers. Representatives from Intellect Books will offer practical guidance on publishing proposals, what publishers seek, and how emerging ideas become impactful publications.

The afternoon concludes with an interactive workshop where participants can develop publication ideas, test concepts, receive feedback and explore possibilities for monographs, articles, edited collections and new publishing projects.

Combining practical advice, creative exchange and networking opportunities with publishers and peers, this event offers fresh inspiration, valuable connections and new perspectives on turning research into meaningful and influential publications.

 Open to all, this event is in person, please register here.

Booking essential.

Friday 26 June 14:00-16:00 | Online

Led by Professor Victoria Kelley.

Want to hear about an innovative UCA Research project? Join us for a conversation about Stall Tales: London's Street Markets - Past, Present Future.

Stall Tales is a research project about celebrating and making visible the history of the street markets of London. This session will see Victoria Kelley talking in conversation about her experiences of community engaged research.

Open to all, this event is online, please register here.

Booking essential.

Friday 26 June 10:30-12:30 | Online

Led by Dr Stephen Connolly.

• Grace Brennan: Craft animation and subcultural image making in drum and bass, and jungle visual culture.
• Dani Ruiz Bustos: Designing from the distance: Creating the world for Emiliana, a revolutionary cabaret.
• Colin Cheung: AI and the authentic and in-authentic in video.
• Dr Stephen Connolly: Negotiating the context – overview of recent projects in Fujian.
• Karim Decaneva: Displaced into the Unknown: Textual Accounts of the Unbearable.
• Lucia Hubinska: Critical Propaganda and Communication Research.
• Dr Gareth Jones: Pedagogies in Common: a cross-institution teaching & learning forum.
• Carlo Korinsky: Living under armed drones.
• Ana Luisa Menezes: StudioLab.
• Kimvi Nguyen: Responding in real-time: How performance art behaves with its environment.
• Dr Niloofar Amini: Studio Notes - an Academic Journal.
• Dr Emit Snake-Beings: Techno animist materials made without conscious effort.
• Dr David Strang: Noise Chaos Randomness Chance Resonance.
• Ben Thompson: Occult-Continuum: Cartographies and Hypersigil.
• Zihong Yue: Fatty Pot Rural Re-Generation.
• Dr Laura Yuile: Artist–Researcher examining spatial politics, digital infrastructures, housing & everyday technologies.

Booking is essential, please register here. 

Led by Professor Cat Rossi.

Monday 29 June 13:00-17:00 | In person, Herbert Reed Gallery

Harvest Gathering: Installation and inaugural event based on the HARVEST MOON research project led by Professors Charles Holland and Cat Rossi. The event will explore the question of what we gather, harvest and give thanks for today.

Open to all, booking is essential. Please register here.

Tuesday 30 June 9:00-10:00 | In person, Herbert Read Gallery

Come along each morning for an email-free hour of writing / reading / thinking / making.

Open to all, this is a drop-in session.

Tuesday 30 June 10:00-13:00 | In person, Herbert Read Gallery

Part of AROUND HERE, join us for a talk and workshop by an external expert in the realm of working with local communities in their research. Our external speaker will be announced soon - watch this space!

Open to all, booking is essential. Please register here.

Tuesday 30 June 15:00-17:00 | Online

Led by Elly Clarke.

What stories can objects inspire?

What stories do they carry?

Which people do they remind you of, or moments in your life.

Or desires, dreams, wishes?

In this online workshop we will playfully and collectively Conjure Up An Exhibition with objects or artworks brought from participants' homes / studios / workplaces. Through individual and collective writing, (non-scary) role play and discussion, we will explore the stories these objects might tell – alone, and in dialogue with others. We will imagine the objects in different (dis)guises: the art object, the archival fragment, the historical artefact, the evidence, and other outfits that may emerge out of this gathering.

The conjuring takes place on a shared document without revealing whose objects are whose. The workshop will culminate in a collective performance-slash-read-through of the objects, augmented by images created during the session, and a one-night exhibition of the objects. The final performance/presentation may be recorded, or live-streamed, shared only with those physically present - depending on how participants feel.

Inspired by Elly Clarke’s drag work they have been doing for the last 15 years, Conjuring Up An Exhibition should be both fun and funny, and, as with all drag, offers a break from speaking as ourselves for a moment, as well as making space for new and alternative forms of writing.

It is suitable for anyone interested in writing, in dialogue, in collaboration, in art and its interpretation, in seeing what happens if...

Please bring images of 1-3 objects from your home or studio or as found on the street, which you wish to bring into this collaboratively dragged together exhibition.

 Open to all, this event is online, please register here.

Max 20 places, booking essential.

Thursday 18 June 09:30-18:00 | In person FARNHAM

This student-led conference provides an excellent opportunity to build on professional academic skills including, receiving feedback, and working through new research concepts among peers. The conference also provides an excellent opportunity to network, socialise and share your insights.

We want to engage in the wider research community at UCA and hope you will join us. In our current political climate, and with the precarity of higher education, getting together and sharing our creative research is a radical act that should be celebrated!  

The event will feature a range of presentations and discussions led by postgraduate researchers exploring creative practices and critical perspectives. We have welcomed presentations from the diverse range of research from our PhD student, showcasing the exciting work happening across all disciplines and all UCA campuses.

Sign up here

Wednesday 1 July 9:00-10:00 | In person, Herbert Read Gallery

Come along each morning for an email-free hour of writing / reading / thinking / making.

Open to all, this is a drop-in session.

Thursday 2 July 9:00-10:00 | In person, Herbert Read Gallery

Come along each morning for an email-free hour of writing / reading / thinking / making.

Open to all, this is a drop-in session.

Thursday 2 July 10:00-13:00 | In person, Herbert Read Gallery

Led by Dr Sara Andersdotter

Designed to support UCA's Mid-Career Researchers, this session will create space for participants to share their research, talk through challenges, and roadmap next steps. 

The session will also include an exciting external speaker on theme of 'bringing your research into teaching'. 

Open to staff only, booking is essential. Please register here to attend in person and here to join online.

Thursday 2 July 14:00-17:00 | In person, Herbert Read Gallery

Part of AROUND HERE. Would you like some supportive feedback on a research
project? Sign up for crit club – an opportunity to pin up and make a short presentation of your work, receive feedback from a dedicated respondent, and engage in broader discussion with those present. This will be a fantastic chance to display, share and talk through your research ideas and woes with others.

Research at all stages welcome.

Booking is essential - you can sign up as either a Presenter or a Respondent. More details will be provided on sign up. Please register here.