CreaTech Frontiers Collaborative Doctoral Award
Regional Museums and Creative Technologies: addressing barriers to digital equity.
In November 2025 the Museum Association stated that museums are increasingly in competition with “slick digital commercial experiences”. While innovative immersive displays are being developed at national museums (e.g. Natural History Museum’s ‘Visions of Nature’ AR experience), there are many structural inequities that affect the ability of regional museums to develop and implement equivalent creative technologies in their practices (including resources, technical knowledge, capacity). This limits the educational, cultural and economic benefits that might accrue to museums, their communities, and visitors, from the new forms of interpretation and engagement that these technologies provide. It also reinforces negative perceptions that museums are out-of-step with an increasingly digital world
Developed in dialogue with Heritage and Culture Warwickshire and regional museum partners to address their needs, this research project investigates both visitor expectations and the ability of regional museums to meet them, systematically exploring the factors that affect this, such as resourcing, skills and capacity gaps, and modes of working within the sector. The project will generate evidence-based insights for regional museums, industry, sector professionals, and local and national policymakers with the aim of promoting efficient, effective, and impactful uses of creative technologies in regional museum practices.
The project will be led by Dr. Jamie Larkin in the Centre for Cultural and Media Policy Studies and Emma Andrews, Service Manger, Heritage and Culture Warwickshire, Warwickshire County Council.
The research is part of a wider doctoral programme supported by CreaTech Frontiers, a 5-year, £7.2 million project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The project aims to establish a thriving createch ecosystem across the West Midlands by developing skills and talent, funding collaborative R&D, and supporting business innovation. Led by Birmingham City University, CreaTech Frontiers is delivered by a consortium of six core partners that includes Coventry University, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the University of Birmingham, the University of Warwick, and Digital Catapult. The successful candidate will join the CreaTech Frontiers academic community and play a key role in delivering the project’s objectives
Application process
How to Apply: Admissions
Stage 1. Apply for admission for your MPhil/PhD in Creative Industries and obtain your 7-digit ID number.
You should have started your application to study well to receive your ID number and to secure your place.
Department: School of Creative Arts, Performance & Visual Cultures
Academic Year: 2026/27
Mode of Study: Full-time
Type of course: Postgraduate Research
Course: PhD Creative Industries.
How to Apply: Scholarship
Deadline: 30th April 16:59 (GMT)
Stage 2. Submit your scholarship application. You will need the following:
- Your University of Warwick 7-digit ID number
- A CV (maximum 2 pages). You may supplement this with a short statement as to how you meet the "Person and Preparedness" descriptors.
- A Research Proposal (maximum 3 pages) that outlines how you would respond to the project as outlined here.
- You should supplement this with a statement as to how you meet the "Project and Place" descriptors.
Further Information
Eligibility: The scholarship will cover Home (UK) fees and a UKRI stipend.
Interviews: We will interview identified candidates before offering a place or scholarship.
Contact Details: Questions about the project can be addressed to
PGR Ranking Criteria
We strongly advise that all applicants familiarise themselves with the PGR Ranking Criteria listed below, noting that it will be part of the assessment criteria used for allocating scholarships
The University of Warwick provides an inclusive working and learning environment, recognising and respecting every individual’s differences. We welcome applications from individuals who identify with any of the protected characteristics Link opens in a new windowdefined by the Equality Act 2010