Digital and Material Artistic Research Cluster

• Twin city events
• Calendar of Festivals 

• Forthcoming journal article, ‘Outer Worlds: Animated Documentary and Critical Realism’ for Animation, An Interdisciplinary journal from Sage Publishing.
• Forthcoming journal article, ‘A Deeper Picture: A Realist Semiotics of Documentary Collage Film’ for the Journal of Critical Realism from Taylor and Francis.
• Currently developing an article in collaboration with Dr Stephanie King from the Institute of Education on applied critical realism for early career researchers. The article asks how new researchers can find, operationalise, and apply critical realism to address diverse projects across multiple disciplines.

50 Years of Derby Carnival

A Documentary on the West Indian Community's Legacy working with The Derby West Indian Community Association (DWICA) and a visual Celebration of the West Indian Community's Legacy.

The documentary will delve into the vibrant history and cultural contributions of the West Indian community in Derby over the past five decades. By focusing on the annual Derby Carnival, the documentary will provide a rich narrative that highlights the community's enduring legacy and its impact on the social and cultural fabric of Derby. 

Other works

• Festival of Dreams (11th/12th July – Derby)
• Derby Theatre 50th year
• Screening of ‘Winter Wonderland’ (September as part of University EDI Network)
• ‘Winter Wonderland’ shown at the Practice-based research arm of MeCCSA 2025 at Napier and SDGFilmfest in late June

Furthering Eschatological Artistic Research (FEAR)

Developing a multi-output research identity called FEAR (Furthering Eschatological Artistic Research). A portfolio of artistic and cultural research work that considers the scientific, technological and sociopolitical impact to existential threat.

This reflects recent outputs as follows:

• The Atomic Kid (co-edited book)
• The Atomic Kid: Playing Hide and Seek with the Gamma Ray Source (essay)
• I love America and America hates me (film)
• I love America and America hates me: (conference paper, FORMAT 2025)

Pipeline Projects

• Her Untimely Figs… Nuclear progress and its cultural impact - A conference hosted by the University of Derby, UK, with The Atomic Museum, Las Vegas, Nevada
• Collaboration with Karen Harvey MBE in ownership and development of Quadring Eaudyke Bunker, Lincolnshire, as a location for interdisciplinary eschatological practice/research

• Currently collaborating with Nottingham Playhouse on a conference and symposium looking at fifty years of New Perspectives.
• Participating in ongoing meetings with Derby Theatre to develop a potential AHRC application.

Written contributions

• Book Publication (Routledge – contract signed)
  • Performance and Parenthood – scheduled for submission in September 2025
• Essay Submission - Beyond the Stage: Breathing Life into Transferable Skills for Health and Resilience
  • Accepted for Theatre, Dance and Performance Training special issue on “Training for Movement, Physical Activity and Health”
  • Due to print summer 2025 
• Book Chapter Contribution - Long Covid Diaries – Co-authored with Rhiannon Jones for a research book under Critical Publishing (now acquired by Routledge)
  • Chapter: Embedding Research into Practice, Funding, and Practicalities
  • Case study: Shedding Light on Long Covid (2023)
  • Final draft submitted and accepted – awaiting print date 
• Journal Article Submission - Turning Toward Being: The Journal of Ontological Enquiry in Education – Special Issue: The Being of Being Creative
  • Article: The Being of the Performer: Ownership, Body, and Voice in Tender Steps
    • Accepted – currently going through first edits after submission. Publication: December 2025

Conference presentations

• 11th Annual Conference, Malta University (5-7 March 2025)
  • Showcase and presentation of Tender Steps
• Embodied Voice Conference, University of Warwick (25 April 2025)
  • Embodied Pain, Authenticity, and Ethics in Performance: Reflections on Tender Steps
• Music and Parental Wellbeing Symposium (MPWS 2025) (22-23 July 2025)
  • Presentation on Tender Steps and the score
• MeCCSA 2025 at Napier (TBC)
  • Screening of Tender Steps and talk
    • Film Screening
• SDGFilmfest, Jakarta (late June 2025)
  • Screening of Tender Steps
• Festivity Tour (May - Oct)
  • Screening of Tender Steps at various locations across Derbyshire as part of the Festivity tour.

Research projects

Multimodal Inspiratory Muscle Training and Dance Intervention

Aim: Investigate the impact of a combined Inspiratory Muscle Training (IMT) and Dance-based intervention on health in older adults

Objectives:

• Analyse changes in balance, functional mobility, respiratory function, and qualitative outcomes
• Examine the effects of integrating Dance and IMT over 8 weeks
• Identify novel interventions to improve balance in older populations
• Assess feasibility for future research on targeted populations 

UoD Research Team:

• Alice Marshall (SoA)
• Francesco Ferraro (Sport Therapy - Science and Engineering)
• Rania Edris Biomedical - Science and Engineering
• Liz Foster (SoA) 

• NECROLOGY - Exhibition (Group Show)
• Death Cafe (Event)
• Ecology Walk (Event) at Haarlem Artspace & Wirksworth Cemetery, Derbyshire.
  • In partnership with NMRG, Playing Feilds, Kristian Day & Katie Crabtree.
  • Date: June 12 – 15, 2025
• From Skin to Lands, from Walls to Worlds: Rebecca Halliwell-Sutton
• Exhibition at GLOAM, Sheffield
• Publication - Henry Moore Foundation Funding (Application Submitted)
  • Date: August 22 – September 14, 2025
• Tora Hed at GLOAM - Performance / Workshop, September 26 – 28, 2025
• Freehouse X GLOAM - Exchange Project / Exhibition at Recent Activity, Birmingham (across Digbeth First Fridays), August 1 – 10, 2025