The Festival UK* 2022 programme will give 30 teams from across the UK £100,000 each to develop new R&D projects for commission to demonstrate the UK's innovation capacity.
The Festival UK* 2022 project aims to promote R&D collaboration across the UK and is open to companies in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Collaborators have been requested to apply from across the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics to form new creative teams that will work on major public engagement projects.
Up to 30 teams will be selected from the applicants, with each receiving up to £100,000 to participate in the R&D programme, with the goal of coming up with ambitious new project ideas that have the potential to reach millions of people. Teams that sign up aren't required to already have ideas for projects, but rather to demonstrate that they have the skills required.
The teams will then have over two months to develop their R&D projects from mid-November to the end of January, and will then make presentations on the projects throughout Februrary. A total of 10 of the projects will be commissioned, with £120m of new funding allocated to the festival.
It's hoped that the festival will create opportunities for jobs within sectors that have been significantly impacted by COVID-19. For more information or to apply with your creative team, head over to https://www.festival2022.uk/
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden commented on the scheme: "We’re looking for the finest creative minds to help show the world what is possible when England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland come together and champion all that is great about our United Kingdom. The winning applicants will receive £3 million to turn their ideas into spectacular, unforgettable realities."
Martin Green, Chief Creative Officer for Festival UK* 2022, commented: "To create work that is ground-breaking and compelling we are investing in idea creation through this R&D phase. It’s a fantastic opportunity to work with colleagues from different creative fields. A chance to discover new collaborators and celebrate under-represented talents. The aim is a national celebration of all our creativity. An unprecedented demonstration of the crucial, magical role that creativity can play to make life better."
Source: Written based on press release
