Research Clusters

The Creative Industries cluster provides a focus for academics exploring the realities of creative, media and cultural industries practice. We take a critical perspective to investigate the challenges of working in the creative sector, which includes work relating to:

•         Alternative and marginal economies
•         Cultural entrepreneurship
•         Cultural policy
•         Craft production and making processes
•         Equality and diversity

We work closely with cultural organisations at local, national and global level, providing new insights into the experience of cultural work. We also work with colleagues at STEAMHouse, BCU’s interdisciplinary makerspace, and the University’s Centre for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Arts (CEDIA).

Our combined objectives are to continue working closely with cultural and creative industry communities and individual artists, cultural workers, consultants and organisations through collaborative initiatives. We seek to undertake publicly engaged work, underpinned by our scholarly research. Our core objectives are: 

1. to work in partnership with cultural organisations, cultural policy makers and individuals who are managing and developing programmes addressing inequalities in the cultural sector; 

2. to draw attention to the challenges of self-employment, cultural entrepreneurship and expertise and re-focus the nature of support and policies aimed at cultural and creative industries; 

3. to explore a range of methodological approaches including practice-led processes such as exhibitions, events, workshops, co-creating research and use of social media.

Cluster leads: Dr Oliver Carter and Dr Karen Patel

Media and Cultural Studies PhD Research Degree

We have a strong community of doctoral students contributing a wide range of research on our Media and Cultural Studies PhD research degree course. Students can work on traditional dissertations or through practice-based research. We place a strong emphasis on ensuring that our research engages with the music and radio industries and with a range of social media activists.