Digital creativity and the regional museum: experimental collaboration at the convergence of immersive media and exhibition design

Beale, G. , Smith, N. , Wilkins, T., Schofield, G., Hook, J. and Masinton, A. (2022) Digital creativity and the regional museum: experimental collaboration at the convergence of immersive media and exhibition design. Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage, 15(4), 78. (doi: 10.1145/3527620)

Abstract

This paper presents the findings of the Within the Walls of York Gaol, an interdisciplinary and collaborative practice-based research project which was established to examine the intersection between emerging forms of immersive media, game design and contemporary archaeological exhibition design. The project was a collaboration between researchers and practitioners at York Museums Trust, The University of York, and the University of Glasgow and used co-design methods to design and produce two immersive installations in the prison cells at York Castle Museum in collaboration with community groups.The project sought to re-think the role of the museum within regional creative economies and to argue for the importance of the regional museum as a hub for digital design and innovation. Through innovative forms of collaborative research practice the project was able to develop new understandings of the ways in which collaborative approaches to the design and development of interactive digital media can be used to build skilled communities of practice around regional museums. The project took a critical stance to the use of immersive media technologies and led to the development of innovative and highly distinctive digital immersive installations which emerged in response to the specific opportunities and design requirements of museums and their audiences.This paper will set out the findings of this project as well as identifying new creative directions and new forms of collaborative design practice which can be adopted and adapted for use across the museum sector.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Smith, Dr Nicole and Beale, Dr Gareth
• Authors: Beale, G., Smith, N., Wilkins, T., Schofield, G., Hook, J., and Masinton, A.
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > Archaeology; College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > Information Studies
• Journal Name: Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage
• Publisher: Association for Computing Machinery
• ISSN: 1556-4673
• ISSN (Online): 1556-4711
• Published Online: 25 July 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage 15(4): 78
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
304235		Within the walls of York Gaol: Memory, Place and the Immersive museum	Gareth Beale	Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)	AH/R008701/2	Arts - Archaeology