Impact

We are committed to the development of research with impact. We work with partners from business, industry, culture, and heritage, at the regional, national, and international level.

The University has been awarded an AHRC Impact Acceleration Account of £750,000 (April 2022-March 2027) to invest in impactful projects that draw on research in the Arts and Humanities.

Read about a selection of IAA-funded projects across our core themes: Creative Economy; Cultural Heritage; Policy; Equality, Diversity & Inclusion; AI & Digital Transformation; and Place-making & Community, including two major multi-partner collaborations: Sussex Retold, and Speaking Solidarity.

  • Class of '37: Making local history teaching in Bolton schools more engaging and interactive

    A black and white photo of schoolchildren outside their school in 1937 

    's public history project worked with ,    and several other Bolton schools to engage children in innovative co-created learning experiences. Her co-authored book, Class of ‘37, was inspired by essays written by schoolchildren in 1930s Bolton, held in the . Using the words, images and stories of children living in their streets and communities nearly acentury ago, the project brings the past to life for today’s primary and secondary-age children.  

    It has inspired older pupils to produce a history trail for younger children, film on the same topics, and recreate photographs of the children in 1937, which were then displayed at an . Funds have also enabled several special events (e.g. World Book Day activities) and an (to Blackpool) for the children, as well as a set of teacher-generated classroom resources, for other schools to access and use. Teachers are reporting that they’re now able to deliver the ‘local history’ aspect of the Key Stage 2 curriculum in more accessible, engaging and relatable ways, and that the children are gaining greater understanding of the history of their local area, how it has changed over the last century, and finding their place within it.  

  • CheatGPT? Enabling ethical use of generative text AI in the UK communications industry

    The front cover of the Cheat GPT white paper

    Working with Brighton-based PR agency , ’s research responds to urgent calls in the UK PR and Communications sectors, to better understand AI use and its implications. Using (market research agency), the project surveyed over a thousand content writers and managers in PR/communications professions – the largest in the UK to measure and map generative text AI use in these sectors – and conducted a further set of in-depth interviews. Kant worked with Magenta to in which they distilled their findings and disseminatedbest practice guidelines for writers (on how to use generative AI ChatGPT legally, ethically, productivelyand creatively), and companies (on how to improve their policies on AI use).

    Initial responses from participants indicate intentions to increase/engage with more AI training, and to improve transparency around AI use within teams. The project has attracted substantial interest, including in the media (e.g. , etc.), major industry events (e.g.  – the world’s biggest search engine optimisation conference), and in policy debate (e.g. the IAA has supported Dr Kant to engage in UK policy discussion on the future of and ).

    Read the White Paper:  (Dr Tanya Kant and Magenta Associates, 2024), and watch Tanya Kant talk about her work in this  

     

  • Tuning in: awakening climate hope and action through nature sounds

    A group of children in a woodland with headphones on looking for birds

    Bird Bath and Wilding Radio are applied sound art interventions, led by , that experiment with approaches to forging sonic connection to wider nature, positively impacting listeners in numerous ways.

    ‘Bird Bath’ (created in collaboration with Alistair Appleton) transforms cultural venues into restorative ecocultural spaces, by inviting visitors to ‘bathe’ in recordings of local birdsong-filled soundscapes. For Brighton Festival 2024, over 1600 people attended a week-long installation and events (funded by the AHRC IAA). First created for Newhaven Festival in 2017, it has more recently featured in Arundel’s . In June 2024, Bird Bath was installed at Martlets Hospice in Hove, bringing the healing power of nature to sanctuary spaces for families visiting relatives and staff. An artist’s toolkit supports communities interested in creating their own Bird Bath, and learning resources have been created to introduce children to the basics of sound walking, deep listening and sound technologies.

    is a livestreamed soundscape experiment, monitoring ecological changes associated with the reintroduction of  in 2022. It has attracted widespread media coverage and global audiences (over 31,000 people from 120 countries, by the end of 2025). The project inspired an eco vinyl release, “,” by Brighton-based Republic of Music to encourage creative approaches to carbon-offsetting in the music industry, and Wilding Radio also soundtracked a major exhibition Water Pressure (touring design museums across Europe with audiences of over 100,000). The team have developed an open-access Wilding Radio resource to support other spin-off initiatives, such as Gair Wood in Yorkshire and Helsinki Central Park in Finland. Both Bird Bath and Wilding Radio audiences describe positive experiences of varying intensity, using synonyms of calmness, joy, contemplation, excitement, connection and gratitude.

    In this , Bird Bath is described by Living Coast UNESCO Biosphere’s Programme Manager as “really powerful and important, to enable many people to experience our biosphere in different ways” by bringing nature “into the heart of the city”.

    Read more about Bird Bath and listen to Wilding Radio.  

     

  • The Art of Entertainment: Animating an Unfamiliar Cultural Past

    The Art of Entertainment book cover

    In partnership with galleries and museums in London and the South East (principally ), led a programme of public-facing events aimed at reassessing British modernism through the lens of popular entertainment, and generating new awareness of overlooked artists—particularly Thérèse Lessore. These included an exhibition, open house event, walking tour and six public talks (2024-2025), including as part of and .

    Price encouraged audiences to consider and challenge dominant narratives of British modernism, through showcasing the voices and artworks of women, working-class, and queer artists and performers – key themes discussed in his book . When surveyed, respondents frequently cited the talks as memorable for illuminating overlooked histories, and many noted improved awareness around themes of gender, circus culture, and/or artistic marginalisation.

    The ‘Thérèse Lessore and the Circus’ exhibition, originally developed and shown at , has since been adapted so that it can be easily re-mounted elsewhere.