Our impact
At SPARC we aim for research that reaches beyond academia to shape artistic practice and benefit wider society. The impact of our research spans sectors including the arts, creative technologies, health, and education.
The research below includes a project aimed at improving access for under-represented groups within the audio industry and an educational resource for children aimed at supporting cross-cultural learning through music and storytelling.
Immersive and Inclusive
Immersive and Inclusive is an affordable mentoring program in a safe environment showcasing role models. Their mission is to create a pipeline of skilled, underrepresented groups with the necessary social capital to work in immersive audio within the audio industry.
Immersive and Inclusive Audio began as part of a PhD being undertaken by Leslie Gaston-Bird. With funding from Innovate UK and support from Avid Learning Central, the project has expanded to include Avid Pro Tools and Dolby Atmos certification. The research aspect of the initiative is meant to uncover what impact workshops can have on the experience of underrepresented groups in immersive audio, and the long term goal is to improve diversity and representation in the field.
The Phoenix of Persia
The Phoenix of Persia is an illustrated children's book, with specially-composed accompanying music, based on a story from the Iranian national epic poem, The Shahnameh, by the 10th-Century poet Abol Qasem Ferdowsi.
The text is by Sally Pomme Clayton and the book is illustrated by Amin Hassanzadeh Sharif. The Phoenix of Persia was published in May 2019 by Tiny Owl Publishers .