Creative Industries Research Unit: Music, Performance and Media

Description

The Creative Industries Research Unit at the University of South Wales (USW), located in the heart of Cardiff, represents one of the largest centres for screen production outside London in the UK. The Unit offers a diverse range of outputs, from award-winning feature-length documentary films and photographic exhibitions to comprehensive cultural monographs analysing creative texts and processes. Its research is inherently collaborative and multidisciplinary, mirroring the reality of creative production within the industry.

Internationally recognised for its impactful, high-quality research, the Unit often receives funding through external research grants or arts awards. It nurtures a vibrant research community, supporting researchers across various career stages, from PhD students to Visiting Professors.

Several senior researchers serve as Directors of significant Research Centres at USW, including the Centre for Media and Culture in Small Nations, the European Centre for Documentary Research, and the George Ewart Evans Centre for Storytelling. The Unit has also established significant collaborative partnerships with creative industry entities and policymakers.

In the REF 2021, the Unit received high ratings for its research in Music, Drama, Dance, and Performing Arts, including media and cultural studies. It is recognised for its leadership in creative industries research and its collaborative ethos with external organisations. The Unit is particularly strong in the areas of Arts and Health, Screen Media, and Practice-Research.

The Unit has assumed a leading role in the field of creative arts and health research at both national and international levels. This research has contributed to improved training provisions for frontline workers in NHS Wales and NHS England and has focused on the wellbeing of communities and individuals, particularly those experiencing trauma and social exclusion.

The Unit has shown a marked increase in its capacity for innovative research and development (R&D) with industrial impact in the screen sector. USW was one of only two universities in the UK to secure both a creative cluster grant Clwstwr and an Audience of the Future (AoF) demonstrator grant through UKRI’s Creative Economy programme in 2018.

Finally, Practice-Research is central to the Unit's cultural and artistic impact. It includes internationally-acclaimed exhibitions and publications, award-winning films, and practices at the forefront of Welsh theatre and performance.

Offers funding

No, this infrastructure does not provide funding.

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University affiliation(s)

University of South Wales
Glyntaff Campus
Cemetery Road
Pontypridd
CF37 4BD